Plant-Based Diet Initiative (PBDI) Spring 2025 Seed Funding
Twice a year, the Plant-Based Diet Initiative (PBDI) solicits proposals for seed grants, distributing a total of $25,000 in direct costs across multiple one-year pilot projects focused on plant-based nutrition. Individual grant amounts typically range from $3,000 to $5,000, depending on the number of awarded projects, proposal quality, potential impact, and requested funding.
PBDI champions the positive effects of plant-based diets on both individuals and the environment. Our biannual seed grant program is open to all Stanford faculty, fellows, and students, funding innovative one-year projects exploring various aspects of plant-based nutrition. This is a valuable opportunity that supports collaboration and pilot studies that could lead to larger research endeavors.
Potential research areas include:
- The 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
- Health benefits of fiber, plant-based starches, and carbohydrates
- Translation of nutrition science into public policy
Funds may be used for salaries, materials and supplies, patient care costs, incentives, recruitment, data storage, and domestic conference travel.
Applications are accepted biannually, with spring and fall deadlines.
Spring 2025 Seed Grant Timeline*
Letter of Intent (1–2 page project description) due:
Monday, May 5, 2025 by 11:59 pm
Interviews for shortlisted applicants (via Zoom):
Weeks of May 5 and May 12, 2025
Full application (3–5 pages, plus budget and justification) due:
Monday, June 2, 2025 by 11:59 pm
Award announcements by:
Friday, June 20, 2025
*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)
All Stanford faculty, fellows, and students are eligible to apply.
Awardees must maintain an updated expense spreadsheet and share it with the PBDI Advisory Board. They are also required to submit a final progress report within 90 days of project completion, present findings at a PBDI Symposium and/or the Stanford Food Summit, and acknowledge PBDI Seed Grant support in all publications, presentations, abstracts, and media.
1. Salaries including post docs and research staff and fringe. See DoR website for current rates: https://doresearch.stanford.edu/research-administration/proposal-and-award-lifecycle/rates
2. Materials & Supplies (laptops)
- general lab supplies/consumables
- general office project supplies
- photo copying, printing, postage
3. Patient care costs / human subjects / incentives
4. Recruitment costs
5. Data storage costs
