California Walnut Commission

More than 99% of the walnuts in the U.S. are grown in California’s Central Valley. The California Walnut Commission (CWC), established in 1987, is funded by mandatory assessments of these California growers and complements the Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s efforts to support walnut consumption globally, including global health research initiatives.

For nearly four decades, CWC has been dedicated to supporting innovative research to better understand the potential health effects of walnut consumption and the role of walnuts in healthy lifestyles. As part of this long-standing commitment, the CWC seeks proposals to support human clinical trials and observational studies on priority topics. Importantly, CWC encourages researchers from academic centers around the globe to consider participating in this Request for Proposals (RFP).

Priority Topics

The priority topics for this year’s RFP address the role of walnuts in nourishing wellbeing and seek to understand the impact of walnut consumption on:

• Skin health;
• Healthy aging;
• Sleep quality, including impact on cognitive health and/or physical performance;
• Mental wellness (e.g., mental wellbeing, cognitive health, and mental acuity); and
• Maternal health during pregnancy.

In addition to addressing one or more of the priority topics, meritorious applications will address the following in their proposals:

• Specific life stages – adolescents ages 12-19, young adults ages 20-35, or women of childbearing age;
• Dietary behaviors and diet quality;
• Sociodemographic data (i.e., race, gender, age, socioeconomic status, cultural background); and
• How dietary walnut intake would be validated using biomarkers or other assessments.

Importantly, CWC supports and communicates nutrition research in global markets, and is particularly interested in supporting studies among populations in the U.S., Canada, Japan, Korea, Germany, the United Kingdom/Nordics, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, India, and the Middle East.

Technical Assistance

Informational Webinar

For more detailed information about the 2026 RFP, you can watch our informational webinar from January 7, 2026. The recording and accompanying slide handout are available by registering online.

Frequently Asked Questions

We have compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions that have come up for the 2026 RFP. These can be downloaded here.  

Any additional questions not answered from the RFP FAQ please direct questions to Rachel Blaine, PhD, RDN, at rblaine@walnuts.org

Timeline

• February 2, 2026: Letters of Intent (LOI) due to Proposal Central
• March 5, 2026: CWC notifies all researchers of next steps
• April 13, 2026: Full proposals due
• April-July 2026: Proposals reviewed by members of CWC Scientific Advisory Board and expert peer reviewers
• September 2026: Researchers notified of funding decisions

Submission Details

• Please submit LOIs through Proposal Central
• LOIs should include:
  • Specific Aims (1000 characters, including spaces)
  • Background and Significance (2000 characters, including spaces)
  • Project Description and Methodology (2500 characters, including spaces)
  • Expected Outcomes and Limitations & Public Health Impact (1500 characters, including spaces)
  • Budget Summary and Timeline (800 characters, including spaces)
  • Related Experience (800 characters, including spaces)
  • Attachments:
    • Required: References (4-page limit)
    • Optional: Study Figure (1-page limit)
• The proposed study must address the effects of whole walnuts or walnut butter consumption on the above-stated priority topics.
• CWC is aiming to fund 2-4 studies as part of this RFP, with an approximate limit of $100-150,000 per observational study and an approximate limit of $400-500,000 per clinical trial.
• Indirect costs of up to 10% of total direct costs will be permitted and should be included in the total proposed budget.
• Proposals will be considered for single-year and multi-year projects.

Please direct questions regarding the RFP to Rachel Blaine, PhD, RDN, at rblaine@walnuts.org.

For technical questions related to Proposal Central, please contact Chesney Richter, PhD, at chesney@nutritionindemand.com.

Learn more about CWC’s Global Health Research Program and Research Integrity Guidelines here.