Overview

The Human Nutrition Advisory Committee of the National Pork Board (NPB) is soliciting letters of intent for research that advances understanding of the role of pork and pork-related nutrients in human health. The RFP uses an initial Letter of Intent (LOI) for screening; selected investigators will be invited to submit a full proposal. 

Research vision: Generate pork-specific, publishable evidence that establishes pork as a nutrient-dense, whole-food protein solution supporting health across the lifespan. 

What Problem Does this RFP Address?

NPB needs a stronger foundation of high-quality, pork-specific evidence that distinguishes fresh pork from broad or processed-meat categories and clarifies its nutritional composition, bioavailability, role in diverse dietary patterns, and relationship to health outcomes across the lifespan. The RFP also seeks methods and evidence that can translate into credible scientific communications and claims. 

Proposals should produce fundamental knowledge with practical relevance to human health, the pork industry, and the strategic research priorities below. 

Research Priorities

1. Pork Nutrient Profile and Health Outcomes 

Establish the scientific foundation for pork as a nutrient-dense protein, with 10+ key nutrients, through comprehensive review and original research. 

  • Comprehensive scientific reviews of nutritional composition, bioavailability, and health outcomes across the lifespan. 
  • Nutrient contributions with B vitamins, selenium, zinc, phosphorus, and protein quality for common pork cuts. 
  • Dietary pattern modeling, including NHANES-based analyses of diet quality and nutrient adequacy. 
  • Recipe-level nutrient analyses in common meal patterns and cultural dishes. 

2. Cultural and Community Nutrition Research 

Develop culturally informed evidence on pork’s role in diverse dietary patterns. 

  • Narrative or systematic reviews with socioeconomic and demographic considerations of pork’s role in inclusive dietary patterns 
  • Analyses of pork consumption patterns in Hispanic/Latino, African American, Asian American, and other communities. 
  • Health outcomes research in culturally relevant dietary patterns. 

3. Bioavailability and Food Synergy Studies 

Conduct original research on nutrient bioavailability and synergistic effects of pork in meal combinations. 

  • Effects of common cooking methods on iron, zinc, creatine, nutrient retention, and protein quality. 
  • Pork paired with vegetables, legumes, or whole grains to examine nutrient absorption, complementary amino acid profiles, satiety, and glycemic response. 
  • Clinical pilot studies measuring glucose response, satiety hormones, or nutrient status. 

4. Epidemiological Methods Advancement 

Improve methods so fresh pork can be distinguished from processed pork, among other red meat categories, in nutrition research. 

  • Cohort inventories and analyses that the red meat categorization including separate pork, fresh pork, and processed pork measures. 
  • Food Frequency Questionnaire modernization and improved meat-category resolution. 
  • Methods research and publications on disaggregating meat categories in epidemiology. 

All submissions must address at least one priority. Novel, multidisciplinary approaches are encouraged. 

Criteria for Approval

Submissions will be evaluated on: 

  • Scientific soundness, methodological rigor, feasibility, and an adequate sample size supported by a power analysis where applicable. 
  • Clear alignment with at least one NPB nutrition research priority  
  • Potential to produce actionable knowledge and meaningful benefit for U.S. pork producers and the U.S. pork industry. 
  • Qualifications of the research team and, where useful, multidisciplinary academic or commercial collaboration. 
  • A justified budget and timeline commensurate with the proposed work. 
  • Adherence to NPB research integrity guidelines and all applicable human-subject, animal-care, data-management, and institutional requirements. 

For dietary intervention research, investigators should also address the four best-practice considerations described by Leidy et al. (2024): 

  • Participant demographic, social, and environmental characteristics. 
  • A research team with diverse skill sets. 
  • Sufficient methodological detail to allow replication. 
  • Recipes that can be converted to standard measures and applied in practice. 

