Frequently Asked Questions

The mission of Newman’s Own Foundation is to nourish and transform the lives of children who face adversity. The Foundation is committed to incorporating Paul’s spirit and values into our work. Newman’s Own Foundation is the sole owner of Newman’s Own, Inc., which has continued Paul’s legacy by producing high-quality foods and beverages and donating all profits to great causes. The product line has grown but the company mission remains the same.

Newman’s Own Foundation provides grants in three core programmatic areas:

Joyful Experiences for Children with Serious Illnesses: SeriousFun Children’s Network and Newman’s Own Foundation share a founder, Paul Newman. The Foundation continues Paul’s legacy through support that helps SeriousFun camps and programs offer enriching, inclusive experiences for children living with serious medical conditions, and their families, free of charge.

Nutrition Education and School Food: School meals have the potential to anchor a child’s nutrition, improving educational and health outcomes for children across the US. The Foundation is working towards a day when all children have access to nutritious school meals, regardless of their ability to pay.

Indigenous Food Justice for Youth: Indigenous communities across the US are revitalizing long-established approaches to growing food and ensuring that knowledge is passed down to future generations. The Foundation supports the preservation of Indigenous food culture and traditions.

Nutrition security is defined as having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious, and culturally relevant food.

Newman’s Own Foundation primarily supports organizations in the U.S.; however, the Foundation does provide some grants to organizations headquartered in countries around the world, in addition to nonprofits in the U.S. that operate abroad. Newman’s Own food products are sold throughout the world, including the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

They are separate organizations with a shared founder. Paul Newman founded both Newman’s Own Foundation and the first camps in what is now the SeriousFun Children’s Network. SeriousFun has its own Board of Directors and raises funds for all the camps and programs around the world. Newman’s Own Foundation is pleased to support SeriousFun Children’s Network.

The Foundation provides grants to organizations that fit our Focus Areas and match Our Approach. Many of our grantee partners are profiled here. Please sign up for Radically Good™ News to be the first to hear about new funding opportunities.

If you are interested in applying for a grant, please apply as part of one of the Foundation’s annual calls for applications. Due to the high volume of inquiries we receive, we are unable to review applications received outside of these periods.

Every year, the Foundation opens opportunities to apply or to nominate organizations for grants. Please sign up for our newsletter, Radically Good™ News, and follow us on LinkedIn to be the first to hear about new funding opportunities.

The Foundation awards grants of varying sizes depending on the specific project being funded.

Newman’s Own Foundation is a private foundation governed by an independent Board of Directors. Newman’s Own, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Newman’s Own Foundation also governed by an independent Board of Directors.

Yes!

Newman’s Own Foundation continues Paul Newman’s commitment to use all the money that it receives from the sale of Newman’s Own products to support children, their families, and their communities.

Ever since 1982, when Paul Newman said, “Let’s give it all away,” 100% of Newman’s Own profits have gone to great causes. By profits, we mean what’s left over (surplus, balance, difference) at Newman’s Own, Inc., after normal business expenses (such as employee compensation and benefits, cost of goods, transportation, marketing and advertising, supplies, occupancy costs, and taxes) are deducted from income.

Newman’s Own Foundation receives its income primarily from two sources: profits from sales of Newman’s Own products sold by our subsidiary Newman’s Own, Inc., and royalties paid by both Newman’s Own, Inc., and third parties licensed to sell Newman’s Own products.

The Foundation makes grants to charitable organizations, pays for other qualifying charitable expenses, and sets aside reserves to carry out charitable purposes and cover contingencies.

More information about the Foundation’s financials can be found here.

Newman’s Own, Inc., is the first for-profit company we are aware of that is entirely owned by a private foundation and exists solely to give all profits to great causes. Passage of the Philanthropic Enterprise Act in 2018 made it possible for other wholly charitable businesses to structure themselves the same way.

The amount varies year to year. In total, more than $600 million has been donated worldwide since 1982.

As a U.S. nonprofit, our IRS Form 990-PF is publicly available. Our most recent Form 990-PF can be accessed by going to our Financials page.

All rights associated with Paul Newman, including use of his name, image, and likeness, are owned by No Limit, LLC (No Limit). These rights are valuable intellectual property and may not be used without the prior written permission of No Limit.

All requests for approval to use any of these rights must be made in writing. Please include your name, your organization, how you desire to use rights associated with Paul Newman, what specific rights you desire to use, and any other information that you believe will be helpful to No Limit when it processes your request. Please address all requests for approval as follows:

Attn: Chief Legal Officer
No Limit, LLC
One Morningside Drive North
Westport, CT 06880
pnewman@newmansown.org

No Limit will make every effort to respond to your request for approval in a timely fashion. In some instances, however, No Limit may take time to review your request or may not be able to respond. Failure of No Limit to respond to your request for approval should not be construed as granting, by implication, estoppel, or otherwise, any license or right of use of any rights associated with Paul Newman. No Limit may only grant your request for approval in an express written document and absent such writing you may not use such rights.