Frequently Asked Questions

General

  • Fit to Empower is a nutrition education award program that supports registered dietitians or registered dietitian-eligible individuals advancing access to nutrition education in their communities. Light + Fit will provide a $5,000 USD award to five (5) winners to help support their proposed program. Winners will also have the opportunity to connect with Danone registered dietitians over the course of one (1) year for guidance and program support, as needed.

  • You can apply for Fit to Empower through the application portal.

  • The deadline to apply for Fit to Empower is July 26th, 2026, at 11:59pm PST. Finalists will be invited to participate in a brief interview with Danone registered dietitians in August, prior to final selection. Winners will be notified in September 2026. Your proposed program must be initiated by April 2027.

  • To apply for this program, you must be a registered dietitian (RD) or have completed your dietetic internship (RD eligible) at the time your application is submitted, and the funding is awarded. Additionally, you must:

    • Live, work, and reside in the United States

    • Be at least 18 years old

    • Work in a capacity that improves access to and involves nutrition education for women and girls across the lifespan (including children, teens, adults, or older adults)

    • NOT be an employee or immediate family member (parent, child, sibling and spouse of each, regardless of where they reside) of Danone or FoodMinds/Padilla

    • NOT be a government official and have NO conflicts of interest

    • NOT have received a Fit to Empower award in 2025.

    • Review and agree to Official Terms

Application & Proposal

  • A panel of registered dietitian judges will review all eligible applications. Each application will be reviewed and scored against the following weighted judging criteria:

    • 40% - potential to achieve a sustained positive impact on community health and nutrition

    • 40% - potential to empower access to nutrition education for women and girls within applicant’s community

    • 20% - creativity and originality

  • Yes! We welcome you to submit a proposal on behalf of your organization; however, the RD or RD-eligible applicant must be the one to submit the application and be directly involved with the proposed program.

  • It does not! So long as it’s budgeted to cost no more than $5,000, you can either implement a new program or build off an existing one.

  • Yes! Previous applicants are welcome to apply again. Past award recipients may also apply, provided the proposed program either builds on the originally funded project in a new way or is a new initiative. However, recipients are not eligible to receive a Fit to Empower award in consecutive years and must wait one year before being considered for another award.

  • That’s no problem! It is optional to provide your social media handle(s). If you’d like to share, we ask for this information to better get to you know you and the work you’re doing. 

  • If your proposal is selected, we want to celebrate and promote you and your program! Your headshot will be used to promote your program on Light + Fit channels, including but not limited to Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and/or LightandFit.com.

Awards

  • Our agency partner will coordinate and distribute the funds to winners following notification of your award. Once all necessary paperwork has been completed, payment terms have net-45. Winners will be issued a 1099 tax form for the appropriate retail value of the award.

  • Winners are responsible for paying any applicable taxes on the award.

  • Yes. If you receive a Fit to Empower award, you will be required to submit budget actuals detailing how program funds were used. Funds not used appropriately for the recipient’s program purposes will need to be returned to Danone.