For over 30 years UW–Madison Extension has been providing local nutrition education funded by the federal SNAP-Ed grant program. Our FoodWIse educators have been a cornerstone of Extension’s mission to improve the health and well-being of Wisconsin residents. FoodWIse reaches over 133,000 people with nutrition education and community-based strategies to support healthy eating and active lifestyles – partnering with local schools, food pantries, farmers markets, and community centers to engage children, families, and seniors. Despite extensive advocacy efforts by Extension, UW–Madison’s University Relations, and partners such as the Wisconsin Counties Association, the congressional budget reconciliation bill signed into law on July 4 eliminated all National Education and Obesity Prevention Grant Program (SNAP-Ed) funding effective September 30, 2025.
As one of six SNAP-Ed implementing agencies in the state, FoodWIse partners with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to deliver SNAP-Ed programming. Extension is currently navigating the difficult process of winding down our SNAP-Ed-funded programming including a layoff notice process for affected employees. We will continue FoodWIse programming through September 30, 2025. We will also be exploring all possible pathways to sustain some of the program’s capacity through alternative funding sources, including leveraging our infrastructure, expertise, and remaining EFNEP funding.
This is not just a loss of funding – it is a loss of services that have been vital to communities across Wisconsin. FoodWIse’s staff of more than 90 educators across the state have directly helped families with limited incomes make a healthier choice for their future. The impact will be felt in schools, food pantries, and community centers where our educators have helped families make healthier choices and stretch limited food dollars.
FoodWIse has always been about more than just nutrition education. It’s about empowering communities to thrive. We know that SNAP-Ed makes Wisconsin healthier. We are proud of the work we have done and the lives we have changed for the better. We will be sharing information throughout this process and we will be working directly with county boards and local partners over the next few months.
