About one in three high school students reported getting insufficient physical
activity. Physical activity levels begin to decline, particularly for females,
around age 12, making this a critical goal for youth programs (14, 15).
Although there are many programs that focus on improving the health habits of youth,
some are more effective than others. Many nutrition education programs have focused just on
increasing knowledge about healthy dietary patterns. Yet increased knowledge alone does not
correspond well to better eating or physical activity patterns (15, 16). Research shows that
successful nutrition and physical activity programs have clear program objectives and address
each of the following factors (14, 17-25):
Influencing Factors
Influencing factors are the key factors that influence the behavior patterns of youth. Programs should
consider these factors to guide the strategies chosen for the grant program proposal. Consider factors
from the following three domains:
Personal factors
include the target audience’s values, knowledge, perceptions, and benefits of the desired behaviors.
Consider the following questions during program development:
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What does the target audience value more in their lives than healthy eating and
physical activity?
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What does the target audience already know or not know about physical activity
and healthy eating?
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What are their perceptions of exercise and healthy eating and how could the
program make them more positive?
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What are reasons the target audience would want to eat well and be physically
active?
Behavioral factors
influence and support the programs desired behavior changes. Two key concepts in this area are
skills building and intentions to engage in a particular behavior. Questions to ask in program
development include:
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What is your target audience already doing that might be compatible (or incompatible) with
healthier eating and physical activity patterns and how can the program help change that?
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What specific skills do they need to learn and practice in order to adopt the promoted behaviors?
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Can you provide some incentives or rewards to attract and encourage them to adopt the behaviors you are seeking to change?
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Would other programmatic strategies, such as commitments, pledges or goal setting, help promote a
young person’s intentions to change eating and activity patterns?
Social/environmental factors
promote change in a young person’s environment at school, home, or in the community in order to enhance
the process of making behavior changes. They include the importance of using role models, increasing
social support, and creating opportunities to support healthy behavior change. Consider these questions
while developing your program:
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Can the program involve specific role models that would be interesting or attractive to the target audience?
-
How could parents and peers be used to provide social support for those in the
program?
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How can you increase the opportunities for your target audience to eat a
balanced diet and engage in more physical activity?
In addition to these influencing factors, effective programs should be anchored in models of
behavior change (17). Several large research projects have demonstrated success in changing young
people’s eating and physical activity patterns based on these models. Through the General Mills
Champions for Healthy Kids initiative, grant applicants will be able to have access to information
and resources from these model programs that can be used to replicate program components, or develop
new ideas for effective programs. The Resources section of the Champions Grant website provides a
complete description of these model programs.
SELECTION AND JUDGING CRITERIA
Selection Criteria
Requirements
Proposals need to meet the following requirements in order to be considered:
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Organizations must be non-profit or not-for-profit organizations and have 501(c)(3) or 509(a) status.
Local organizations that work with youth are encouraged to apply because their programs are more likely
to be sustainable. These may include park districts, health departments, government agencies, Native
American tribes, municipal organizations, churches, schools, YMCA’s, Boys & Girls clubs, and so on.
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The target audience must be youth between the ages of 2-18.
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A Registered Dietitian (RD) or Dietetic Technician, Registered (DTR) must either be directly
involved or serve as an advisor to the program to ensure the accuracy of program information.
To locate a dietetics professional in your area, go to www.eatright.org and click on
“Find a Nutrition Professional.”
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The proposal must have at least one nutrition objective and at least one
physical activity objective.
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The proposal must reflect recommended practices of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines
for Americans, the American Dietetic Association, the Center’s for
Disease Control, and the President’s Challenge Physical Activity and Fitness
Awards program.
-
Applicants must follow the grant proposal guidelines in the RFP and have read
the entire background and resource information prior to applying.
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Grant winners must sign the Program Implementation Agreement before grant money
will be provided.
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Grant winners must agree to complete and submit a Final Evaluation Form.
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Programs must be implemented within one year and completed by September
1, 2011.
Judging:
The Selection Committee is made up of representatives from the American Dietetic Association Foundation,
the General Mills Foundation, and other qualified nutrition and fitness experts. Grants will be awarded
to proposals that demonstrate the greatest need, the most innovation, and the greatest likelihood of
sustaining an impact on the groups they are serving.
