Grants

Thank you for your interest in the Foundation’s Grant Program. The Foundation proudly offers several annual research grants in an effort to stimulate innovation and discovery within the profession. Please refer to the table below for information on the focus of each of our named research grants. The Foundation’s ability to provide research grants is determined by investment activity and fundraising efforts.

How to Apply

The Foundation accepts applications for most research grant funding on an annual basis. Any person may apply for Foundation grants and will be given fair and protected-class-neutral consideration for an award. The ability to provide research grants is dependent on fundraising efforts and investment activity.

The Foundation is currently accepting applications for most named grants within the Foundation’s external, online application platform, linked below. All currently available research grant applications are due by 5:00 pm CT on Monday, February 24, 2025. Applications must be submitted electronically, within the platform, for consideration. Emailed and hard-copy versions of applications will not be accepted.

Applications for the Foundation’s CDR Emerging Researcher Grant and CDR Student-Faculty Collaborative Research Grant were due on November 18, 2024. Applicants will be notified of the Foundation’s funding decisions in January 2025.

Please contact Elisha Reichling, MS, RDN, LDN, Foundation Program Manager, at grants@eatright.org with questions.

2024 Recipient List

Click to Apply

Allene Vaden Memorial Grant for Foodservice Management Research
Grant amount: $5,000

This grant is given to encourage young academics to enhance and stimulate research in foodservice management.

Unavailable in 2025

Amy Joye Memorial Research Award
Grant amount: $5,000

Applicants are required to work with a mentor whose projects involve human research and focus on: Dietary assessment methodology to investigate/enhance accuracy of dietary reports*, Obesity prevention/weight control, or Fruit/vegetable gardens.

*Accuracy of dietary reports requires validation or comparison of dietary reports by study participants to actual dietary intake. Such validation does not simply compare two self-report methods by study participants because with that study design, actual dietary intake is unknown. Instead, validation requires comparison of dietary reports by study participants to a method that does not rely on another self-report method by study participants.

Ann A. Hertzler Memorial Research Grant
Grant amount: $15,000

This grant serves to support research aligned with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Research Priorities. An annual research question is developed to solicit proposals. 

2024 Topic: Proposals should investigate ambulatory RDN staffing ratios to support medical nutrition therapy and other nutrition services.

Unavailable in 2025

Colgate Palmolive Fellowship in Nutrition, Oral Health/Dental Education
Grant amount: $15,000

This grant is given to support research in nutrition and oral health or dental education by doctoral students seeking a doctorate in nutrition and oral health or dental education, Masters thesis research on nutrition and oral health/disease or RDNs with advanced degrees doing research in the area of nutrition and oral health. Non-US residents may apply.

Commission on Dietetic Registration Emerging Researcher Grant
Grant amount: $10,000

This grant supports researchers with limited to no track records of extramural funding from competitive research grants and/or no first-authored, peer-reviewed research publications to conduct research that aligns with CDR’s Strategic Plan.

Commission on Dietetic Registration Student-Faculty Collaborative Research Grant
Grant amount: $5,000

This grant supports faculty members or program directors of ACEND-accredited educational programs who oversee ongoing research within their programs that relates to CDR’s Strategic Plan and engages nutrition and dietetics students who are completing their eligibility requirements to take the registration examination for dietitians.

Diabetes (DDPG) DPG Karen Goldstein Memorial Grant for Diabetes MNT Application
Grant amount: $20,000. Available every other year.

This grant is given to provide financial support to a Diabetes DPG member for outcomes research in diabetes medical nutrition therapy.

Unavailable in 2025

Jean Hankin Nutritional Epidemiology Research Grant
Grant amount: $20,000

This grant is given to provide financial support to a doctoral student working on a dissertation in the area of nutritional epidemiology.

Julie O’Sullivan Maillet Research Grant
Grant amount: $3,000

This grant is given for a research project that aims to demonstrate the value of dietetics professionals on the health of the public or demonstrate the evolving role of dietetics professionals in the profession.

McCormick Science Institute Research Grant
Grant amount: $10,000

The purpose of the McCormick Science Institute Research Grant is to fund research that explores the potential health benefits of whole culinary herbs and spices; extracts are not allowed.

Molly Kellogg Grant for Advancement in Nutrition Counseling
Grant amount: $3,000

This grant is given to advance counseling skills excellence in the dietetic profession by providing financial support to RDs and DTRs to pursue research in the nutrition counseling process.

Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group Research Grant
Grant amount: $10,000

This grant is given for innovative research relating to vegetarian nutrition to an individual who is an RDN, DTR or Dietetic Student member of the Academy. Preference will be given to members of the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group.

