The T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies is committed to increasing awareness of the extraordinary impact that food has on the health of our bodies, our communities, and our planet. Our Community Leads initiative was created to foster solutions around some of the greatest challenges currently impeding total health:

Personal health: Never before has such a large percentage of the US population suffered from obesity and chronic diseases. And never before has the financial strain of health care so overwhelmed every other sector of our society, from business to education to government to everyday families with inadequate insurance.

Communal health: Despite increased food production, there are many social and structural challenges within the food system that limit access to healthy, affordable food, particularly in low-income communities and rural communities. Many low-income families have access to only processed and packaged unhealthy foods grown and distributed with a myriad of negative environmental impacts, including climate degradation and destruction. So limits to food access contribute not only to poor health outcomes, but also climate change.

Environment health: We are losing healthy topsoil, depleting and polluting water resources, destroying our world's rainforests, and endangering plant and animal species at an alarming rate. And never before have we introduced on such a large scale genetically altered varieties of plants, requiring the use of heavy doses of pesticides that affect other vital life forms.

From the microscopic to the macroscopic, from individuals to their societies and the ecosystems that support them—the health of each depends on the health of all. Community Leads allows us to support individuals and organizations that are creating solutions and making real change in each of these areas.

1. To support individuals and organizations that are aspiring to create change. It's good to recognize and understand why our health and food systems are compromised, but we also need to do something about it. Community Leads allows you to directly support those on the ground. 100% of donations for Community Leads supports new initiatives or helps existing initiatives expand.
2. To inspire and motivate each other. We will share the stories and strategies of groups who are creating health within their communities. This allows us to harness the experiences of others to overcome challenges within our own communities.
3. To create shared educational resources and materials. We will establish benchmarks for success, develop methods for achieving success, and build strategies for overcoming challenges. These resources will be available for everyone to use, to inspire action in communities worldwide! To achieve optimal health in the body we need collaboration; this same principle can be applied to the health of our communities.
4. To build community. Our very existence is directly related to the health of our communities. By joining a community that fosters personal, communal and ecological health, you are preserving and taking care of your own health while simultaneously building healthy communities worldwide!

We offer both micro grants and larger, multiple year grants. Grants range from $500 to $50,000 and will be awarded to projects that show evidence of: 1) community education and food literacy, 2) increasing access to healthy, affordable food and 3) promoting sustainable and equitable food systems. Announcements for upcoming Requests for Proposals (RFPs) will be made via our website, newsletters and social media channels. Applications that include all proposal requirements and that align with the CNS mission are reviewed by the CNS staff and an advisory team.

1. Applicants must address one or more of our core content areas: 1) community education and food literacy, 2) access to healthy, affordable food and/or 3) promoting sustainable and equitable food systems. We also want to see how you are promoting a plant-based lifestyle.
2. Applicants must have a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit status as determined by the IRS or be sponsored by an organization that does. If you are an individual who plans to start a new community organization or project and does not have this status, please contact us to explore your options. Each applicant must complete the application in full which is attached to the RFP. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
3. We will work with grantees to develop educational resources and promotional materials such as articles, short videos, photos etc. These are wonderful opportunities to share with others.