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WIC Special Project Innovation (WSPI)
Grant Overarching Evaluation
Center for Nutrition & Health Impact’s Role:
In September 2019, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS) awarded the WIC Special Project Innovation Grant (WSPI) to the Council of State Governments (CSG), with the Center for Nutrition & Health Impact serving as the evaluation lead for the grant. The purpose of the grant was to fund projects led by State and/or local Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) agencies to develop, implement and evaluate interventions that aim to improve customer service in WIC clinics and to enhance the WIC certification process.
This material is based upon work that is supported by the Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Purpose of Evaluation
The purpose of the overarching evaluation was to synthesize data collected by each WSPI sub-grant project and to supplement those findings with additional data collected by the Center. These collective findings were then analyzed to identify lessons learned and to make recommendations to help improve the WIC customer experience and certification process.
The WSPI sub-grant projects differ in their innovations and target populations. However, the projects also shared similarities such as tracking the number of reached WIC participants and the barriers to and facilitators of participant engagement. Sub-grantees also conducted similar activities to implement their projects (e.g., planning, design, roll out, testing, etc.). Across these areas of similarity, the Center identified lessons learned regarding innovation design and implementation. Understanding the lessons learned from the WSPI sub-grants will help WIC State and local agencies avoid or navigate barriers they may face when adopting and implementing future innovations and modernization efforts.
For questions or more information, please contact the research team at WIC@centerfornutrition.org
Collaboration with CSG
About CSG
CSG is a nonpartisan community of the states, committed to connecting, informing, inspiring and empowering public servants in all three branches of state government to put the best ideas and solutions into practice.
Funded by USDA FNS
About USDA FNS
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) mission is to increase food security and reduce hunger in partnership with cooperating organizations by providing children and low-income people access to food, a healthy diet and nutrition education in a manner that supports American agriculture and inspires public confidence.