Official Rules for Applicants

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE OF NEWMAN’S OWN OR HUMANITIX PRODUCTS WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF RECEIVING FUNDING.

1. Program Overview

The Food Justice for Kids Prize (the “Program”) is managed by Newman’s Own Foundation (the “Foundation”) and hosted in collaboration with Humanitix USA Limited (“Humanitix”), The Henry P. Kendall Foundation, and the Hunger to Health Collaboratory (collectively known as the “Prize Sponsors”) to support eligible nonprofits, Tribes, schools, and school districts working towards food justice for children in the United States and its territories. The Program provides up to One Million Four-Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,400,000) in total over two years of funding for up to fourteen (14) eligible organizations. The total maximum annual grant amount per eligible organization is Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) in 2026 with an opportunity to receive an additional grant of up to Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) in 2027. 

2. Funding Opportunities: 

Eligible funding areas include:  

• Indigenous Food Justice  

• Nutrition Education & School Food 

Up to fourteen (14) grants are available as part of the Food Justice for Kids Prize: 

• Newman’s Own Foundation and Humanitix will award up to five (5) grants to organizations focused on Indigenous Food Justice and up to five (5) grants to organizations focused on Nutrition Education & School Food 

• The Henry P. Kendall Foundation will award up to two (2) grants to organizations based in New England in either focus area 

• The Hunger to Health Collaboratory will award up to two (2) grants to organizations focused on Nutrition Education & School Food policy projects

For more information about these funding areas, click here. 

3. Eligibility: 

To be eligible for the Program, organizations must apply via the Program’s application portal on JustFund.Us.  

Eligible organizations include:  

• 501(c)(3) Public Charities 

• Federally Recognized Tribes 

• Indian Tribal Governments (IRS, section 7871) 

• US Public Schools, School Districts, and schools with 501(c)(3) public charity status  

• You may also apply via a 501(c)(3) Public Charity Fiscal Sponsor 

Please note, the Foundation and Prize Sponsors do not fund: 

• Organizations that discriminate on the basis of religion, race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, political beliefs, disabilities, or any other protected categories 

• Lobbying or political activities 

• 501(c)(4) organizations 

• Major research projects 

• Any commercial business 

• Any litigation that is underway, contemplated, or completed, or organizations that use litigation as a primary tool to carry out their mission 

• Other private foundations, Type III supporting organizations, or other organizations that require expenditure responsibility by the Foundation  

• Direct grants to individuals 

• Organizations that do not comply with all laws and regulations, including those related to the USA Patriot Act, Executive Order 13224, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury Anti-Terrorist Financing Guidelines: Voluntary Best Practices for U.S. Based Charities. In this regard, the USA Patriot Act prohibits willfully providing funds for terrorism 

• Specific religious activities or beliefs or organizations that require adherence to a specific religion or belief 

• Any other organization that does not meet the IRS funding requirements for a private foundation 

The Foundation shall determine, in its sole discretion, whether an application meets the eligibility criteria to participate in the Program. The Foundation’s decisions regarding eligibility and all other aspects of the Program are final and binding. This Program is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and is void in all geographic locations where prohibited by law.  

Organizations that received Fifty Thousand Dollars $50,000 or more in funding from Newman’s Own Foundation or Humanitix in 2025 are not eligible to apply for the Food Justice for Kids Prize. All other current or past grantees from Newman’s Own Foundation, Humanitix, The Henry P. Kendall Foundation, and the Hunger to Health Collaboratory are eligible to apply. 

4. Grants: 

Through the process outlined herein, certain applicants will be selected to receive a grant (each, a “Grant,” and together, the “Grants”). There will be up to fourteen (14) applicants selected (each a “Recipient,” and collectively, the “Recipients”), with up to six (6) Recipients the Indigenous Food Justice funding area and up to eight (8) in the Nutrition Education and School Food funding area, to receive a Grant of up to Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) each in 2026. These Recipients will then be eligible for additional funding opportunities including a potential Grant of up to Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) in 2027. The total value of all Grants in 2026 and 2027 will be up to One Million Four-Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,400,000) in total. 

 5. Nomination Process: 

Nominations for the Program will open here at 12:00 PM (noon) ET on February 17, 2026, and close at 1:00 PM ET on April 21, 2026. Anyone may submit a nomination via the form available here including staff or those affiliated with an organization that is considering applying for the Program. A completed nomination is not required to access or be eligible to complete the Program application on JustFund.Us. Submitting a nomination(s) will not increase the chances of being selected for the Program.  

By nominating an organization to the Program and providing an email address, each nominator grants the Foundation express permission to send nominator and nominee emails related to the Program, including, but not limited to, the Foundation newsletter. 

Foundation reserves the right to update and/or modify the nomination processes described above in its sole discretion. 

6. Application Process: 

Eligible organizations must submit their applications through the application portal on JustFund.Us by 1:00 PM ET on April 28, 2026, adhering to the outlined guidelines. 

By applying to the Program and providing an email address, each applicant grants the Foundation express permission to send applicant emails related to the Program, including, but not limited to, the Foundation newsletter, requests for additional information including for vetting and background check if required, finalist preparation if selected, Recipients announcement, and a follow-up survey email to gather feedback regarding the Program and application, to be used in the planning and design of future programs.  

Foundation reserves the right to update and/or modify the application processes described above in its sole discretion. 

Prize Sponsors are not responsible for any technical failures or malfunctions that may cause a delay or disruption to application submissions. Submissions received after the deadline for any reason, including technical issues, will not be accepted. If applicants encounter technical issues with the JustFund.us website, they should contact JustFund directly. 

