The purpose of this funding is to increase the impact of nutrition education disseminated to low-income families and youth in the 50 states, the U.S. Territories, and the district of columbia

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the University of Vermont & State Agricultural College $322,307 under the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (CFDA 10.514) on October 1, 2025.

UVM Extension will deliver evidence-based nutrition and cooking workshops led by paraprofessional educators to low-income families and youth across Vermont, working with statewide, regional, and local partners to build participants' knowledge and skills in four core areas: diet quality and physical activity, food resource management, food safety, and food security. The program targets improved household food practices, adoption of federal nutrition and physical activity recommendations, increased food procurement and storage capability, enhanced household food safety and sanitation practices, and increased access to healthy food through direct acquisition and food assistance programs.

The award runs through September 30, 2030, with place of performance in Burlington, Vermont. As a formula grant to a 1862 land-grant institution, the award is part of EFNEP's statutory allocation to eligible land-grant universities operating in all 50 states, U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.

The overall goal of the expanded food and nutrition education program (EFNEP) is to assist low-income families and youth in acquiring knowledge, skills, attitudes, and changed behaviors necessary for nutritionally sound diets and to contribute to their personal development and improvement of the total family diet and nutritional well-being. Individuals and families should experience improvements in four core areas: diet quality and physical activity, meaning improved diets and nutritional and physical well-being through the adoption of federal food and physical activity recommendations. Food resource management, meaning increased ability to buy, grow, or otherwise appropriately obtain, prepare, and store food that meets nutritional needs. Food safety, having improved household food safety and sanitation practices. Food security, the increased ability to get food directly, and from food assistance programs where necessary, to ensure having enough healthy food to eat. UVM extension will achieve these goals by working with statewide, regional, and local partners to recruit participants for evidence-based nutrition and cooking workshops with paraprofessional educators. EFNEP is aligned with nifa's strategic goal 4: make safe, nutritious food available to all americans; objective 4.1 increase food security through assistance and access to nutritious and affordable food.