Further description on how the Selection Committee will assess
these overarching criteria is as follows:
Greatest Need
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Demonstrates need for funding
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Addresses both nutrition and physical activity needs
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Targets at-risk youth populations
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Targets under-served youth populations
Most Innovation
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Proposes creative and fiscally responsible use of budget
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Includes creative program reach, duration, and intensity
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Incorporates innovative enhancement of existing or model programs
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Incorporates appropriate program evaluation methods
Greatest Likelihood of Sustainable Impact
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Exhibits greatest likelihood of sustainability once the grant period is over
(program and behaviors)
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Well-chosen program objectives
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Implemented using model programs or components from model programs
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Executed in appropriate program setting
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Includes comprehensive program reach, duration, and intensity
-
Demonstrates significant potential impact on at-risk youth groups or large
populations of youth
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Is consistent with recommended practices for nutrition and physical activity in
youth
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Demonstrates cost effective use of budget and resources
GRANT PLANNING GUIDANCE
In addition to addressing the required elements listed in the judging criteria above, proposals
that succinctly describe how the program will positively impact nutrition and physical activity
behaviors will receive greater consideration. This section offers specific information and ideas
to support the development of a high quality program that addresses the key components that will be
judged as part of the Champions Grant program:
Community Needs Assessment:
Though the grant monies offered through the Champions Grants program are not intended to conduct a
needs assessment of the community, it is necessary to have a basic understanding of the target
population’s nutritional and physical activity problem, its needs, and the resources available to
address those needs. Most likely the agency you are working for has already conducted a needs assessment.
Identify the gap in the needs assessment you would like your program to address.
Define Program Goals and Objectives:
Program goals and objectives should provide the overarching framework for the development of a program
plan. Goals are broad statements of desired changes or outcomes, whereas objectives are specific,
measurable action statements that state what the program will accomplish in the set timeframe. Objectives
should be specific in terms of what they are measuring, such as behavior change, increased knowledge, etc.
A goal might be, “To increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables,” while an objective would be,
“Increase the number of 5 year olds in WIC by 25% over one year, who consume 2 servings of vegetables/day.”
Develop a Program Plan:
It is not necessary to report in detail the program plan in the Champions Grant application.
However, those developing programs should consider several relevant factors prior to completing
the application such as the target audience and number of participants expected to participate;
staffing needs like training, space, and number; facility needs, material resources, and budget
allocation; the nutrition and physical activity education component; the marketing plan; and
most importantly, the sustainability of the program.
Target Audience
The target audience is the specific group of people that the program is focused on. Target audiences
can be defined in many ways including age, gender, race, geographic location, current health behaviors
or beliefs, settings, education level, or other variables.
A primary target audience should be determined before you decide on your program. The most effective
programs tailor the intervention to the specific target audience instead of trying to reach and
influence everyone. Examples of specific target audiences could include: preschool, elementary, middle,
or high school students; participants in the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program; females in a
specific age range, or teens in a specific racial/ethnic group.
In addition to the primary target audience, the secondary target audience includes others who would
be impacted by the program. For example, if the program targets elementary age children, their
families or teachers may also be impacted.
Program Reach
Reach refers to how many young people or families will be involved in the program. Identify whether
all young people in a given neighborhood, class at school, or out-of-school group will be involved
or only certain targeted groups. As more young people are involved there are increasing opportunities
for social support, more healthy role models, and the chance that healthy eating and physical
activity can become the "norm."
Program Duration
The program duration is the length of time the program is available to participants. Successful
programs often have a series of events or opportunities that take place over a period of months
so that participants can be involved for a longer period of time.
Program Intensity
Intensity refers to how often the program makes contact with participants. Programs that make
multiple contacts with participants through education, reminders, events, and other methods are
often more effective. When planning your program, create multiple opportunities to make contact
with the target audience over a period of time.
Sustainability
Sustainability refers to the ability of the organization to keep all or parts of the program alive
after the grant period has expired. Champions Grants are intended to provide seed money to initiate
new programs or expand existing programs. The organization receiving the grant, however, must demonstrate
how they will maintain and sustain the program, even after the grant monies have been used. Community
partners, collaborations, sponsors, and other funding sources can be sought to sustain the program.
