Why donate to the Center for Science in the Public Interest?

CSPI is the leading independent, consumer-advocacy nonprofit focused on improving nutrition, food safety, and health in the US. Since 1971, CSPI has achieved many victories, including mandating the Nutrition Facts label and banning artificial trans fat. Today, we need your support to continue leading the fight for evidence-backed health policies as politicians and special interests undermine science and push healthy food further out of reach for families.  

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What does CSPI do to improve nutrition?

Consumers and policymakers alike see CSPI as a trusted leader in nutrition—and we work to make healthy eating more accessible for all.  

CSPI advocates for science-backed Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), which are updated every five years. In 2026, CSPI called out the USDA and HHS for ignoring the guidance of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee in the creation of the new DGA. Unfortunately, the new DGA are confusing and contradictory, recommending simultaneously to reduce saturated fat intake while encouraging consumption of full-fat dairy, red meat, and beef tallow. We released our own uncompromised edition of the DGA that follow the best available nutrition research.

CSPI also works to make healthy choices easier for consumers. After successfully mandating the Nutrition Facts label featured on food products today, CSPI is fighting for front-of-package food labeling that would provide shoppers with at-a-glance warnings for products high in sodium, added sugars, and saturated fat. We aim to stop junk food marketing for kids, because no company should be able to exploit children’s health to make a profit. On top of that, we are advocating for sodium and sugar warnings to restaurant menus to make healthy eating easier outside of the house.  

Affordability is one of the largest hurdles to healthy eating, and food access is a key part of our work. We strongly support full funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). We fought against the largest cuts to SNAP in the program’s history in 2025—and we’re now working to restore funding to this vital lifeline for the 41 million Americans who use it. Additionally, we work on passing Healthy School Meals for All legislation in states across the country to ensure that all kids, regardless of their family income, can count on a healthy meal at school.  

CSPI envisions thriving communities supported by equitable, sustainable, and science-based solutions advancing nutrition, food safety, and health.

What does CSPI do to improve food safety?

CSPI is working toward a future where all people can trust that their food is safe to eat.  

Unfortunately, there are many food chemicals used in our food that could harm our health. CSPI is advocating to close the “GRAS” loophole that allows companies to decide, behind closed doors, that a food chemical is "generally regarded as safe” to use without telling the FDA. We also advocate for policies that ban or restrict the most dangerous additives and food chemicals, and even successfully got food dye Red 3 banned in 2025 after decades of advocacy. For everyday consumers, we created the Chemical Cuisine resource, a database of common food additives, to help you figure out which additives are safe and which to avoid.  

On top of that, we also work to prevent, track, and stop outbreaks of foodborne illness. For example, when a botulism outbreak linked to infant formula began in November 2025, CSPI called out one of the companies responsible for trying to hide the outbreak—and we called on the FDA to implement better policies to prevent this issue.   

Our food safety work aims to keep our food supply free of dangerous pathogens, fight antibiotic resistance in the food chain, control and label allergens, and curb the use of synthetic dyes and poorly tested additives.

What does CSPI do to counter misinformation and promote science?

We believe in science—it's literally in our name. In a time of widespread misinformation, you can trust CSPI to defend and promote evidence-based health information. 

CSPI’s Nutrition Action magazine and our free online articles provide nutrition tips and information about the latest nutrition research. We also send two helpful email newsletters: Science Over Spin, which discusses trending health topics, and the Straight Shot, which tracks harmful changes to vaccine policy. Our content is written by experts and vetted thoroughly through a rigorous fact-checking process. Plus, CSPI takes no gifts from industry or governments, meaning we can tell it like it is.  

CSPI also works to defend public health when science comes under attack. For instance, when the Trump administration’s NIH canceled more than 1,700 medical research grants in 2025, CSPI filed a lawsuit alongside ACLU, Protect Democracy, and Emery Celli Law Firm, that successfully reinstated many of the grants. We also call out politicians that spread misinformation or ignore the best available medical research—and we opposed the nomination of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., due to his history of promoting unfounded theories about vaccines and other health issues.  

Is CSPI a 501(c)(3) nonprofit? What are CSPI's credentials?

CSPI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which means all donations are tax-deductible. We take no donations from corporations or government, so we are not beholden to anyone except the public.  

We have been one of the leading voices for nutrition for over 55 years—and our work is often featured in The New York Times, STAT News, TIME Magazine, and more publications.  

If you are looking for more information about our charity credentials, you may visit Charity Navigator, BBB or Candid. 

What is the best way to give?

Donors play a valuable role in CSPI’s success. The best way to donate is directly online—click here to give. 

• We also welcome gifts by direct mail, Donor-Advised Funds (DAF), IRAs and qualified charitable contributions, stocks and mutual funds, bequests, and more.  
• If you want to extend your impact to CSPI’s mission, consider making a monthly contribution. 
• Donors who contribute more than $1,000 per year will join the CSPI Partners for Nutrition Action program, which entitles you to a one-year subscription of our flagship magazine and exclusive CSPI staff briefings. 
• Follow this link if you would like to learn more about different ways to give, or if you are interested in contacting our development team. 

How will my donation to CSPI be used?

Your donation will allow CSPI’s team of expert scientists, advocates, policy analysts, and science communicators to campaign on behalf of consumers for evidence-backed public health policies in statehouses, on Capitol Hill, and in courtrooms. Donations also help CSPI run targeted campaigns to hold bad actors to account, whether that’s powerful food and beverage corporations or elected officials who are putting their own interests over public health. Our opponents are well-funded, with special interests often spending millions to defeat us—but together, we can make progress toward a healthier tomorrow.