Sodium Reduction in Communities | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Sodium Reduction in Communities (CDC RFA DP16-1607)

What is the Sodium Reduction in Communities grant (CDC RFA DP16-1607)?

The Sodium Reduction in Communities opportunity (CDC RFA DP16-1607) is a CDC-funded cooperative agreement that supports communities in lowering population sodium intake by changing the food environments where people regularly eat and obtain food.

What public health problem is this grant trying to address?

This opportunity focuses on excessive sodium consumption in the United States. The announcement notes that about 90 percent of Americans consume too much sodium, averaging roughly 3,500 mg per day, which exceeds recommended limits in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Why does the opportunity emphasize sodium reduction as a priority?

Excess sodium intake is strongly tied to high blood pressure. High blood pressure is associated with nearly 400,000 deaths each year, and the opportunity describes sodium reduction as a realistic lever to help prevent thousands of deaths annually.

Why does the program focus on food environments rather than only individual behavior change?

The announcement argues that most sodium exposure is structural rather than purely individual. More than 75 percent of sodium in the American diet comes from restaurant foods and packaged/processed foods, not from salt added at the table or during home cooking. Because sodium is widespread in the food supply, varies widely within food categories, and is not always obvious by taste, education-only approaches can be limited even when people are motivated.

What makes it difficult for individuals to reduce sodium on their own?

The opportunity highlights several barriers: sodium is widespread across the food supply, levels can vary widely even within the same food category, it is not always detectable by taste, and nutrition labels and front-of-package messages can be confusing.

How does DP16-1607 build on prior CDC sodium reduction investments?

The opportunity builds on earlier CDC work, including a 2010 demonstration project (FOA DP10-1019) and a 2013 effort (FOA DP13-1301). Those earlier projects supported implementation and evaluation of sodium reduction strategies and suggested that organizational and community-level interventions can increase the availability and accessibility of lower-sodium options in priority venues.

What kinds of venues were referenced as places where sodium reduction strategies can be implemented?

The announcement references venues such as worksites, hospitals, distributive meal programs, congregate meal programs, and early care and education settings as examples where community and organizational strategies have been implemented.

What gaps or needs does CDC say still remain, based on earlier efforts?

CDC notes that more evidence is needed to confirm sustained, population-wide reductions in sodium consumption, to understand how strategies change product availability and the identification of lower-sodium items, and to determine which approaches can scale for greater impact.

What is different about the DP16-1607 approach compared with earlier efforts?

DP16-1607 emphasizes implementing and evaluating "promising, broad-reaching, and sustainable" sodium reduction strategies in priority venues and entities, with an added emphasis on collaborating with the food sector. The intent is to push beyond individual behavior change and toward upstream changes in what is manufactured, procured, and served.

What does "collaborating with the food sector" mean in this opportunity?

Based on the description, it means working more directly with vendors, suppliers, and potentially trade association affiliates to influence which products are purchased, prepared, offered, marketed, and reformulated.

What kinds of changes to the local food supply does the opportunity aim to encourage?

The opportunity describes shifting the focus upstream to influence the products that are manufactured, procured, and served. It frames this as necessary for meaningful population-level sodium reduction, since most sodium intake comes from restaurant and processed/packaged foods.

Is this program intended to be a standalone sodium campaign?

No. The opportunity positions sodium reduction as part of a broader, sustainable, comprehensive strategy to improve the food environment overall, aligned with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Can sodium reduction work be combined with other food environment improvements?

Yes. The description explicitly notes sodium reduction efforts may sit alongside other improvements to the food environment, such as supporting compliance with FDA's final determination regarding partially hydrogenated oils and increasing fruits and vegetables.

What types of systems or institutional practices are implied by "embedded system changes"?

The announcement describes embedding sodium reduction through system changes such as food standards, purchasing specifications, recipes, menu offerings, and consumer-facing identification of healthier options.

What type of funding mechanism is DP16-1607?

It is a discretionary CDC cooperative agreement under HHS-CDC-NCCDPHP, with activity category listed as "Health."

What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The CFDA number provided in the opportunity description is 93.082.

How much funding is available per award?

The award ceiling is $500,000.

How many awards does CDC expect to make?

The opportunity indicates an expected 10 awards.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The opportunity was posted and created on January 11, 2016, and it had a closing date of March 15, 2016.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as broad and includes: state, county, and city/township governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); and for-profit organizations (including small businesses), subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full announcement.

Are for-profit organizations eligible under this announcement?

Yes. The opportunity states that for-profit organizations, including small businesses, are eligible, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full announcement.

Are tribal entities eligible under this announcement?

Yes. Eligibility includes federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations.

Are educational institutions eligible under this announcement?

Yes. Eligibility includes public and private institutions of higher education, and also includes independent school districts.

What is the underlying rationale for focusing on restaurants and packaged/processed foods?

The announcement states that more than 75 percent of sodium in the American diet comes from restaurant foods and packaged/processed foods, making these key sources to address through procurement, preparation, offerings, marketing, and reformulation efforts.