Inside Philanthropy

Who's Funding What & Why

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Newman’s Own Foundation

OVERVIEW: The Newman’s Own Foundation distributes one hundred percent of its parent company’s after-tax profits to causes relating to health, food, nutrition and Indigenous rights.

IP TAKE: The Newman’s Own Foundation is well known for its ongoing partnerships with national organizations that support of children’s health and nutrition, but a newer area of focus concerns Indigenous food justice. In a recent year, Newman’s own made over 200 grants to organizations of every size in every corner of the U.S. Sign up for the foundation’s newsletter to keep up with the latest funding opportunities. This is an accessible funder that is also open to contact; however, it accepts grant applications at specific times when it announces grant opportunities via its newsletter.

PROFILE: The Newman’s Own Foundation, established in 2005, is the philanthropic arm of Newman’s Own, the food and snack company founded in 1982 by actor Paul Newman and his friend A.E. Hotchner. All of the company’s after-tax profits would go to help people in need because, as Newman said, “I want to acknowledge luck. The benevolence of it in my life and the brutality of it in the lives of others.”

The Newman’s Own Foundation’s mission is to “nourish and transform the lives of children who face diversity.” The foundation makes provides organizational capacity building and program enhancement grants. Its current focus areas are Joyful Experiences for Children with Serious Illnesses, Nutritious Food in Schools and Indigenous Food Justice.

Grants for Public Health, Mental Health and Community Development

Newman’s Joyful Experiences for Children with Serious Illnesses focus area supports “inclusive camp and recreational experiences” for children children with serious illnesses and their families.” The foundation’s main grantee partner in this work has been the Serious Fun Children’s Network, which operates 30 camps in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia.

Grants for Food and Nutrition, K-12 Education and Indigenous Rights

Newman’s two remaining focus areas support food and nutrition programs. This work intersects with an emphasis on K-12 education, youth and Indigenous Peoples across the United States.

  • The Nutritious Food in Schools focus area supports programs and advocacy for more nutritious in-school meals, “regardless of children’s ability to pay.”
    • Major partnerships include Foodcorps, which works to provide nutrition education and healthier food for K-12 schools across the U.S., and the Food Research and Action Center, an advocacy group focused on improving the health and well-being of people facing hunger.
    • Other grants have supported the End Hunger Connecticut, Community Food Advocates of New York City, California’s Foodwhat Incorporated and the Chef Ann Foundation, which promotes “whole-ingredient, scratch-cooking in schools.”
  • The foundation’s Indigenous Food Justice program is its newest focus area helps Indigenous groups facing nutrition insecurity “revitalize and preserve their long established approaches” to health and sustainable food systems.
    • One grantee, the Oyate Teca Project, runs cultural, recreational and health programs at the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
    • Another grantee partner, the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project connects Zuni Pueblo youth in New Mexico with local traditions, including tribal agricultural and cooking practices.
    • Additional recipients include the Metlakatla Indian Tribe of Alaska, Makoce Agricultural Development in South Dakota, the First Nations Development Institute and the Native American Youth and Family Center of Portland, Oregon.

Important Grant Details:

The Newman’s Own Foundation’s grants range from $350 to $4.8 million.

  • The vast majority of Newman’s grants remain under $500,000; larger grants typically go to organizations with which the foundation maintains ongoing partnerships.
  • This funder makes over 200 grants a year to organizations of every size.
  • Grantmaking is national in scope and supports local, regional and national organizations.
  • The foundation indicates that it announces grant opportunities each year via its Radically Good News newsletter, typically in the first quarter of the year. Sign up to receive it here.
  • For additional information about past giving, see the foundation’s impact page or its financial reports.

Submit general questions to the foundation via its contact page. The foundation’s phone number is listed as (203) 222-0136.

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