Danone offers US$260,000 for North American sustainable food initiatives

25 Apr 2023 --- Danone Institute North America (DINA), a non-profit foundation that aims to promote sustainable food systems in the US and Canada, will provide up to US$260,000 in grants to support community-based initiatives focused on sustainability, health and nutrition.

The grant initiative is currently seeking proposals.

“We encourage educators, researchers and activists interested in sparking innovation to apply and share their vision for actionable, transdisciplinary, community-based efforts that integrate sustainable food systems with human health and nutrition,” says Leslie Lytle, president of the board of directors of the DINA and adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina, US.

“The DINA Sustainable Food Systems Initiative provides essential funding for upstart projects, especially in under-resourced areas, enabling local leaders from diverse backgrounds to turn their singular project into a lasting program,” she continues.

Grant submissions are being accepted until June 14.

The organization challenges selected grantees to design, implement and evaluate actionable community-based projects for sustainable food systems.Funding five teams
The Initiative, “which seeks to bring health through food to as many people as possible,” will contribute to the funding  in up to five transdisciplinary teams that demonstrate a commitment to actionable and achievable projects that sit at the intersection of community, the health of people and health of the planet,” according to Danone.

The organization challenges selected grantees to design, implement and evaluate actionable community-based projects for sustainable food systems that improve human health and nutrition over a two-year period. 

Each of the five finalists will receive US$50,000 to support and expand their project and an additional US$10,000 will be granted to the team with the “strongest” communications plan, awarded in the fall of 2023.

To apply for funding, prospective teams must include four members representing relevant, diverse disciplines related to food systems, “including but not limited to nutrition, health, economics, agriculture, community food access and social, behavioral or environmental sciences.” 

At least one team member must be a current academic faculty member.

“The support we received from the DINA Sustainable Food Systems Initiative enabled our dedicated team to conduct real-world testing on the impact of household food waste and pilot a four-week food waste reduction program in our local community,” says Jess Haines, associate professor in the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario (Canada).

“The additional funding allowed us to supplement our original programming with vital educational tools to help families heighten their understanding around food waste, prevent spoilage and ultimately provide a more sustainable approach to healthy eating,” she concludes.

By Marc Cervera

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