Funding Opportunities
Research • Fellowships • Education/Outreach • Conservation & Solutions
Research Projects
List of Restricted funding opportunities
EPA: Broad Agency Announcement for Conferences, Workshops, and/or Meetings. Deadline: December 9, 2008. Program temporarily suspended.
EPA: National Center for Environmental Economics. Research on the Design of Policies for Pollution Control Using Market Mechanisms, and Data Gathering for Dissertation and Early Career Research on the Pollution Control Aspects of Environmental Economics. This RFP addresses two aspects of environmental economics research: (1) Design of Policies for Pollution Control Using Market Mechanisms. (2) Data Gathering for Dissertation and Early Career Research on the Pollution Control Aspects of Environmental Economics. Deadline: December 5, 2008.
NSF: International Research and Education: Planning Visits and Workshops. This solicitation describes International Planning Visit/Workshop awards to support the early phases of developing and coordinating a research and education activity with a foreign partner(s). Rolling deadline: (February 20, May 20, September 20)
NSF:Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE). Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) seeks to catalyze a cultural change in U.S. institutions by establishing innovative models for international collaborative research and education. The program will enable U.S. institutions to establish collaborative relationships with international groups or institutions in order to engender new knowledge and discoveries at the frontier and to promote the development of a globally-engaged, U.S. scientific and engineering workforce. Next competition: 2009.
Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human Systems (CNH). The Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human Systems competition promotes quantitative, interdisciplinary analyses of relevant human and natural system processes and complex interactions among human and natural systems at diverse scales. Deadline November 18, 2008 and third Tuesday in November, annually thereafter.
Ecology of Infectious Diseases (EID). The Ecology of Infectious Diseases program solicitation supports the development of predictive models and the discovery of principles governing the transmission dynamics of infectious disease agents. To that end, research proposals should focus on understanding the ecological and socio-ecological determinants of transmission by vectors or abiotic agents, the population dynamics of reservoir species, the transmission to humans or other hosts, or the cultural, social, behavioral, and economic dimensions of disease communication. Deadline: December 10, 2008 - second Wednesday in December thereafter.
NOAA: A North Atlantic Regional Cooperative Institute. The NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the NOAA Office of Ocean and Atmospheric Research (OAR) invite applications for the establishment of a cooperative institute (CI) that will focus on the themes of (1) Ecosystem Forecasting, (2) Ecosystem Monitoring, (3) Ecosystem Management, Protection and Restoration of Resources, (4) Sustained Ocean Observations and (5) Climate Research. Deadline: January 5, 2009. Full RFP (pdf).
NSF: Ecological Biology. Deadline January 9/ July 9 and semi-annually thereafter.
NSF: Ecosystems Science. Deadline January 9/ July 9 and semi-annually thereafter.
NSF: Long-term Research in Environmental Biology. Deadline January 9/ july 9 and semi-annually thereafter.
NSF: Population and Evolutionary Processes. Deadline January 9 / July 9 and semi-annually thereafter.
NSF: Opportunities for Promoting Understanding through Synthesis (OPUS). Three clusters within the Division of Environmental Biology (the Ecological Biology, Ecosystem Science, and the Population and Evolutionary Processes clusters) encourage the submission of proposals aimed at synthesizing a body of related research projects conducted by a single individual or group of investigators over an extended period. OPUS proposals will often be appropriately submitted in mid-to-late career, but will also be appropriate early enough in a career to produce unique, integrated insight useful both to the scientific community and to the development of the investigator's future work. Deadline: January 9 / July 9 and semi-annually thereafter.
The Systematic Biology and Biodiversity Inventories Cluster supports research in taxonomy and systematics that contributes to: 1) using phylogenetic methods to understand the evolution of life in time and space, 2) discovery, description, and cataloguing global species diversity, and 3) organizing information from the above in efficiently retrievable forms that best meet the needs of science and society. January 9 / July 9 and semi-annually thereafter.
Geography and Regional Science.The Geography and Regional Science (GRS) Program sponsors research on the geographic distributions and interactions of human, physical, and biotic systems on the Earth's surface. Investigations are encouraged into the nature, causes, and consequences of human activity and natural environmental processes across a range of scales. Deadline: January 15 and annually thereafter.
Sociology. Deadlines: January 15, August 15 and semi annually thereafter. Dissertation research: February 15 and October 15 and annually thereafter.