Unavailable in 2025

2024 Recipient List

Amy Joye Memorial Research Award
Funded by friends and family of Amy F. Joye, MS, RD

  • Recipient: Nour Hammad, MSc, RDN
    Proposal Title: Stakeholder perspectives on obesity prevention in France: A qualitative study

Ann A. Hertzler Memorial Research Grant
Funded by Ann A. Hertzler, PhD, RD

  • Recipient: JoAnne L. Whelan, PhD, RDN, LD
    Proposal Title: Assessing the Need for Nutrition Education, Counseling, and RDN Staffing Ratios on an Urban College Campus

Colgate Palmolive Fellowship in Nutrition, Oral Health/Dental Education
Funded by the Colgate Palmolive Company

  • Recipient: Jillian Kaye, MS, RDN
    Proposal Title: Nutrition Education in Pediatric Dentistry Residency Programs

Commission on Dietetic Registration Emerging Researcher Grant
Funded by the Commission on Dietetic Registration

  • Recipients:
    • Maria Dinh, MS, RD
      Proposal Title: Assessing Relationships Between Dietary Patterns, Inflammatory/Stress Response Systems and Stress Among Graduate/Professional School Students
    • Luc LaBonte, MS, RD, LD
      Proposal Title: Attitudes Towards Nutrition Care Process and Nutrition Care Process Terminology Implementation Among Dietetics Educators, Preceptors, and Students Undergoing Supervised Practice
    • Jillian Pierson, MS, RDN
      Proposal Title: Modulation of carbonyl stress by whole wheat bread consumption: a randomized, crossover, controlled clinical trial.
    • Kara Stromberg, MS, RDN, LDN, CDE and Jaylin Kellogg, MS, RDN, LDN, CNSC
      Proposal Title: Comparing Measured Resting Energy Expenditure to Weight-Based Equations for Total Parenteral Nutrition Prescribing in Oncology Patients: A Randomized Trial
    • Diane Vizthum, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN
      Proposal Title: Time Restricted Eating, Eating Behaviors, and Cardiometabolic Risk  in Emerging Adult Women
Commission on Dietetic Registration Student-Faculty Collaborative Research Grant
Funded by the Commission on Dietetic Registration
  • Recipients:
    • Ana Abad-Jorge, Ed.D., MS, RDN, FAND
      Proposal Title: Role of Pediatric RDNs in Using the Nutrition Focused Physical Exam: Clinical Practice, Barriers and Training
    • Amy Ellis, PhD, RDN, LD; Joy Douglas, PhD, RDN, CSG, LD; and Lori Greene, MS, RDN, LD
      Proposal Title: The Forklift Program for Dietetic Students: Intergenerational Service Learning with Older Adult Veterans
    • Danielle King, PhD, RDN
      Proposal Title: Examination of Food and Nutrition Security Amongst Food Pantry Clients with Type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension, and Cardiovascular Disease in Buffalo, NY: A Mixed Methods Study
    • Wan Shen, PhD, RDN
      Proposal Title: Dietetic Intern-Led Education Program on Early Introduction of Allergenic Foods to Infants: A Pilot Study
    • Marni E. Shoemaker, PhD, RD
      Proposal Title: Student-Led Nutrition and Physical Activity Program to Reduce Sarcopenia and Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes

Diabetes DPG Karen Goldstein Memorial Grant for Diabetes MNT Application
Funded by the Diabetes Dietetic Practice Group

  • Recipient: Patricia Davidson, DCN, RDN, LDN, CDCES, FAND, FADCES
    Proposal Title: APP-MNT: App-Enhanced Medical Nutrition Therapy on Glycemic Outcomes and Quality of Life

Jean Hankin Nutritional Epidemiology Research Grant
Funded by Jean Hankin, DrPH, MS, MPH, RetRD

  • Recipient: Katherine Y. Kwon, MS, RD, IBCLC
    Proposal Title: Associations between duration of exclusive breastfeeding, infant iron status and neurocognition: longitudinal studies of 9-11 year old Ghanaian adolescents

Julie O’Sullivan Maillet Research Grant
Funded by Julie O’Sullivan Maillet, PhD, RD, FADA, FAND

  • Recipient: Amy Rose Mahar, PhD, RDN
    Proposal Title: Cannabis Exposure and Diet and Cardiovascular Outcomes

McCormick Science Institute Research Grant
Funded by the McCormick Science Institute

  • Recipient: Mary C. Pickler, MS, RD, LD
    Proposal Title: The Impact of Acute Parsley Consumption on Blood Pressure and Markers of Nitric Oxide Production in Hypertensive Males

Molly Kellogg Grant for Advancement in Nutrition Counseling
Funded by the Molly Kellogg, RD, LCSW

  • Recipient: Dagny Larson, MS, RD, LD
    Proposal Title: Developing Technology to Optimally Support Dietitians in Providing Individualized, Evidence-Based Outpatient Nutrition Counseling

validation

For example, school meals (breakfast and lunch) in 24-hour dietary recalls (with various manipulations by study investigators) from child participants are validated against direct observations of school meals by research staff (J Am Diet Assoc 2002;102:386-395; Prev Med 2003;36:601-614; J Nutr Educ Behav 2003;35:124-134; Nutr Res 2003;23:1537-1546; J Am Diet Assoc 2006;106:1656-1662; J Am Diet Assoc 2009;109:846-856; J Acad Nutr Diet 2014;114:1902-1914; J Nutr 2015;145:2185-2192).

Or, 24-hour dietary recalls from adult participants are validated through feeding studies in which foods and beverages for all meals for adult participants are provided at a facility where true intake and plate waste is ascertained by research staff (Am J Clin Nutr 2003;77:1171-1178; J Am Diet Assoc 2004;104:595-603; Am J Clin Nutr 2014;100:233-240).