8. Selection Process and Criteria: 

After the application deadline of April 28, 2026, at 1:00 PM ET, applications will first be screened by Foundation staff for eligibility and to validate alignment with the Program. Applications selected for further review will then be reviewed by up to 100 reviewers representing different communities, lived experiences, issue areas, and sectors alongside Newman’s Own Foundation, Humanitix, The Henry P. Kendall Foundation, and the Hunger to Health Collaboratory staff (the “Review Panel”). The Review panel will use the following criteria, each scored on a scale of 0-20 to inform the selection of grant recipients: 

1. Alignment: To what extent does the organization/project focus its work on children under the age of 18 and align with the Food Justice for Kids Prize priority program areas: Indigenous Food Justice or Nutrition Education & School Food? 
2. Evidence of Impact: To what extent does the organization/project have demonstrable evidence of past impact and/or potential for future impact, in regard to food justice for kids and the selected priority program area? 
3. Innovative Approach: To what extent does the organization/project offer a unique approach that could improve the status quo with regard to food justice for kids? 
4. Community Power: To what extent is the organization/project led by, collaborating with, and building power within the communities it seeks to serve? 
5. Ease of Implementation: To what extent does the organization/project have a realistic plan with clearly defined goals, adequate resources, the right stakeholder engagement, and a clear path to progress? 

For each Program priority area, a selection of finalists will be chosen and vetted. Following successful vetting, Recipients will be announced. Decisions by the Foundation with the input of the Review Panel are final and binding. 

9. Notification and Acceptance:  

The Foundation and Prize Sponsors will each notify all Recipients on or around the week of September 14, 2026. Acceptance of Grant funds by Recipient will constitute Recipient’s agreement with Foundation’s Program participation terms and with the Foundation and Prize Sponsor’s respective grant terms, a copy of which will be provided at the time of disbursement. Disbursement should occur within approximately 60 days following receipt of the applicable agreement. Failure to accept the Grant funding or agreement in a timely manner may result in forfeiture of the Grant. 

 10. Tax Liability:  

A Recipient may waive its right to receive the Grant. The Grant is non-assignable and non-transferable. No substitutions may be made by the Recipient. The Foundation and Prize Sponsors may withhold taxes and/or other amounts from any Grant, prize, or award as it, in its sole discretion, may determine to be required by law. The Foundation and Prize Sponsors may file with the Internal Revenue Service and/or any other government agency a return identifying any payment of money and/or property to a Recipient as the Foundation, in its sole discretion, determines to be required by law. Prior to receiving the Grant, Recipients must execute a W-9 tax form verifying their tax identification number. Recipients may be required, as instructed by the Foundation and Prize Sponsors, to complete and sign (i) an affidavit of eligibility/liability certifying that such Recipient has complied with the Official Rules of the Program, and (ii) a liability and publicity release (except where prohibited by law). Failure to sign and return any of these documents or to comply with any term or condition of these Official Rules may result in a Recipient’s disqualification, the forfeiture of its interest in the Grant, and, at the Foundation’s discretion, the presentation of the Grant to a substitute recipient. A Grant not awarded and/or claimed by a Recipient and not awarded to a substitute recipient by the Foundation or Prize Sponsors in accordance with these Official Rules will remain the property of the Foundation and Prize Sponsors.  

Payment of federal, state, local, or other tax liabilities and fees due for any Grant or prize accepted by Recipient as part of the Program, if any, are the sole responsibility of the Recipient.  

11. Publicity: 

All applicants are welcome to share their participation on social media. 

12. No Purchase Necessary: 

Participation in the Program does not require any purchase of Newman’s Own products or products of any Prize Sponsors. A purchase of Newman’s Own products or the product of any Prize Sponsors will not increase the odds of receiving any Grant. 

13. Publicity Release: 

By applying to the Program, applicants grant permission and hereby convey a license to the Foundation and Prize Sponsors to use their name, logo, any submitted photographs, entry material, and other submitted or publicly available likenesses for advertising and promotional purposes in connection with the Program without additional compensation, except where prohibited by law. 

14. Compliance with Laws: 

The Program is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Any violation of these rules may result in disqualification. 

15. Modification of Rules or Program: 

The Foundation reserves the right to modify these Official Rules at its discretion. Changes will be effective upon posting on the Program Site. The Foundation reserves the right to modify or cancel the Program at its discretion, including disbursement of the Prize funds, and will communicate any changes to applicants in a timely manner.  

16. No Guarantee of Funds; Limitation on Liability: 

Grant funds are funded by the Foundation and Prize Sponsors, which are independent third party organizations. Grant funds may be disbursed by the Foundation or by the Prize Sponsors or by applicable disbursement partners, in accordance with their standard grantmaking practices and procedures. If the Foundation or Prize Sponsors fails to provide any or all of the committed funds, or if a Prize is delayed, modified, or discontinued for any reason, the Foundation and Prize Sponsors shall have no responsibility, obligation, or liability to any applicant or awardee to provide or substitute the Grant funds.  

 17. Disqualification: 

The Foundation reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any applicant at any time that it finds to be tampering with the application process or the Program; to be acting in violation of these Official Rules; or to be acting in an inappropriate or disruptive manner, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person; or in any way that is otherwise inconsistent with its standards, mission, or reputational interests or in any depiction containing images, words or symbols widely considered offensive to individuals of a certain race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or socioeconomic group, or that the Foundation believes may violate any applicable law or regulation or the rights of any third party or may subject the Program or the Foundation to controversy, negative publicity, scorn, or ridicule. Should the Foundation disqualify an applicant, it shall have no obligation to award a Grant to the applicant.    

18. Contact Information: 

For questions regarding the Program or these Official Rules, contact grants@newmansown.org. 

19. Effective Date: 

These Official Rules are effective as of February 17, 2026.