Kansas efnep works to provide nutrition education for low-income youth and families with young children, in areas across the state where need is most pronounced

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Kansas State University $776,684 under the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (CFDA 10.514) on October 1, 2025.

Kansas State University delivers nutrition education to low-income youth and families with young children across 15 Kansas counties: Crawford, Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, Hamilton, Haskell, Kearney, Labette, Montgomery, Sedgwick, Seward, Shawnee, Wilson, and Wyandotte. The program targets low-income parents and adult caregivers with primary responsibility for obtaining and preparing food for children, a small youth program serving grades 3–12 with prioritization for grades 6 and above, and an emerging adult program for ages 18–26. Kansas EFNEP serves a high proportion of Hispanic families through strategic programming with Spanish-speaking educators in the Southwest area and Shawnee, Sedgwick, and Wyandotte counties. Program priorities over the next five years include adult improvements in reducing sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and additional nutrition and health outcomes. The program establishes collaborative relationships with the Kansas Department of Education, WIC program, Department of Children and Families, food policy councils, breastfeeding coalitions, food pantries, and community organizations.

Performance occurs in Manhattan, Kansas. The period of performance runs from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2030. This is a formula grant to an 1862 land-grant institution, the only eligible applicant class for this program.

Kansas efnep is in the following counties across kansas: crawford, finney, ford, grant, gray, hamilton, haskell, kearney, labette, montgomery, sedgwick, seward, shawnee, wilson, and wyandotte. Kansas efnep works to establish and maintain relationships with local, regional, and state agencies and groups and/or service providers working with the efnep audience. These efforts result in collaborative projects, proposals, and invitations to be at the table as needs are identified and tackled. Kansas efnep has developed relationships with different organizations that include the kansas department of education, the special supplemental program for women, infants and children, department of children and families, food policy councils, local and state breastfeeding coalitions, live-well coalitions, food pantries and communities that have received the blue cross blue shield pathways grants. As efnep works to increase and capture our impact in the community we see increased value in forming and nurturing relationships. Kansas efnep's audience is low-income parents and other adult caregivers (such as grandparents and guardians) who have primary responsibility for obtaining and preparing food for their children. Kansas also has a small youth program, and we target grades 3-12, but have prioritized youth in 6TH grade and above. We also have a small emerging adult program, which targets young adults aged 18-26. We serve a high proportion of hispanic families with efnep, and we target this growing audience through strategic programming with spanish-speaking educators in areas of high population and need, the southwest area, shawnee, sedgwick and wyandotte counties. Kansas efnep has 4 program priorities to focus on over the next 5 years. 1. Adult improvement in drinking less sugar sweetened beverages. 2. Adult improvement in being more physically active. 3. Youth improvement in drinking less sugar sweetened beverages. 4. Increased use of technology by gathering participant data via the webneers direct data entry APP. Through its targeted interventions, efnep helps to build a healthier kansas by leveraging the resilience and potential within its communities. The program's success is evident in the positive health outcomes and behavioral changes among participants, supporting the state's overall public health goals and enhancing the quality of life for kansas residents. To have continued success in the positive health outcomes and behavioral changes among our participants, kansas efnep is committed to having a well-trained and competent workforce. Kansas's training plan for paraprofessional and professional personnel includes but is not limited to the following topics, civil rights, teaching and technology, webneers, personal safety, sugar, and physical activity.