Sodium Reduction in Communities

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the Department of Health and Human Services administers the Sodium Reduction in Communities program (CFDA 93.082) to reduce Americans' sodium intake to Dietary Guidelines recommendations by supporting implementation of sodium-reduction interventions in institutional and retail food service settings, with the most recent grant award dated September 30, 2016.

This program has not issued new awards in ten years. The portfolio consists of 28 total federal awards spanning 2013 through 2016, with 14 awards in the initial 2013 cohort, 6 in 2014, and 8 in 2016. The program is dormant as a current funding opportunity.

The program funds state and local health agencies in implementing sodium-reduction strategies across high-impact venues. Representative funded activities include New York City's intervention deploying nutrition standards and sodium-reducing procurement practices in hospital and higher-education cafeterias; Oregon's statewide sodium-reduction initiative; King County, Washington's work in school districts and emergency food systems; Philadelphia's sodium-reduction program; Los Angeles County's sodium-reduction initiative; and San Antonio's sodium-reduction project. Award structures involve intensive technical assistance for food procurement, meal and menu modifications, and behavioral economics interventions designed to encourage selection of low-sodium options.

Cooperative Agreements comprise 71 percent of the portfolio (20 awards), with Project Grants making up the remainder (8 awards). All funding originates from CDC, which obligated $27.7 million cumulatively across the program's active period. Award magnitudes cluster around $2.3 million to $2.8 million for the 2016 cooperative agreements, with smaller project grants ranging from roughly $100 thousand to $350 thousand in the 2013–2014 awards. The 2016 cohort awarded $2.76 million to Oregon, $2.77 million to New York State, $2.61 million to Philadelphia, $2.76 million to New York City, and $2.77 million to Los Angeles County.

No recent grant opportunities are posted. Eligible applicants have historically included state and local health departments and their nonprofit partners. The program should be classified as inactive pending any CDC reissuance notice or future solicitation.