Program Setting
Program setting is where the program reaches the target audience, whether that is in a classroom,
a clinic, a restaurant, a playground, a community center, a school, or any other location where the
target audience can be found. When planning your program consider where you could best reach the
audience and influence behavior.
Cost Effective use of Budget
Budget refers to how the $10,000 grant will be specifically spent. This includes how much will be spent
on materials, equipment, or staff. The interest of the General Mills Champions for Healthy Kids grants
program is in serving youth and therefore cost effective proposals that keep administrative costs and
overhead low in relation to the number of youth served will be more favorably evaluated.
Recommended Practices
Recommended practice are the practices and concepts recommended by recognized health authorities.
Proposed programs should reflect the practices and concepts recommended by:
Model and Packaged Programs in Nutrition and Physical Activity
Model Programs
Model Programs are those that have been demonstrated by research to be successful in the behavior of youth.
Building on the successes of these existing programs increases the likelihood that your program will also
be successful. Through the General Mills Champions for Healthy Kids initiative, the General Mills
Foundation, the American Dietetic Association Foundation, and the President’s Challenge, with help from
the University of Minnesota’s Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, have collaborated resources
to develop a list of “model” nutrition and physical activity programs. This list offers grant applicants
the ability to access and replicate components of these programs to fit your program needs. The following
is a list of selected model programs (22-24):
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Hearts N’ Parks
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Pathways
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President's Challenge
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SPARK
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Team Nutrition
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TEENS
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The Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health (CATCH)
Packaged Programs
A number of credible health and food organizations offer high quality
educational resources and materials that could be used with or adapted to your
target audience.
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Body Works
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Dairy Council
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Dole 5-A-Day
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Fitness Gram
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Go With the Whole Grain
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Kidnetic
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Take 10 Dairy
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USDA Team Nutrition
Reviewing the past Champions grants recipients can also provide ideas for effective programs.
In addition, other innovative programs have not yet been evaluated or have had only limited evaluation,
but may also be appropriate for the grants program.
More details about these model and packaged programs can be found in the
Resource Guide (link).
PROGRAM EVALUATION AND DOCUMENTATION
Program Evaluation
Program evaluation means measuring the effectiveness of your program in meeting specific program
objectives. Measures of changes in behavior, knowledge, awareness, or attitudes of those who participate
in the program should be collected and reported. A description of evaluation methods and tools that will
be used should be included in the proposal (25, 26). Young people, and perhaps teachers, parents, or
other adults, in your program can be surveyed prior to and after completing the program and asked about
behavior change. For example, if an expected outcome is increased consumption of whole grains, the
evaluation tools and methods should measure whole grain consumption before and after the program.
Evaluation tools can also measure the participants' intent to change behavior rather than actual
behavior change like whole grain consumption. For example, a post program survey could ask
participants, “As a result of participating in this program, how likely are you to choose whole
grain cereals?”. This is a measure of behavioral intent to change.
Excellent resources, sample methods, and questions to evaluate both nutrition
and physical activity programs are included in the
Resources section (link).
Program Evaluation and Documentation Requirements
Basic evaluation requirements
The goal of the General Mills Champions for Healthy Kids grants is to support innovative programs
that help improve the eating and physical activity patterns of young people ages 2-18. In order
to effectively support current and future grants, each grant recipient will be required to share
information with General Mills Foundation after the grant period. Additional details about evaluation
can be found in the
Evaluation Expectations section of this website.
Documentation requirements
To document program activities and share experiences, each grant recipient is required to take
and submit at least five (5) photographs of program events. Professional photography is not expected.
Pictures should be snapshots of young people participating in the program. Permission should be obtained,
in writing, from those who are photographed. All photographs should be clearly labeled with organization
and program name.
Summary
The need for improved nutrition and fitness among American youth is evident. Youth need optimal nutrition
and fitness for growth and development during childhood and adolescence, as well as for their long-term
health. The General Mills Champions for Healthy Kids grants seek to improve the quality of programs for
young people throughout the country by emphasizing programs that are not only innovative but also are able
to achieve changes in young people’s eating and physical activity patterns. The programs should be based
on behavioral principles and creatively adapted to the target audience in your communities.
