The expanded food and nutrition education program (EFNEP) constitutes the employment and training of professional and paraprofessional (peer educator) staff to engage in direct nutrition education and…

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the University of Guam $104,733 under the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (CFDA 10.514) on October 1, 2025.

The award funds employment and training of professional and paraprofessional peer educator staff to deliver direct nutrition education to low-income families and youth. Peer educators are hired from or represent the indigenous target population. The program targets two primary audiences: families with young children (parents and caregivers with responsibility for feeding young children) and youth and children in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Activities include direct nutrition education and supporting technology. Performance occurs in Barrigada, Guam, with a period of performance through September 30, 2030.

The program aims to increase nutrition education impact across the fifty states, U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia, with priorities to assist low-income families and youth in acquiring knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behavioral changes necessary for nutritionally sound diets. Participation is intended to result in improved diet quality, food resource management, food safety, and food security through direct education and community involvement.

The expanded food and nutrition education program (EFNEP) constitutes the employment and training of professional and paraprofessional (peer educator) staff to engage in direct nutrition education and other appropriate nutrition education efforts, such as supporting technology, with low-income families and youth. Peer educators hired are from or represent the indigenous target population. EFNEP serves two primary low-income audiences: 1) families with young children (parents and other caregivers with primary responsibility for feeding young children); and 2) youth/children (grade range - kindergarten through 12TH grade). 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 priorities of EFNEP are 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. Participation in EFNEP should result in improved diet quality, food resource management, food safety, and food security through direct education and community involvement.