Plant-Based Diet Initiative (PBDI) Fall 2025 Seed Funding

Stanford’s Plant-based Diet Initiative (PBDI) researches plant-based solutions for improving health and sustainability.

Twice a year, the PBDI solicits proposals for a round of seed grants, distributing a total of $25,000 in direct costs spread across multiple one-year pilot projects centered around plant-based nutrition, health, and sustainability. Individual grant amounts typically range from $2,500 to $5,000, depending on the number of selected proposals. This is a biannual internal opportunity open exclusively to Stanford faculty, fellows, and students.

The Plant-Based Diet Initiative (PBDI) champions the positive impact of plant-based diets on individuals and the environment. Our biannual seed grant program, open to all Stanford faculty, fellows, and students, funds innovative one-year projects exploring various plant-based nutrition, health, and sustainability topics. 

This is a great opportunity to fund a pilot study for future research. Grants range from $2,500 to $25,000 and support interdisciplinary collaborations. The number of awarded projects per cycle depends on proposal quality, promise, and requested funding.

Research areas may include:

• Role of plant-based meat alternatives in reducing meat consumption
• Strategies for promoting behavioral change in adopting plant-based diets
• Identification of plant foods and micronutrients as alternatives to animal-based foods
• Investigation of health benefits of fiber, plant-based starch, and carbohydrates
• Translation of nutrition science into public policy

Funds can cover salaries, materials and supplies, patient care costs, incentives, recruitment, data storage, and domestic conference travel.

Applications are accepted biannually with spring and fall deadlines.

Fall 2025 Seed Grant Timeline*

Letter of Intent due (1-2 page description of your project):
11:59 p.m. on Monday, November 10, 2025
Interviews of shortlisted applicants (Zoom): 
Week of November 17, 2025
Full application due (3-5 pages, plus budget and justification): 
11:59 p.m. on Monday, December 8, 2025
Award announcements: 
Week of December 19, 2025

*Final dates subject to change

Application

Please email a PDF of your Letter of Intent with the following naming convention:

[LastName]_PBDI_LoI_[YYYY]_[MM].pdf

(LastName is the last name of the first/primary investigator)

Email your Letter of Intent to: stanfordpbdi@stanford.edu

Applicants are welcome to reach out to the PBDI with any questions.

Jennifer Robinson (jlmorris@stanford.edu)
Christopher Gardner (cgardner@stanford.edu)