**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO ANALYZE RURAL FOOD PANTRIES AS VEHICLES FOR IMPROVING RURAL FOOD SECURITY AND CONNECTING RURAL FAMILIES WITH FEDERAL ASSISTANCE. WE IDENTIFIED THREE CRITICAL ELEMENTS TO RURAL FOOD PANTRY USE THAT MAY PRESENT BARRIERS FOR HOUSEHOLDS. FIRST, ROLES OF TIME AND SPACE; RURAL FOOD PANTRIES ARE OFTEN FAR AWAY AND HAVE LIMITED HOURS, MAKING ACCESS DIFFICULT. SECOND, ROLE OF STIGMA AS A DETERRENT. THIRD, RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FOOD PANTRIES AND OTHER FORMS OF ASSISTANCE, SPECIFICALLY FEDERAL FOOD ASSISTANCE WHICH CAN SERVE LONGER TERM NEEDS. THE PROJECT IS BROKEN INTO THREE OBJECTIVES: (1) IDENTIFY AND MEASURE TRAVEL COSTS AND PATTERNS AMONG RURAL FOOD PANTRY USERS FOR PANTRY NETWORK OPTIMIZATION, WHICH WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF GEOLOCATION DATA FROM RURAL FOOD PANTRY CLIENTS AND VALIDATED WITH A NATIONAL DATASET OF FOOD PANTRY CLIENTS (2) TEST FOR THE PRESENCE AND MUTABILITY OF STIGMA EFFECTS IN RURAL FOOD PANTRY USE, WHICHWILL BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE COLLECTION OF DATA IN A NATIONAL SURVEY AND A COMPLEMENTARY FIELD EXPERIMENT, AND (3) IDENTIFY AND TEST LOW-COST OR FREE INPANTRY INTERVENTIONS TO ENROLL ELIGIBLE RURAL HOUSEHOLDS IN FEDERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS (E.G. SNAP), WHICH WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH A FIELD EXPERIMENT WHERE DIFFERENT INTERVENTIONS ARE TESTED FOR EFFICACY. THE RESULTS OF ALL RESEARCH ACTIVITIES WILL PROVIDE NEW INSIGHT INTO HOW RURAL FOOD BANK NETWORKS AND THEIR PANTRIES CAN BE MANAGED TO MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCY AND IMPACT.