Geomorphology and Land Use Dynamics.Geomorphology and Land-Use Dynamics supports innovative research into processes that shape and modify landscapes over a variety of length and time scales. The program encourages research that investigates quantitatively the coupling and feedback between such processes, their rates, and their relative roles, especially in the contexts of variation in climatic and tectonic forcings and in light of changes due to human impact. Deadline: January 16, 2009 and annually thereafter.
Sedimentary Geology and Paleobiology supports studies of: (1) the changing aspects of life, ecology, environments, and biogeography in past geologic time based on fossil plants, animals, and microbes; (2) all aspects of the Earth’s sedimentary carapace — insights into geological processes recorded in its historical records and rich organic and inorganic resources locked in rock sequences; (3) the science of dating and measuring the time sequence of events and rates of geological processes of the Earth’s past sedimentary and biological record; (4) the geologic record of the production, transportation, and deposition of physical and chemical sediments; and (5) understanding the complexities of Earth's deep time climate systems. The Sedimentary Geology and Paleobiology Program especially encourages integrative studies at the national and international levels that seek to link subdisciplines, such as paleoclimatology, paleogeography, and paleoenvironmental and paleoecologic reconstructions. Deadline January 16, 2009 and annually thereafter.
The Decision, Risk and Management Sciences program supports scientific research directed at increasing the understanding and effectiveness of decision making by individuals, groups, organizations, and society. Disciplinary and interdisciplinary research, doctoral dissertation research, and workshops are funded in the areas of judgment and decision making; decision analysis and decision aids; risk analysis, perception, and communication; societal and public policy decision making; management science and organizational design. The program also supports small grants for exploratory research of a time-critical or high-risk, potentially transformative nature (see Small Grants for Exploratory Research.) January 18/August 18 and semi-annually thereafter.
The Economics program supports research designed to improve the understanding of the processes and institutions of the U.S. economy and of the world system of which it is a part. This program also strengthens both empirical and theoretical economic analysis as well as the methods for rigorous research on economic behavior. It supports research in almost every area of economics, including econometrics, economic history, environmental economics, finance, industrial organization, international economics, labor economics, macroeconomics, mathematical economics, and public finance. Deadline: January 18/August 18 and semi-annually thereafter.
Plant Genome Research Program (PGRP). The overall goals of this program are to support basic research in plant genomics and to accelerate the acquisition and utilization of new knowledge and innovative approaches to elucidating fundamental biological processes in plants. Four kinds of activity will be supported in FY 2009: (1) Genome-Enabled Plant Research (GEPR) awards to tackle major unanswered questions in plant biology on a genome-wide scale; (2) Transferring Research from Model Systems (TRMS) to apply basic biological findings made using model systems to studying the basic biology of plants of economic importance; (3) Tools and Resources for Plant Genome Research (TRPGR) awards to support development of novel technologies and analysis tools to enable discovery in plant genomics; and (4) Heterosis Challenge Grants (HCG) to support testing of hypotheses for the mechanism(s) of heterosis in plants. Deadline: January 20, 2009
NSF: Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI). The Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) serves to increase access to shared scientific and engineering instruments for research and research training in our Nation's institutions of higher education, museums and science centers, and non-profit organizations. Deadline January 22, 2009 and annually thereafter.
Biological Oceanography. Deadline February 15 / August 15 and semi-annually thereafter.
Infrastructure Management and Extreme Events (IMEE). The IMEE program focuses on the impact of large-scale hazards on civil infrastructure and society and on related issues of preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery. The program supports research to integrate multiple issues from engineering, social, behavioral, political, and economic sciences. It supports fundamental research on the interdependence of civil infrastructure and society, development of sustainable infrastructures, and civil infrastructure vulnerability and risk reduction. Deadline: Februaury 15 / October 1 and semi-annually thereafter.
Marine Geology and Geophysics. Deadline February 15 / August 15 and semi-annually thereafter.
Physical Oceanography. Deadline: February 15 / August 15 and annually thereafter.
