National Outreach Campaign Needs Assessment for WIC State and Local Agencies

WIC Outreach Campaign
FINAL: WIC State and Local Agency Needs Assessment Instrument

PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT 

 

Legal Authority: USDA is authorized to collect this information under 42 USC 12651d (b)(13), (14), and (c)(11). 

Purpose: This information will be used to identify 1) State and local agency outreach and communication capacity, activities, and needs to inform the development and execution of the WIC Outreach Campaign (the Campaign), and 2) approaches to engaging and supporting State and local agencies in the Campaign, including training and technical assistance (TA).

Routine Use: Information may be disclosed for any use permitted under law. Information will only be used in aggregate without personally identifiable information, and is thus not subject to the Privacy Act. 

Disclosure: All information collected will be collected privately and only reported anonymously, without any association with your information or personal information. Any information which would permit identification of the individual will be safeguarded and will be used only by persons engaged in and for the purpose of the study, except as otherwise required by law.

Participation in this research is voluntary and there are no penalties for refusing to answer any question. However, your cooperation in obtaining this much needed information is extremely important in order to ensure the completeness of the results. 

CONSENT FORM 

 

You are being invited to participate in a research study on behalf of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service to inform a National Outreach Campaign. If you agree to take part in this study, you will be asked to complete an online needs assessment survey. This needs assessment will take you approximately 25 minutes to complete. 
 

You may not directly benefit from this research; however, we hope that your participation in the study may help the Food and Nutrition Service determine how to best communicate with the general public about specific programs. 

You agree to ask questions about the study if you don't understand something. If you have questions once the study is over, you can contact: [email protected].

By clicking “I agree” below, you are indicating that you are at least 18 years old, have read and understood this consent form and agree to participate in this research study. Please print a copy of this page for your records. 

 

 

IF CLICKS ‘I DO NOT AGREE,’ TERMINATE. MUST CLICK ‘I AGREE’ TO CONTINUE. 

 

SCREEN 3: OMB BURDEN STATEMENT 

 OMB CONTROL NO.: 0584-0611

EXPIRATION DATE: 11/30/2025

OMB BURDEN STATEMENT: This information is being collected to assist the Food and Nutrition Service in developing a National Outreach Campaign to increase awareness of the health and nutrition benefits associated with specific programs. This is a voluntary collection and FNS will use the information to meet the needs and understand the mindsets of current program participants, as well as those individuals who are eligible but do not participate. This collection does not request any personally identifiable information under the Privacy Act of 1974. According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-0611. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, the Privacy Act Statement, Consent Form, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Policy Support, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22306 ATTN: PRA 584-0611). Do not return the completed form to this address.

 

To continue, click NEXT. 

WELCOME

Thank you for taking the time to complete this needs assessment survey to help inform the development and execution of the WIC Outreach Campaign (the Campaign). The WIC Outreach Campaign (Campaign) is a national effort by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to increase awareness about the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) among all who are eligible.

Throughout the needs assessment, when we refer to the Campaign, we are talking about this FNS-led effort, rather than other campaigns that may already be available.

As you work for a WIC State or local agency, your input is critical to the successful development and implementation of the Campaign, which aims to support the invaluable work you are doing to reach individuals and families about the benefits and support that WIC provides.

The purpose of this needs assessment is to gain a better understanding of your current communication and outreach activities and needs. This will help us learn how the Campaign and its resources, trainings, and other tools can help you build on your existing efforts. We appreciate your open and honest feedback. Any information collected will be safeguarded and will be used only by persons engaged in and for the purpose of the study, except as otherwise required by law.

Only one individual may complete the needs assessment on behalf of your agency. However, as the respondent, you may gather input from others based on the questions that are asked. The needs assessment survey will allow you to save your progress as you reach out to the appropriate individual(s) for needed information, and then come back and answer the question(s).

To learn more about this needs assessment and the Campaign, please see the “About the Needs Assessment” document that you received with the needs assessment invitation. Questions can also be sent to the WIC Outreach Campaign Technical Assistance email [email protected].

Thank you so much for your continued commitment to serving WIC families and for contributing your critical perspective to this initiative! Your insights and expertise are integral to the success of the Campaign, and your feedback will be used to shape our understanding of your community’s needs and tailor the Campaign strategies.

