Partnerships and Linkages
CSREES collaborates with multiple entities in its Food Stamp Nutrition Education efforts: other USDA agencies, state and county governments, universities, and myriad community agencies, and other public and private entities.
Federal Partners
U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)
FNS seeks to reduce hunger and food insecurity, in partnership with cooperating organizations, by providing children and needy families access to food and a healthful diet through nutrition education and food assistance programs in a manner that supports American agriculture. FNS reimburses state Food Stamp Program-related agencies for up to half of program costs and provides federal oversight to nutrition education within the Food Stamp Program.
FNS collaborates with the National Agricultural Library's Food and Nutrition Information Center, the University of Maryland, and Howard University to support the Food Stamp Nutrition Connection (FSNC) Web site, which includes:
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a resource database of curricula and other educational materials, recipes, pictures, and professional development tools, and the ability to submit high quality developed resources for review and potential inclusion in a national database;
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federal policies, guidance, and other program clarification;
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statistics, reports, and general information about current and emerging nutrition issues;
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and access to an electronic mailing list for system wide communication among providers and administrators.
- Economic Research Service (ERS)
ERS is the main source of USDA economic information and research. ERS research informs and enhances public and private decision-making on economic and policy issues related to agriculture, food, natural resources, and rural development.
ERS maintains a Food Stamp Program Briefing Room which describes ERS' FSNE-related research findings, provides links to state-level maps and data, and posts tools to assist in assessing FSNE impacts.
Regional and State Partners
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The Association of State Nutrition Network Administrators (ASNNA)
ASNNA represents organizations that contract with state agencies that administer the Food Stamp Program to conduct nutrition education through social marketing campaigns and other methods. Network administrators are housed at land-grant colleges and universities, other academic institutions, and state public health departments.
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Land-grant institutions
Land-grant colleges and universities (1862, 1890, 1994) are the primary FSNE contractors with state agencies in terms of geographic reach and financial commitment. They, along with associated partners, provide at least half of FSNE funding and are responsible for program and network management and delivery.
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State agencies
State Food Stamp Program administering agencies have the option to provide nutrition education as part of their administrative costs. They apply for federal administrative funds from FNS; contract with universities, public health agencies and other entities to implement FSNE; and monitor program implementation.
Local Partners
FSNE's effectiveness stems largely from its community-based orientation. Land-grant institutions work closely with state and local public and private entities to strategically deliver FSNE using methods and locations that are most favorable to food stamp-eligible populations. Local offices that administer food stamps are key referrals and FSNE delivery sites. Myriad other state and local partners* support university efforts by contributing a wide range of assistance and resources, such as participant referrals, team teaching, meeting space, child care and transportation, food demonstration supplies, equipment, and cash for supplementary resources.
* adult and child care providers, after-school programs, alternative high schools, area agencies on ageing, boys and girls clubs, commodity food distribution agencies, community action agencies, community colleges, local cooperative extension service offices, Even Start and Head Start offices, food banks and pantries, grocery stores, homeless shelters, hospitals, hunger coalitions, Indian Health Services and clinics, learning centers, local housing authorities, mental health agencies, empowerment boards, parks and recreation departments, public schools, religious and faith based organizations, Salvation Army, senior centers, SHARE, social services agencies, Operation Frontline, WIC, and YMCA/YWCA.
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