Is Your Nonprofit Ready for SNAP-Driven Volunteer Demand?
Starting November 1, 2025, millions more Americans on SNAP will be required to volunteer, work, or participate in training programs for at least 20 hours a week. Nonprofits may see a significant increase in volunteer inquiries. Here’s what you need to know and do.
Wait, what?
What Changed Under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”
In July 2025, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which significantly expanded SNAP work requirements for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs). These changes are now in effect across the country, although enforcement will mostly begin at recipients’ next recertification. Here’s a high-level summary:
- Adults 18–64 without dependents must now meet work requirements to receive SNAP beyond a 3-month period.
- Requirement = 80 hours per month of work, training, or volunteering (about 20 hours per week).
- Exemptions have been narrowed. Many previously exempt groups must now comply.
- States must send written notice before removing someone from SNAP for non-compliance.
- Enforcement begins November 1, 2025, but most recipients will report at their next recertification (6–12 months).
These new rules mean a significant number of people in New England may soon be looking to fulfill 80 volunteer hours per month to keep their food assistance.
A Refresher
SNAP Work Requirements
SNAP work rules are divided into two types:
General Work Requirements
Most adults aged 16–59 must meet the general work requirements unless exempt. These include:
- Registering for work when applying for SNAP
- Participating in a SNAP E&T or workfare program if assigned
- Taking a suitable job if offered (at least minimum wage)
- Not voluntarily quitting a job or reducing hours below 30/week without good cause
You are exempt from the general work requirements if you:
- Already work 30+ hours a week (or earn equivalent wages)
- Meet TANF or unemployment work rules
- Care for a child under six or someone incapacitated
- Are physically or mentally unable to work
- Are regularly participating in substance abuse treatment
- Are in school or training at least half-time
Failure to comply results in at least a one-month disqualification. Repeated violations can lead to longer or permanent disqualification.
ABAWD Work Requirement and Time Limit
If you are 18–54, have no dependents, and are able to work, you must meet additional ABAWD requirements to continue SNAP for more than 3 months in a 3-year period.
You can meet this by:
- Working 80 hours per month (including paid, unpaid, barter, or volunteer work)
- Participating in a work program at least 80 hours/month (such as SNAP E&T)
- Combining work and work program hours to meet 80/month
- Participating in workfare for assigned hours (based on your SNAP benefit amount)
You are exempt from the ABAWD rules if you:
- Cannot work due to a physical or mental condition
- Are pregnant
- Have someone under 18 in your SNAP household
- Are exempt from the general work requirements
- Are a veteran
- Are experiencing homelessness
- Were in foster care on your 18th birthday and are now under age 25
If you do not meet the ABAWD requirements, your benefits are limited to 3 months. To regain eligibility, you must meet the requirement for 30 days or become exempt.
the numbers
Estimated ABAWD Populations (SNAP Recipients) in New England (2024 data)
~75,000
~56,800
~32,200
~31,400
~9,500
definition
What Counts as Work?
To meet the ABAWD requirement, individuals must complete 80 hours per month through one or more of the following:
- Paid employment
- Job search or workforce training
- Participation in a SNAP E&T program
- Unpaid volunteering or workfare
Volunteer work is valid as long as it is structured and verifiable.
so what?
What This Means for Nonprofits
Many of these individuals will turn to nonprofits to fulfill their 80-hour requirement. Nonprofits are not required to accept them, but if they do, they will likely be asked to verify hours or provide proof of service. Here’s how to prepare.
checklist
Preparing for SNAP-Related Volunteer Interest
Many of the people affected by these changes are not traditional volunteers. They are participating to meet a federal requirement, often with a tight deadline and little room for flexibility. This does not mean they will not be committed or valuable. It means your process needs to be organized, consistent, and easy to follow. The following checklist outlines specific steps your nonprofit can take to prepare for this influx and respond with clarity and confidence. This checklist outlines what your nonprofit can do to ensure you’re ready to handle these requests without burdening your team or compromising your standards.
Decide if you want to accept volunteers fulfilling SNAP requirements.
Confirm whether your org can offer reliable, trackable work that totals up to 80 hours per month per person. Check capacity, supervision, risk, insurance, and workload fit. Get a written go/no-go from leadership.
Identify who on your team will manage volunteer inquiries.
Name one owner for intake, replies, screening, and handoffs. Assign a primary and a backup with clear inbox coverage. Publish that contact.
Document a clear process for saying no and referring volunteers elsewhere.
A standard, respectful decline with a referral. Write a 4-sentence template with links to other orgs. Use it every time.
Define an evergreen role catalog in addition to event roles.
A standing set of roles that run year-round and can absorb 80 hours per month. Publish 6–10 roles with clear outputs. Examples. Communications assistant. Social listening and inbox triage. Research aide. Data entry and formatting. CRM hygiene. Donor thank-you drafting. Web content updates. Survey building and reporting. Accessibility QA. Translation. Inventory tracking. Grant prospect research. Transportation coordination.
Collect staff input on tasks that could use volunteer support.
Identify work that is safe, templated, and reversible. Send a 5-question form to staff. Ask for two tasks per week that fit volunteer tiers. Require an SOP or checklist for each task before assignment. Review for data sensitivity and risk.