We know your time is valuable, and we appreciate you completing this needs assessment.

SECTION 1: GENERAL INFORMATION AND CURRENT PRACTICES

1. What is your agency type?

   1. State

   2. Local

2. What is the name of your agency? [Dropdown list of 88 State agencies or fill in the blank if a local agency]

3. In the past 12 months, which outreach strategies did your agency use to spread the word about your program? Select all that apply.

1. Using media sources, partners, events, etc. that reach WIC-eligible individuals

2. Creating or distributing physical materials (e.g., pamphlets, brochures, or “swag”) in clinics at partner organizations, or at health fairs or other similar events

3. Tailoring content for specific audiences (e.g., pregnant women eligible for WIC)

4. Tailoring content for cultural diversity

5. Tailoring content for language access (e.g., non-English, or limited English proficiency)

6. Buying advertising for social media or digital channels (e.g., YouTube, Facebook, Google)

7. Buying advertising for non-digital channels (e.g., billboards, physical mailers, bus ads)

8. Partnering with organizations in your community

9. Sharing WIC information or outreach materials with health care providers

10. Managing accounts on social media

11. Strengthening presence on social media (e.g., increasing visibility through hashtags and updates, increasing engagement with audiences)

12. Using WIC staff (e.g., director, nutritionist, breastfeeding peer counselor) as spokespeople to engage with the media/news

13. Using storytelling or testimonials in your outreach materials

14. Using texting to reach potential WIC participants to promote enrollment

15. Using texting to reach current WIC participants to support retention

16. Monitoring success of outreach activities by keeping track of events, materials distributed, number of contacts with individuals eligible for WIC, digital media analytics, etc.

17. Other (please specify) ___________________

18. Our agency did not do any outreach about our program.

19. I don’t know.

4. We recognize that time for outreach is limited. In the past 12 months, did your WIC agency focus your outreach on any of the following specific audiences? Select all that apply.

1. Adolescents

2. Breastfeeding women

3. Moms

4. Postpartum women

5. Pregnant women

6. Dads

7. Single parents

8. Foster parents

9. Grandparents

10. Unhoused or transient populations

11. Immigrant, migrant, or refugee populations

12. Rural populations

13. Spanish-speaking populations

14. Limited English proficiency populations

15. Hispanic/Latino populations

16. American Indian/Alaska Native populations

17. Asian/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander populations

18. Black/African American populations

19. Other (please specify) ___________________

20. Our agency did not focus outreach on any specific audiences.

21. I don’t know.

5. In the past 12 months, what languages has your agency conducted outreach in (other than English)? Select all that apply.

1. Arabic

2. Burmese

3. Chinese

4. Dari

5. French/Creole

6. Korean

7. Nepali

8. Pashto

9. Portuguese

10. Somali

11. Spanish

12. Swahili

13. Vietnamese

14. Other (please specify) ___________________

15. Our agency only conducted outreach in English.

16. I don’t know.

6. In the past 12 months, which methods did your agency use to monitor the progress of your outreach activities? Select all that apply.

   1. Google Analytics or other website metrics (e.g., visits, unique visitors, clicks)

   2. Social media metrics (e.g., likes, views, shares)

   3. Direct feedback from participants (e.g., via surveys or focus groups)

   4. Direct feedback from other agencies or organizations (e.g., via surveys or focus groups)

   5. Number of eligibility inquiries by phone, email, online forms, etc.

   6. Number of newly enrolled participants

   7. Participant retention metrics

   8. Other (please specify) ___________________

   9. Our agency did not monitor the progress of outreach programs.

   10. I don’t know.

7. What is the source of the outreach materials (e.g., logos and other graphics, paid ads, pamphlets, videos that you show in your clinics, advertisements) that you are currently using to spread the word about your program? Select all that apply.

   1. Materials developed in-house by my agency

   2. Materials developed by an external vendor or organization. Please specify: _________

   3. Other (please specify) ___________________

   4. Our agency does not use outreach materials.

   5. I don’t know.

SECTION 2: CAMPAIGN ADOPTION/ADAPTATION/INTEGRATION

[FOR WIC STATE AGENCIES ONLY]

8. What potential Campaign items might you be interested in using if they were made available to you (either via free download or free print order from USDA)? Select all that apply.

