Coordinating center to improve school meals for young children
Official title: Defining Evidence for Programs to Ensure Nutrition for Development (DEPEND) Coordinating Center
Funded at Research Triangle Institute · NIH-11602341 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A national effort to generate and share practical, evidence-based ways to improve school meals for children 0–11 and help health professionals teach better nutrition.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Research Triangle Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Research Triangle Park, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $32,500,000 |
| NIH project number | 1OT2OD043072-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11602341 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include children aged 0–11 who participate in school meal programs, as well as health professionals and school personnel serving them.
✕Less likely to help
Children or communities not engaged in school meal programs may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This grant supports a Coordinating Center that will bring together federal agencies, schools, researchers, and industry partners to create actionable evidence and help school meal programs adopt better nutrition. It will organize communication, dissemination, and implementation activities so proven ideas reach classrooms and lunchrooms. The work involves coordinating multiple partners, guiding research plans, and helping scale up effective strategies to improve child health through improved diets.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, children could receive healthier meals at school and in communities, potentially reducing nutrition-related health disparities.
How similar studies have gone: Prior efforts to improve school nutrition have shown meaningful improvements when evidence is translated into practice, though large-scale coordination remains complex.
Where this research is happening
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Research Triangle Institute
Research Triangle Park, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gantz, Marie G — Research Triangle Institute
- Study coordinator: Gantz, Marie G
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.