Dear Colleagues:

The Peanut Institute Foundation invites submission of one-page Letters of Intent (LOIs) for consideration as part of its 2026 Special Grant Series in partnership with USDA.

This targeted call seeks well-designed randomized controlled human studies examining the effects of peanuts and/or peanut butter on human health. The LOI process will be used to identify a select group of investigators who will be invited to submit full proposals.

Priority areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Brain health (cognitive and/or mental health outcomes in children, young adults, or older adults)
• Studies that include objective approaches for measuring brain health (eg. neuroimaging, biomarkers, validated tests) are desirable
• Gut microbiome composition and diversity in relation to health outcomes
• Peanut butter and glycemic control in youth or adults
• Physical fitness and/or muscle health
• Body composition, satiety/appetite regulation, and energy balance

Novel approaches to studying these topic areas are encouraged. 

Award amounts are expected to range from $25,000 to $400,000, with multi-year projects permitted provided the total proposed budget does not exceed the award ceiling. Main PIs should be located in the United States. 

LOIs should briefly describe the proposed research question, study design, study population, primary outcomes, relevance to the program’s priorities, anticipated project duration, and a high-level estimated total budget.

Key dates:

• Letters of Intent due: February 13, 2026
• Invitation to submit full proposals: February 28, 2026
• Full proposals due: March 30, 2026

Following review of the LOIs, a subset of applicants will be invited to submit full proposals. Due to the targeted nature of this call, only applicants selected to submit full proposals will be contacted. Detailed application guidelines, budget parameters, and submission instructions will be provided to invited investigators.

Please send letters of intent to ssterling@peanut-institute.com. Questions regarding the LOI process may be directed to ssterling@peanut-institute.com.