1. A national WIC Program logo (that can be customized with your Agency name if desired)

2. Digital files for billboard ads, bus ads, social media ads, print ads

3. Press releases or articles

4. Social media messaging, “ready to go” posts, imagery and/or other content and templates

5. Website content including tools like the WIC PreScreening Tool, an application, or interest form

6. Multilingual resources

7. Photo library (with brand new imagery)

8. Video library (with brand new video content)

9. Digital files (e.g., brochures, handouts, and posters) for local printing

10. Materials and/or messages for sharing with WIC eligibles and participants

11. Materials and/or messages for sharing with health care providers

12. Materials and/or messages for sharing with partners

13. Sample messages and talking points about the Campaign

14. Recorded webinars/training sessions on how to use the Campaign materials

15. Health fair or other community event toolkits

16. Other (please specify) ___________________

17. Our agency is not interested in any Campaign items.

18. I don’t know.

9. [If the respondent selected multilingual resources for question 8 – to be programmed into the survey]. You indicated that you might be interested in using multilingual resources if they were made available to you, what languages (in addition to Spanish) would be most helpful to your agency? Select all that apply.

1. Arabic

2. Burmese

3. Chinese

4. Dari

5. French/Creole

6. Korean

7. Nepali

8. Pashto

9. Portuguese

10. Somali

11. Swahili

12. Vietnamese

13. Other (please specify) ___________________

10. How likely is it that your agency would adopt/use some or all of the WIC Outreach Campaign materials if you were provided a ready-to-go toolkit with the new WIC program logo, branding guidelines, media assets, and other resources/support 2-3 months ahead of time?

    1. Very likely

    2. Somewhat likely

    3. Somewhat unlikely

    4. Very unlikely

    5. I don’t know.
       
       
       

11. What challenges (e.g., capacity, experience, structural/operational, technical, financial, programmatic) to using/implementing new materials provided by USDA do you expect? [OPEN]

12. What time(s) of the day are most convenient for you to attend live virtual Campaign information, training, or technical assistance sessions hosted by the USDA contractor? Please note all times are in Eastern Time. Select all that apply.

    1. 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. ET

    2. 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. ET

    3. 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. ET

    4. Other (please specify) ___________________

13. What day(s) of the week are most convenient for you to attend live virtual Campaign information, training, or technical assistance sessions hosted by the USDA contractor? Select all that apply.

    1. Monday

    2. Tuesday

    3. Wednesday

    4. Thursday

    5. Friday

    6. Other (please specify) ____________________

14. If USDA built a Campaign-related webpage to direct eligible individuals who live within your agency’s service area to your agency(ies), what information would you want to be provided to them?

Order the following from highest to lowest preference by sliding each response option up or down the list. Position #1 refers to the most preferred option and #10 refers to the least preferred information.

1. State agency website

2. State agency phone number

3. State agency online application

4. State agency clinic locator

5. Local agency physical address

6. Local agency website

7. Local agency phone number

8. Local agency online application

9. Individual clinic/site phone number

10. Individual clinic/site physical address

15. To inform our planning for a Program locator tool for connecting eligible individuals to WIC State and/or local agency contact information, can you tell us how contact information for your agencies is managed?

    1. In a spreadsheet (i.e., a Microsoft Excel)

    2. In a document (i.e., a Microsoft Word)

    3. In a database or other software. Please specify____________

    4. Other (please specify)

    5. I don’t know.

SECTION 3: WAYS TO REACH AND ENGAGE AUDIENCES

16. Which media/news-related resources or training would help your agency advance or expand the work you are already doing? Select all that apply.

    1. Identifying appropriate media/news outlets (e.g., radio and television channels)

    2. Connecting with media outlets or other related organizations

    3. Creating audience-specific (e.g., pregnant women eligible for WIC) content to share with media/news outlets

    4. Tailoring content for cultural diversity

    5. Identifying and engaging with spokespeople/influencers

    6. Tracking activities and sharing results

    7. Identifying advertising opportunities that reach WIC-eligible groups

    8. Choosing social media to place ads on

    9. Creating or tailoring messages for local ads

    10. Creating or modifying graphics/media files

    11. Setting a budget for local ad development or placement

    12. Negotiating or securing local ad placements

    13. Other (please specify) ____________________

    14. No resources or training on media/news-related topics would be helpful.

    15. I don’t know.
        
        
        

17. The Campaign will offer paid advertising-related training that could help your agency advance or expand the outreach work you are already doing. Which of the following training topics would be helpful? Select all that apply.

