Arizona is just one state implementing and evaluating its SNAP-Ed programs, and SNAP-Ed is only one of many obesity prevention programs impacting our communities. Here you’ll find evaluation resources both by and for SNAP-Ed programmers around the country, as well as additional resources and websites to support the development of strong obesity prevention programs and evaluations.
Links
Online Course: Best Practices in Program Planning for Local Obesity Prevention
Evaluators from the Arizona Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Education Arm (SNAP-Ed) provide an overview of their program planning process, specifically as related to re-evaluating and defining the focus of their obesity prevention initiative. This course presents examples of conducting a root cause analysis, developing a logic model, and utilizing the Socio-Ecological Model throughout the process of program planning and evaluation. This Western Region Public Health Training Center's course is free for users with the creation of an online account, and continuing education credits are available for a fee. Click the link below to register today.
Continuing Education: 1.0 CECH, Pending CNE approval
Relevant Peer-Reviewed Publications
Keep current on publications that are focused on the development of reliable tools for SNAP-Ed evaluation.
The Interpretive Guide to the SNAP-Ed Evaluation Framework
The Interpretive Guide to the National SNAP-Ed Evaluation Framework serves as a tool for SNAP-Ed implementing agencies to plan, interpret, and analyze the outcomes of their approaches to low-income nutrition education and obesity prevention. The goal of the Interpretive Guide and the Framework is to produce cumulative results using standardized, evidence-informed methods to share with SNAP-Ed clients, partner organizations, stakeholders, and policy makers as we work collectively to positively impact obesity prevention for low income people. Arizona is featured as the first of 13 Practitioner Stories describing how some states have already started using the Interpretive Guide to demonstrate accountability, measure success, and report results.
USDA's FY19 SNAP-Ed Plan Guidance and Evaluation Framework
The USDA's recently released SNAP-Ed Plan Guidance provides the roadmap for planning, implementing, and evaluating progress toward SNAP-Ed’s primary goals of preventing obesity and reducing health disparities. The Guidance includes a national SNAP-Ed Evaluation Framework Logic Model to guide states’ efforts to select common indicators and utilize best practices in evaluation.
SNAP-Ed Evaluation
The SNAP-Ed Connection Evaluation repository offers a variety of evaluation tools and resources to enhance practitioners’ evaluation skills and practice, including how to conduct effective SNAP-Ed program evaluations.
SNAP-Ed Strategies and Interventions: An Obesity Prevention Toolkit for States
The Toolkit, newly revised in 2016, features evidence-based policy, systems, and environment approaches to obesity prevention. Arizona’s Empower child-care licensing initiative and its SNAP-Ed Simple Goodness social marketing are featured as emerging and practice-based interventions.
Best Practices in Nutrition Education for Low Income Audiences
Developed through a collaboration between the USDA, Colorado State University, and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the guide describes best practices when providing nutrition education with SNAP eligible and other lower income audiences. The guide is a must-read for new practitioners and offers a useful insights for managers of all experience levels.
Regional Nutrition Education Centers for Excellence
USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture has established four Regional Nutrition Education Centers for Excellence around to build the evidence-base for nutrition education and obesity prevention strategies and interventions that produce measurable improvements in health, with a special emphasis on the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program and SNAP-Ed.
National Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research (NCCOR)
NCCOR brings together four leading national organizations (USDA, CDC, NIH, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation) to share insights and seek effective strategies to curb childhood obesity. NCCOR’s resources include childhood obesity webinars, research briefs, and infographics to enhance and support obesity prevention programs and evaluations.
Community Commons
Looking for ways to visually depict the demographics, assets, and challenges in your SNAP-Ed community? Community Commons can enrich your community’s story with data-rich maps and reports. The "Hubs" and "Channels" features are especially rich sources of support for program planning and practice.