Research integrity guidelines: porkcheckoff.org/research-integrity-guidelines 

Reference 

Leidy HJ, Gooding R, Hicks-Roof K. Perspective: Key Considerations When Developing and Publishing Dietary Interventions for Human Clinical Trials. Journal of Nutrition. 2024; article S0022-3166(24)00475-9. 

Build on Existing Research

The 2026 Human Nutrition Research Compendium highlights more than 60 NPB-supported studies spanning 22 years. Applicants are encouraged to review prior findings to identify evidence gaps and propose research that builds on existing knowledge.

Due Dates

LOI deadline: Friday, January 15, 2027, at 5 p.m. CT 

LOI advancement notification: Friday, February 12, 2027 (approval/declination) 

Full proposal deadline: Wednesday, March 10, 2027, at 5 p.m. CT 

Funding notification: Wednesday, April 14, 2027 (approval/declination) 

Evaluation

Letters of intent and, by invitation, full proposals will be reviewed by NPB nutrition experts and Human Nutrition Advisory Committee members, with external subject-matter experts engaged as appropriate. Reviewers will assess scientific soundness, strategic alignment, feasibility, potential impact, research integrity, and budget justification. 

NPB will hold applicant information in confidence while the submission is under consideration and will share it only with appropriate NPB staff and affiliated reviewers. 

Funding Amount

There is $650,000 in total funding available for the 2027 Human Nutrition RFP. Budget requests should be appropriate and fully justified for the proposed work. Applicants should not treat the maximum available amount as a target. 

  • Intervention studies: $60,000-$350,000. 
  • Observational studies: $20,000-$120,000. 
  • Non-human studies: up to $150,000. 
  • Roundtable/Working Groups: up to $150,000. 
  • Reviews: up to $75,000. 
  • Seed grants, pilot funding, or early-career projects: up to $30,000. 

Early-career and established investigators are encouraged to apply. Projects may be new work, seed funding, or an extension of prior research. Co-funding, matching funds, and in-kind contributions are encouraged when possible. 

Indirect costs and overhead are not allowed. Salary and fringe benefit support may be requested when justified. Non-disposable equipment is not allowed unless it is explained in the proposal, included in the budget, and approved in advance by NPB. 

PIs submitting for funding will be required to complete the Train the Trainer Program with the National Pork Board prior to the grant process to ensure adequate knowledge and familiarity around pork and nutrition. 

Eligibility Requirements

Anyone may submit a proposal. NPB prefers that the principal investigator hold a PhD, MD, or equivalent degree and serve as research staff or faculty at a nonprofit academic or research institution. 

International applicants may apply, provided the project objectives benefit U.S. pork producers and the U.S. pork industry. 

Proposal Format

Letter of Intent 

Submit a Word document (not PDF), three pages maximum: one completed cover page plus a two-page LOI. CVs are optional and do not count toward the page limit. 

  • File name: LAST NAME, FIRST INITIAL – 2027 Human Nutrition LOI. 
  • 12-point Times New Roman font; double-spaced; 0.5-inch margins on all sides. 
  • Include project title, investigator name, priority alignment, background/purpose, hypothesis or specific aims, experimental approach, estimated budget and timeline, expected outcomes and importance to the pork industry, and references if applicable. 
  • Collaborator details and CVs are optional. 

Full Proposal 

Only invited investigators may submit a full proposal. Follow the National Pork Board standard research proposal format and requirements and all instructions provided with the advancement notice. 

How to Submit

Submit through the NPB Research Portal: 

Login to the NPB Research Portal 

  • Create an account if needed, complete email registration, and set a password. 
  • After login, choose Submit Proposal and select Human Nutrition RFP – 2027. 
  • Choose Letter of Intent, complete the required portal fields, upload the LOI document, and submit. 

The portal will confirm receipt by automatic email. 

Questions?

Kristen Hicks-Roof, PhD, RDN, LDN, FAND, FNAP 

Senior Director of Human Nutrition | National Pork Board 

Program questions: [email protected] 

Submission and grants inquiries: [email protected] 

Recipe and nutrient-analysis resources: [email protected]