    1. Overview of different paid ad types and assets required

    2. Planning for local paid advertising (placement selection, media buying, timing)

    3. Testing local ad versions (A/B testing) and optimization

    4. Tracking paid media activities and reporting success

    5. Other (please specify) ____________________

    6. No training on paid advertising-related topics would be helpful.

    7. I don’t know.
       
       
       

18. What Campaign resources would most help your agency advance or expand the work you are already doing? Select all that apply.

1. Fact sheets

2. How WIC Helps

3. Business cards

4. Cards for doctors’ offices

5. PowerPoint templates

6. Web banners

7. Posters

8. Billboard ads

9. Bus wraps

10. Online ads (e.g., website display ads, banners)

11. YouTube video ads

12. Newspaper ads

13. Radio ads

14. Television ads

15. Transit ads

16. Other (please specify) ____________________

17. I don’t know

19. Which of the following best describes how social media channels are managed at your agency?

    1. My WIC agency has its own social media channels, and agency staff are able to directly post to them.

    2. My WIC agency has its own social media channels, but agency staff are not able to directly post to them.

    3. My WIC agency does not have its own social media channels.

    4. Other (please specify) ____________________

    5. I don’t know.

20. In the past 12 months, which social media channels has your agency used to engage WIC participants or individuals who are eligible for WIC? Select all that apply.

• Instagram

• Facebook

• Snapchat

• WhatsApp

• X (Twitter)

• YouTube

• LinkedIn

• Other (please specify) ____________________

• I don’t know.
  
  
  

21. Which social media-related resources or training would help your agency advance or expand the work you are already doing? Select all that apply.

• Identifying or prioritizing audiences you want to reach

• Creating or tailoring messages

• Creating or modifying graphics

• Using/creating video content

• Tailoring content for seasonal themes, holiday, or observances

• Building followers and boosting engagement

• Partnering with local organizations to co-create content

• Repurposing content across channels

• Scheduling or planning timing for posts

• Learning how to place social media ads

• Tracking activities and showing success

• Other (please specify) ____________________

• No resources or training on social media-related topics would be helpful.

• I don’t know.
  
  
  

22. Resources or training on which of the following social media sites would be helpful for your agency to advance or expand the work you are already doing? Select all that apply.

• Instagram

• Facebook

• Snapchat

• WhatsApp

• X (Twitter)

• YouTube

• LinkedIn

• Other (please specify) ____________________

• I don’t know.

23. Which website-related resources or training would help your agency advance or expand the work you are already doing? Select all that apply.

• Adding an online application or interest form for program enrollment

• Adding multilingual website content

• Participant referral form for partners, healthcare providers, etc.

• Adding widgets or syndicated content (readily sharable content with code that you can copy and paste [embed]) into to your website code

• Adding tools like the WIC PreScreening Tool or a clinic locator tool

• Improving the accessibility of your website content

• Improving the inclusivity of your website content (e.g., diversity of images, cultural sensitivity) of your website content

• Adding Campaign-related articles, images, etc.

• Increasing the visibility of your website in search engines

• Making your website more mobile-friendly/mobile-responsive

• Tracking activity and collecting data on your website to provide program insights

• Other (please specify) ____________________

• No resources or training on website-related topics would be helpful.

• I don’t know.

24. Which texting-related resources or training would help your agency advance or expand the work you are already doing? Select all that apply.

• Starting or enhancing a one-way texting program

• Starting or enhancing a two-way texting program

• Setting up text-to-apply

• Adding multilingual texting content

• Connecting texting to other outreach activities (e.g., adding a texting code/number to promotional flyers or social media posts)

• Creating or tailoring text messages

• Incorporating Campaign content into text messages

• Tracking activities and showing success

• Other (please specify) ____________________

• No resources or training on texting-related topics would be helpful.

• I don’t know.

25. Which outreach/communication-related resources or training be helpful for your agency to advance or expand the work you are already doing? Select all that apply.

