Yogurt company Siggi’s announced the launch of Siggi’s Starters, a grant program aimed at supporting nutrition professionals seeking to develop innovative programs to bolster community nutrition and wellness.

A recent survey Siggi’s conducted found that lack of funding is the No. 1 reason that prevents nutrition professionals from starting their own venture. More than half of the registered dietitians polled said they have considered starting their own business, Siggi’s said, revealing a key gap in supporting nutrition professionals seeking to make an impact in their communities.

Siggi’s said it will award $20,000 grants to three recipients to help a community nutrition idea get off the ground or support an existing community nutrition program. The company will also provide ongoing entrepreneurial mentorship that connects grant recipients to helpful resources and expertise as they execute their initiatives.

The Siggi’s Starters grant program is based on the principle that a simple yet innovative idea can flourish and create positive change when paired with the right mentorship and support — similar to the founding principles that led Siggi’s founder Siggi Hilmarsson to create his signature skyr in 2005. Siggi’s Starters was inspired by the success of the Siggi Supports Entrepreneurs contest, which has supported entrepreneurial registered dietitians over the past few years, the company said. Past winners from the Siggi Supports Entrepreneurs program include:

• A program that provides virtual nutrition education to students in the Cleveland Public School District.
• A farm-to-table culinary nutrition class that connects New Mexico residents to local, healthy nourishing foods with the help of local farmers.
• An effort to educate active military families and children about healthy lifestyles, including nutrition.

“It’s so important to me to be able to give back to and support the nutrition community,” said Siggi Hilmarsson, founder and chairman of New York-based Siggi’s. “We have loved having a meaningful partnership with registered dietitians since the inception of Siggi’s. This relationship has continued to grow as we have, and the Siggi’s starters program reflects that. I’m truly excited to meet this class of nutrition innovators who are out there eager to improve the health of their communities.”

Siggi’s starters winners will be announced in September 2020. For more information, visit www.siggis.com/starters.