In fiscal year 2014, the USDA established the Regional Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Centers of Excellence (RNECE) to demonstrate the effectiveness of the SNAP-Ed and EFNEP programs and to identify changes to improve both programs. The RNECE will supplement and enhance ongoing program monitoring efforts and evaluation activities to strengthen the evidence-base of SNAP-Ed and EFNEP programs by assuring their effectiveness, innovation, replicability, sustainability and cost-effectiveness.
The collaboration between NIFA and FNS has provided funding for one National Coordination Center and four Regional Centers.
AFRI recently released a request for funding that plans to support an additional Regional Center and one Signature Research Project.
The overarching goal of the RNECE is to improve the health of low-income Americans by fostering a culture of health through multiple strategies, including nutrition education and complementary public health approaches implemented at each level of the socio-ecological framework through policy, systems and environmental changes.
The work of the RNECE will build the evidence-base for nutrition education and obesity prevention strategies and interventions that produce measurable improvements in health, obesity, nutrition, and physical activity-related outcomes; and develop effective education, extension, environmental, systems and policy translational activities that promote health and prevent/reduce obesity in disadvantaged low-income families and children. Findings from RNECE will be communicated to all EFNEP and SNAP-Ed implementing agencies, the scientific community and the general public. Please visit our website to learn more about the work of the Centers of Excellence: www.rnece-ncc.org.