Since 1971, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has been your food and health watchdog. CSPI envisions a healthy nation with a reduced impact and burden of chronic diseases and an equitable food system that makes healthy, sustainable food accessible to all. 

CSPI and affiliate CSPI Action Fund leads a national initiative to secure federal, state and local food and nutrition policies that improve public health and provide innovative models that can be replicated and scaled. As part of this initiative, we partner with community-based organizations, researchers, and advocates at the local and state levels to facilitate policy changes contributing to our vision of a just and equitable food system. We are interested in increasing purchasing power for, and access to, nutritious food that meets people’s needs, supporting a healthier food environment, and reducing health disparities across demographic groups. We also support building the capacity of organizations to address unique food system issues in their communities by supporting the critical collective engagement and powerbuilding work that is necessary for sustaining the movement towards an equitable food system.
 

Our Approach to Subgrant Partnerships

CSPI and CSPI Action Fund are stewards of philanthropic dollars provided by our generous supporters which enable subgrant partnerships with community-based organizations, researchers, and advocates. As a regrantor, w e are bound by guidelines and parameters under which these financial resources can be disbursed and used. We view our partnerships as long-term, mutually beneficial, and trusting relationships and strive to uphold the following core principles:

We are inclusive. We actively welcome and value partners with different experiences, backgrounds, attributes, abilities, and perspectives.  

We are committed to advancing racial and health equity. We understand that systemic issues have a historical context that is racially rooted and can only be mitigated by interventions that take an intersectional lens. We are dedicated to identifying and supporting subgrant proposals that center racial equity in their conceptualization, design, and implementation to move towards a more fair and just food system for all. 

We are open. We are open to new approaches and ideas that are shared with us from diverse stakeholders and partners throughout the subgrant cycle. We understand that we do not have expertise in all areas, and we show deference to those with identities and lived experiences different than our own. 

We are accountable. We acknowledge and assume responsibility for our actions. We seek to be held accountable by our partners and the communities they serve, and we value and encourage open and honest feedback. We aspire to be good stewards of the funding we have by incorporating best practices in equitable grantmaking into our subgranting program wherever possible. We will continually examine our processes through regular evaluations, and we are committed to learning, reflection, and change.  

We are respectful. We communicate and foster relationships in a generous, considerate, and compassionate way. We are not patronizing or harmful in our interactions with our partners. We are mindful of power dynamics and aspire to not be paternalistic.  

We are collaborative. We work together for the common good and shared success.  We are committed to being active partners by sharing resources, training, and technical assistance. We strive to build long-term relationships and collaborations with partners that support their growth and success. 

We are transparent. We are transparent in what we are funding and in how we make funding decisions. We are communicative and clear throughout our subgranting process.