• Strengthening word-of-mouth referrals

• Creating a code and number to text for information/applying for services

• Enhancing the use of a code and number to text for information/applying for services

• Creating/using QR codes for information/applying for services

• Collecting reviews/testimonials

• Planning community events or finding community events to participate in

• Connecting with online or in-person peer groups (e.g., parenting groups)

• Other (please specify) ____________________

• No resources or training on outreach/communication topics would be helpful.

• I don’t know.

SECTION 4: OUTREACH TO OTHER AGENCIES/ORGANIZATIONS

26. Which types of agencies or organizations does your agency frequently partner with to share information about your program and reach your audiences? Select all that apply.

• Child care providers or centers

• Community health centers

• Community health workers

• Corporations (e.g., large national companies, such as online retailers)

• Faith-based organizations

• Food banks or pantries

• Food retailers/grocery stores/markets

• Health care providers

• Local businesses (e.g., “brick and mortar” businesses serving a local population’)

• Local sports teams

• Media and entertainment (e.g., local celebrities, television networks, and online entertainment)

• Policy or civic organizations

• Recreation centers (e.g., libraries, city community centers, parks, YMCA)

• Schools

• Women’s and family services organizations

• Other community-based organizations

• Other government agencies (e.g., SNAP, Medicaid)

• Other (please specify) ____________________

• Our agency does not partner with other organizations to share information about our program.

• I don’t know.

27. How does your agency share information about your program with other organizations in the community? Select all that apply.

• Direct outreach and communication

• Local networking or business associations

• Participation in community events and fairs

• Receiving participant referrals from existing partners

• Social media

• Using search engines (e.g., Google, Bing, Yahoo)

• Other (please specify) ____________________

• I don’t know.

28. Carefully selected external partners offer the ability to reach and engage Campaign Audiences — extending, amplifying, and reinforcing Campaign messages through trusted voices. Which partnership-related resources or training would help your agency advance or expand the work you are already doing? Select all that apply.

• Identifying and prioritizing partners

• Gaining buy-in and planning partnerships

• Establishing new partnerships

• Growing and expanding existing partnerships

• Communicating partnership benefits to partners

• Promoting inclusivity across partnerships

• Developing effective partner communication and outreach strategies

• Working with health care providers and community health worker organizations

• Keeping partners engaged

• Assessing partnership success and impact

• Other (please specify) ____________________

• No resources or training on partnership-related topics would be helpful.

• I don’t know.
  
  
  

29. Partners will be critical for conducting tailored, audience-centric outreach to reach key audiences as well as engaging health care providers and community health workers to promote referrals. What types of partnerships do you think the Campaign could establish at the national level to increase awareness of and enrollment in WIC? Select all that apply.

• Other government agencies and programs (e.g., SNAP, Medicaid) Please specify if you have recommendations: ____________________________

• Public health and health care organizations (e.g., national associations of health care providers)

• Health insurance companies

• Private sector/businesses (e.g., large retailers with local stores)

• National faith-based organizations (e.g., religious leadership and charity organizations)

• National community-based organizations (e.g., nonprofits focused on child care, child and family well-being, food security, research) Please specify if you have recommendations: ___________________________

• National education institutions and nonprofits (e.g., early childhood education programs, community education, relevant higher education institutions)

• Media and entertainment organizations (e.g., television networks, celebrities, online entertainment)

• Sports and recreation organizations (e.g., major league sports)

• Other (please specify) ____________________

• No partnerships at the national level would be helpful.

• I don’t know.

SECTION 5: ADDITIONAL SHARING OF EXPERIENCES

30. What additional information would you like to share about your experiences, preferences, needs, etc. around the Campaign and its resources, trainings, and tools? If your program does not have additional information to share, type ‘None’ in the text box below. [OPEN]

31. Would you be interested in sharing additional information about experiences in your agency and needs from the Campaign in an interview, small group setting, or peer-to-peer learning opportunity? This could include promising practices, success stories, and growth opportunities.

    1. YES

    2. NO

CLOSING

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. Your input is incredibly valuable to help inform the Campaign and support the future of WIC and the families it serves. Thank you for your continued commitment to the WIC program and for all you do to support WIC families. If you have additional feedback to share on the Campaign, please send us an e-mail at: [email protected].

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