Georgia State Physical Activity and
Nutrition Funding Opportunity
Early Care & Education
Applications are due by 11:59 PM ET on Friday, May 1, 2026.
Need support writing and/or submitting your application? Contact G-SPAN at gspanatghpc@gsu.edu by Friday, April 24, 2026.
Introduction
Early childhood nutrition and physical activity are critical for healthy growth and development. Adequate nutrition and physical activity during the first five years of life supports brain development, physical growth, and immune function. Poor nutrition and sedentariness on the other hand can increase the risk of obesity and other chronic health conditions later in life.
The Early Care and Education (ECE) setting plays an important role in establishing lifelong healthy habits. Many young children consume a significant portion of their daily meals and snacks and engage in structured and unstructured play in childcare programs. ECEs provide an opportunity to promote consumption of healthy foods, encourage gross and fine motor skill development, and support integration of health and learning concepts.
The G-SPAN funding opportunity aims to support ECE Centers and Family Child Care Homes in Georgia by supporting farm to ECE and physical activity strategies.
What Can Funds Be Used For?
G-SPAN ECE funds must be used for one of the following strategies:
- Implement Farm to Early Care and Education (Farm to ECE) Policy, Systems or Environmental Strategies. Examples:
- Environmental changes: create indoor grow stations and/or outdoor garden beds
- Policy changes: adopt a policy of procuring and integrating locally grown foods (Harvest of the Month items [HOTM]) into weekly or monthly menus
- System changes: schedule integration of garden or HOTM nutrition education and taste tests into education curricula and menus for the year. For example, an Eat Learn Grow Georgia HOTM lesson and local food menu item each month.
- Physical Activity (PA) Integration into ECE Setting. Examples:
- Environmental: Implement outdoor play and learning strategies through installation of play stations or outdoor learning spaces.
- Policy: use Go NAPSACC results to create and adopt a PA and play policy to support age appropriate gross and fine motor skill development.
- System: Support training and integration of indoor physical activity (structured and unstructured play) into education curricula in child care centers and home-based child care lessons.
Additional Requirements
- Farm to ECE applicants must complete the Go NAPSACC Farm to ECE Module and use Eat Learn Grow Georgia, and Go NAPSACC to inform their PSE strategies.
- Physical activity ECE applicants must complete either the Go NAPSACC Infant and Child Physical Activity and/or Outdoor Play and Learning Module(s) and use PALS Resources | Healthy Kids, Healthy Future, and Go NAPSACC to inform their PSE strategies.
What Will Awardees Receive?
Awardees will receive:
- Up to $2,499
- Guidance from a dedicated technical advisor.
- Recognition on G-SPAN’s website and social media platforms.
- Connection to other awardees and members of G-SPAN’s network.
- All required reporting templates.