Grant Announcement PA Family Meals Workshops Project (2014-15)

Race to the Top Family Meals Workshop Grant

Pennsylvania’s Race to the Top (RTT) Family Meals Workshops

2017 Grant Opportunity

The Pennsylvania Race to the Top Family Meals Workshops Grant Opportunity is being offered by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) to early childhood programs participating in Keystone STARS. This opportunity is a family engagement activity. The Family Meals Workshops were developed by Registered Dieticians and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation (formerly the American Dietetic Association), through their Kids Eat Right Initiative.

The Family Meals Workshops toolkit includes three (3) sample cooking workshops for parents. The three workshops may be completed individually or consecutively, for the same parents, or different parents. The workshops are written as a stand-alone presentation and do not build on each other, making the workshops a flexible option for any situation. The three workshops are delivered in approximately 60-90 minutes each and are entitled:

1. Family Meals – Making Easy Choices

2. Enjoying Family Mealtime

3. A Healthy Day Needs Rest and Play

Programs are asked to deliver a total of five workshops over the course of the grant period. It is expected that programs will deliver one of each of these three sample workshops, and then choose two to repeat, for a total of five workshops for the duration of this funding opportunity.

Each workshop weaves in several key messages of the Family Nutrition and Physical Activity survey (FNPA) developed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation and Iowa State University. The FNPA assesses families’ risk of childhood overweight using 20 modifiable child and family behaviors associated with childhood overweight. The Family Meals Workshops are strategically scripted to integrate these key messages, so the key messages must be included in each presentation.

2017 RTT Family Meals Workshops Overview:

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 14 grants ($2,500.00 each) will be awarded to 14 child care programs participating at STAR level 2, 3 or 4, including family child care providers, who complete a grant application and are selected to participate.

 The attached RTT Family Meals Workshops grant application and a budget are due by 5:00 PM, Friday, March 24th, 2017. Please remember to attach a completed tax form W9 along with the resume/CV, email and phone number of the Licensed Nutritionist or Registered Dietician that will be working with your program.

 Grant award notices will go out on April 3rd, 2017 and funds will be released and sent to programs by the end of April.

 This grant must be implemented from May1, 2016 – October 31, 2017.

2017 RTT Family Meals Workshops Grant Requirements:

 All programs are required to partner with a licensed nutritionist or registered dietician recognized in Pennsylvania. Grant funds can be used to reimburse nutritionists or dieticians. Programs who don’t currently work with a licensed nutritionist or registered dietician are encouraged to reach out to their local Head Start programs1, Penn State Extension Offices2, or ECELS3 to assist them in identifying this professional.

 Family Meals Workshops for parents must be presented by a Licensed Nutritionist or Registered Dietician in coordination with program staff who are involved with the grant opportunity. All programs selected to receive grant funds must participate with the licensed nutritionist or registered dietician in an online RTT Family Meals Workshop Webinar Training. These webinars will be available to

1 http://paheadstart.org/index.php/head-start-in-pa/local-head-start-information

2 http://extension.psu.edu/counties

3 http://www.ecels-healthychildcarepa.org

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participate in on either Monday, April 10th from 2:00 – 3:00 or Wednesday, April 12th from 9:00-10;00. These are identical, repeated trainings and programs need only participate in one.

 Programs selected to receive grant funds must document a minimum of 5 Family Meals Workshops during the grant period from May 1, 2017 – October 31, 2017.

 The Licensed Nutritionist or Registered Dietician may be a program staff member, an independent contractor working with the program, or a volunteer.

 Programs selected to participate are responsible for copying workshop materials, handouts, and evaluations for their participants. These materials will be provided to programs electronically.

 Programs selected to participate are responsible for submitting documented grant expenses, e.g. costs for labor, food, food preparation, incentives, take home materials, equipment, materials, etc.

 Programs selected to participate are responsible for submitting copies of workshop sign-in sheets, evaluation forms, and for completing a trainer feedback form.

 All materials and forms needed for this grant as stated above will be provided electronically to the grant awardees.

If you have any questions about the RTT Family Meals Workshop Grant Opportunity please contact Amy Requa at [email protected] or call Amy at (610) 613-3493, or contact Tracy Duarte, PA Head Start State Collaboration Director, at [email protected] or call Tracy at (814) 327-3263.