Decide the interaction style by role tier.
Different oversight levels per tier. Tier 1. Use channel posts and a weekly group check-in. Tier 2. Add twice-weekly huddles and first-items review. Tier 3. Require live supervisor availability and sign-off per task. Publish this on each role page.
Break roles down into weekly expectations that add up to 80 hours a month.
Convert duties into scheduled shifts or task blocks that total ~20 hours per week. Define shift lengths, frequency, and tasks per shift. Avoid vague “as needed.”
Offer both in-person and remote roles if possible.
Create at least one option of each to widen access. Make a remote admin or outreach role plus an on-site operations role.
Confirm state mechanics and forms.
Name the rule and the paperwork. Verify your state’s requirement (80 hours or workfare math), the exact form name, who can sign, and when it is due. Assign one staff contact for caseworkers. Keep a monthly hours log per person and store summaries in one place. For Vermont and Maine, confirm the personalized monthly target before scheduling.
Formalize onboarding and off-boarding.
A consistent start and clean exit. New volunteer checklist. Orientation, role training, tool access, code of conduct, timekeeping demo. Off-boarding checklist. Revoke access, collect feedback, final hours letter.
Create an incidents and escalation path.
A clear process for issues. One page that defines incident types, who to notify, timelines, and documentation steps.
Ensure roles are trackable with a clear start and end to each shift or task.
Hours must be verifiable by date and duration. Use sign-in/sign-out, digital timers, task start/finish checkboxes, or a volunteer management system.
Set up automated confirmation replies when someone fills out the form.
Instant email that confirms receipt and next steps. Put a 3-step timeline: review window, possible screening call, expected start.
Create a template for quick follow-up emails or screening calls.
Consistent questions and tone. Include 8–10 questions on availability, tech access, supervision needs, conflicts, start date. Add a brief script.
Put a volunteer management system in place.
One consistent method to intake, schedule, message, and track hours. Choose either a single tool or a lightweight stack. Decide your system of record. Define who administers it. Write a one-page SOP that covers intake, scheduling, timekeeping, and monthly exports.
Use a spreadsheet, Airtable, or database to log volunteer interest.
A single source of truth. Columns: name, contact, date in, role interest, status, notes, referral given if declined. You can also use a volunteer management system for this.
Clarify how paid staff and volunteers interact.
A non-displacement policy, task boundaries, and supervision lines. Write a short policy. “Volunteers supplement staff and do not replace paid roles. Supervisors assign work aligned to published role descriptions. Volunteers do not perform hiring, firing, payroll, or clinical decisions.” Map each role to a staff supervisor.
Implement a way to track volunteer hours monthly.
There is a reporting requirement. Reliable monthly totals per person. Pick one: paper sign-in, Google Form per shift, Airtable interface, or a volunteer app.
Assign a staff member or volunteer to review and confirm hours.
Someone validates logs before you sign anything. Weekly review for anomalies. Resolve gaps before month end.
Be ready to provide signed documentation confirming hours if asked.
A standard letter or form with totals and contact info. Prepare a template that fills in name, dates, total hours, duties performed, supervisor name, signature block.
Set success metrics.
Know whether the program works. Track placements, monthly hours per active volunteer, shift fill rate, attrition, time from inquiry to placement, supervisor satisfaction, volunteer satisfaction, and referral outcomes when you decline. Review monthly.
Write a short volunteer handbook or expectations guide.
Brief rules of the road. 2–3 pages. Topics: safety, schedules, communication, conduct, reporting hours, who to contact. (The more the better).
Include a point of contact, attendance policy, and communication norms.
Clarity on who to reach, how to report absences, and where messages happen. Define an email inbox, call number, response time, how to cancel a shift, how updates go out.
List optional but useful training or onboarding steps.
Short modules that improve reliability and safety. 15–30 minute orientation, role shadow, tool walkthrough, data privacy basics, safety brief.
Test your intake process yourself to make sure it is smooth.
Run a full end-to-end test as if you are a new volunteer. Submit the form, time the auto-reply, book the screening, try to log a mock shift. Fix friction.
Build a list of nearby orgs accepting volunteers and start informal referrals.
A referral network for when you are full or not a fit. Maintain a short directory with contact links, typical roles, and capacity notes. Update monthly.
Confirm insurance and risk coverage.
Volunteers are covered during service. Check your general liability and volunteer accident policy. Verify incident reporting requirements. Update the handbook with coverage scope.
Add language access.
Reduce barriers for non-English speakers. Capture preferred language in intake. Provide translated onboarding where you have volume. Tag roles that can be performed in languages other than English.
Update your website or contact page with volunteer info before November 2025.
Publish a simple, current page that sets expectations. Include role links, intake form, response time, required hours, whether you accept SNAP-fulfilling volunteers, and your contact.
Many nonprofits won’t see a sudden flood of volunteers on November 1. But inquiries will rise steadily into 2026 as people recertify and need to prove compliance. Organizations that prepare now will avoid last-minute scrambling, burned-out staff, and frustrated volunteers.
This policy change is not temporary. It’s the new baseline. Treat this as an opportunity to build sustainable, scalable systems that work for all volunteers, not just those on SNAP.
If you need help defining roles, setting up systems, or building intake forms, we can help.