Att 4C_Nomination Solicitation Email

Nomination Solicitation Email for Pre-Evaluation Assessment

To: Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity Prevention Program administrators, partners and others

Subject: Nominations Requested for Pre-Evaluation Assessments

Submission Deadline: XX/XX/XXXX

Identification of effective strategies is critical to build the evidence base for community level obesity prevention, but rigorous evaluation and empirical research studies are costly and time-consuming. By conducting a pre-evaluation assessment, or evaluability assessment, it is possible to determine if an initiative is ready for a full-scale, rigorous evaluation and what potential barriers an evaluation study might need to address. Pre-evaluation assessments consist of a site visit to assess implementation, data availability, intended outcomes, and staff capacity, all of which allow for determining whether or not an initiative is ready for an intensive evaluation of effectiveness.

We need your help to identify promising initiatives!

The CDC Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity is looking for state and local-level initiatives that have been implemented with apparent notable success to improve nutrition and increase physical activity. We are especially interested in programs and policies that address low-income populations and ethnic groups that experience higher rates of obesity. Please note that all submissions are voluntary.

We are seeking nominations of initiatives that address the issue of obesity through improved nutrition and increased physical activity, but which have not already undergone a rigorous evaluation of effectiveness. An Expert Panel will select approximately ten initiatives for pre-evaluation assessments. Project staff will conduct site visits in the spring of 2012, and assessments will be made of the initiative’s implementation, data availability and outcomes. Based on the reports of these visits, the Expert Panel will identify initiatives that show promise in addressing the issue of obesity and readiness for rigorous evaluation. Some consultation will also be offered during the site visit by CDC project staff for improvement and evaluation design.

To share your notable initiative with us, visit http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22CMCSHWU7W/ or complete the attached form and provide it to: Kari Cruz (kcruz@icfi.com, phone: 404-321-3211, fax: 404-321-3688).