Children’s Healthy Weight State Capacity Building Program

This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding under the Children's Healthy Weight State Capacity Building Program. The purpose of this program is to build state capacity around MCH nutrition by increasing the MCH nutrition competency of the state Title V workforce and optimizing MCH nutrition-related data sources to contribute to data-driven programs and activities related to assessment, policy development, and assurance. The specific objective of the Children's Healthy Weight State Capacity Building Program is to develop three state models in MCH nutrition integration, which can then be implemented and replicated in states nationwide. These state models will focus on (1) increasing the MCH nutrition competency of the state Title V workforce and (2) optimizing MCH nutrition-related data sources to contribute to data-driven programs and activities related to assessment, policy development, and assurance. The state models will increase access to high-quality, evidence-based nutrition services for MCH populations, including all women of childbearing age and their children, using innovative strategies to build state capacity to integrate nutrition statewide into Title V programs. This program will support states to strengthen, align, and coordinate current nutrition programs, services, and resources in order to build and expand capacity around MCH nutrition. The Children's Healthy Weight State Capacity Building Program will build on lessons learned from, and formative work currently underway in, the Children's Healthy Weight CoIIN (CHW-CoIIN) to support states in developing and/or increasing capacity to improve the nutritional status of MCH populations across the lifespan. The program will increase partnerships and collaboration across MCH agencies to support nutrition integration into Title V programs and increase awareness of the importance of coordinated statewide MCH nutrition services. HRSA will award one cooperative agreement to a recipient to develop three state models in MCH nutrition integration. The recipient will identify the three states to develop in to state models; states will be selected based on readiness and documented support for nutrition integration activities, such as a statewide MCH nutrition needs assessment. The recipient will provide direct financial support to the three states for development of state models, engaging in joint planning with key stakeholders to determine assets, set priorities, share resources, and implement innovative activities. The recipient will build state capacity around MCH nutrition by coordinating and providing MCH nutrition leadership, intensive state-specific technical assistance (TA) related to the integration of MCH nutrition across Title V programs (e.g., innovative implementation strategies, data integration, collaborative learning), and facilitating collaborative activities across state MCH agencies. The recipient will support states to build and strengthen partnerships to promote the integration of evidence-based nutrition in state Title V programs.