The expanded food and nutrition education program (EFNEP) in maryland is targeted to teach limited-income families and youth about balanced diet, healthy eating, and physical activity

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources $937,232 under the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (CFDA 10.514) on October 1, 2025.

The award funds nutrition and food security education delivered through the University of Maryland Extension to limited-income families and youth across Cecil County, Lower Shore Counties, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, and Baltimore City. EFNEP educators deliver a series of six hands-on, interactive lessons teaching participants evidence-based strategies to prepare nutritious meals on limited budgets, make healthier food choices, improve food security and food safety, increase physical activity behaviors, and reduce chronic disease occurrence including diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Programming follows USDA and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services dietary and physical activity guidelines, incorporates USDA food guidance resources such as MyPlate, and is delivered in culturally sensitive small-group or individual formats. Educators collaborate with community partners, key decision makers, and stakeholders to extend program reach to low-income populations and support participants' progress on core outcome areas including improved vegetable intake and enhanced food resource management skills.

The award period runs through September 30, 2030, with administrative and program delivery centered at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. As a formula grant to an eligible 1862 land-grant institution, the award supports EFNEP's mission to increase nutrition education impact and advance participants' self-sufficiency, nutritional health, and well-being.

IT is funded by the USDA/national institute of food and agriculture (NIFA). At the university of maryland, EFNEP is housed in the department of nutrition and food science and delivered through the university of maryland extension (UME) to clienteles in cecil county, lower shore counties, montgomery county, prince george's county, and baltimore city. EFNEP educators help families learn skills and evidence-based strategies to feed their family nutritious meals on a limited budget, make healthier food choices at home and grocery stores for better food resource management, improve food security and food safety, increase physical activity behaviors, and reduce occurrence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. To achieve these objectives, a series of six hands-on, interactive lessons are delivered to program participants for them to learn and to improve their food preparation practices and physical activity behaviors in accordance with USDA/U.S. Health and HU man services (HHS) dietary guidelines, HHS physical activity guidelines, USDA's food guidance system (myplate and similar resources), and public health priorities, especially those related to improving nutritional health and food security. EFNEP classes are taught in small groups or individually and are delivered in a culturally sensitive manner. In order to increase the beneficial impacts of the program, EFNEP educators work with strategic partners in communities, key decision makers, and stakeholders to increase program matic reach to low-income populations and facilitate participants' ability to make desired changes as individuals and as families on (1) improving adult participant's vegetable intake (core area: diet quality); (2) improving adult participant's food resource management skills (core area: food resource management); (3) improving youth participant's physical activity practices (core area: physical activity); (4) increasing more adult participation in maryland (core area: technology); and (5) expanding our reach to 6-8TH grade youth program participants (core area: technology). Low, medium, and high-level technology approaches are adapted by EFNEP educators in their delivery of class materials, and for effective interactions and improved graduation rates for adult clientele who are unable to attend classes due to barriers such as childcare, transportation limitations, etc. The impact of the EFNEP education program is assessed by surveys of the improved changes of participants' knowledge before and after class delivery. Annual program reports to outline program priorities, opportunities, plans and achievements, together with demographic and outcome/impact data collections are submitted to the webneers for better program impact assessment. This information is used to monitor programming and to guide leadership decisions at both the federal and state level.