RWJF Food and Health Research Using the Consumer Food Data System LOI

Sponsor Deadline: 

Aug 4, 2022

Letter of Intent Deadline: 

May 16, 2022

Sponsor: 

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

UI Contact: 

Sponsor link https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/funding-opportunities/2022/consumer-food...

RWJF has widened its focus on childhood obesity to consider issues such as nutritional adequacy; upstream factors affecting food supply; nutritional assistance; and indicators of food quality and availability. To contribute to research, evaluation, and learning, especially for its healthy children and families focus area, RWJF is partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Economic Research Service (ERS) on an opportunity to make their valuable data on food and nutrition available to researchers. By doing so, we hope to support research that will help to overcome structural barriers to equitable access to healthy food.

As the agency within the USDA that anticipates trends and emerging issues in agriculture, food, the environment, and rural America, ERS conducts high-quality, objective economic research to inform and enhance public and private decision-making. ERS has acquired several food-related data, both restricted- and private-use assets, which comprise the Consumer Food Data System (CFDS). These data assets will support research on relevant and timely evidence that informs the USDA, Congress, and the public about the food sector and about key national issues regarding food and health—such as food insecurity, obesity, diet quality, and nutrition assistance programs.

RWJF and ERS are announcing a call for proposals (CFP) for researchers who will use one or more restricted-use data assets from the CFDS. We seek to develop a cohort of researchers from diverse academic disciplines and institutions who will produce policy-relevant research on food policy; food retail markets; consumer behaviors related to food purchases and diet; and USDA nutrition assistance programs. It is our hope that the resulting research evidence will inform RWJF’s goal of creating equitable access to nutritious food.

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