NSF: Research Coordination Networks in Biological Sciences (RCN). The goal of this program is to encourage and foster interactions among scientists to create new research directions or advance a field. Innovative ideas for implementing novel networking strategies are especially encouraged. Groups of investigators will be supported to communicate and coordinate their research, training and educational activities across disciplinary, organizational, institutional, and geographical boundaries. The proposed networking activities should have a theme as a focus of its collaboration. The focus could be on a broad research question, a specific group of organisms, or particular technologies or approaches. Deadline June 29, 2009
NSF: Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program. CAREER: The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations. Deadline July 21, 22, 23, 2009
NSF: International Research Fellowship Program (IRFP). The objective of the International Research Fellowship Program (IRFP) is to introduce scientists and engineers in the early stages of their careers to international collaborative research opportunities, thereby furthering their research capacity and global perspective and forging long-term relationships with scientists, technologists and engineers abroad. These awards are available in any field of science and engineering research and education supported by NSF. Deadline: September 8, 2009.
Paleo Perspectives on Climate Change (P2C2). The goal of research funded under the interdisciplinary P2C2 solicitation is to utilize key geological, chemical, and biological records of climate system variability to provide insights into the mechanisms and rate of change that characterized Earth's past climate variability, the sensitivity of Earth's climate system to changes in forcing, and the response of key components of the Earth system to these changes. Important scientific objectives of P2C2 are to: 1) provide comprehensive paleoclimate data sets that can serve as model test data sets analogous to instrumental observations; and 2) enable transformative syntheses of paleoclimate data and modeling outcomes to understand the response of the longer-term and higher magnitude variability of the climate system that is observed in the geological record. Deadline October 15, 2009.
DOE: Single-Investigator and Small-Group Research in Basic Energy Sciences. Focus areas include Grand Science challenges ( including ultrafast science, chemical imaging, complex systems or emergent behavior) and use-inspired discovery science (including solar energy utilization, hydrogen fuel initiative, advanced nuclear energy systems, electrical energy storage, geological sequestration of carbon dioxide, catalysis for energy, clean and efficient combustion, materials under extreme environments, solid statelighting, superconductivity). Preapplications are currently under consideration (as of November, 2008). Future preapplications will be held for a second round of consideration (pending appropriations) later in fiscal year 2009 or in 2010.
Fellowships - Postdoctoral, Graduate and Undergraduate
NSF: Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants in the Directorate for Biological Sciences (DDIG). The National Science Foundation awards Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants in selected areas of the biological sciences. These grants provide partial support of doctoral dissertation research to improve the overall quality of research. Allowed are costs for doctoral candidates to participate in scientific meetings, to conduct research in specialized facilities or field settings, and to expand an existing body of dissertation research. Deadline: November 28, 2008 and third Friday in November thereafter.
Developing Global Scientists and Engineers (International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) and Doctoral Dissertation Enhancement Projects (DDEP)). The United States needs to educate a globally-engaged science and engineering workforce capable of performing in an international research environment in order to remain at the forefront of world science and technology. To support this aim, the Developing Global Scientists and Engineers program provides highest quality international research experiences for U.S. students. Deadline Februaury 15 / September 15 and semi-annually thereafter.
NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowships in Population Dynamics. The Graduate Fellowship Program generally awards two new PhD fellowships each year to students who are interested in careers related to the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing the economics of the conservation and management of living marine resources. Fellows will work on thesis problems of public interest and relevance to NMFS under the guidance of NMFS mentors at participating NMFS Science Centers or Laboratories. The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowships in Population Dynamics meets NOAA's Mission goal of ``Protect, Restore and Manage the Use of Coastal and Ocean Resources Through Ecosystem-Based Management. Deadline: February 20, 2009.
NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowships in Marine Resource Economics. The Graduate Fellowship Program generally awards two new PhD fellowships each year to students who are interested in careers related to the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing the economics of the conservation and management of living marine resources. Fellows will work on thesis problems of public interest and relevance to NMFS under the guidance of NMFS mentors at participating NMFS Science Centers or Laboratories. The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowships in Marine Resource Economics meets NOAA's Mission goal of ``Protect, Restore and Manage the Use of Coastal and Ocean Resources Through Ecosystem-Based Management. Deadline: February 20, 2009.
Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship (Knauss Fellowship Program). This notice announces that applications may be submitted for the Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship (Knauss Fellowship). The Knauss Fellowship is a program initiated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Sea Grant Office (NSGO), in fulfilling its broad educational responsibilities and legislative mandate of the Sea Grant Act, to provide educational experience in the policies and processes of the Legislative and Executive Branches of the Federal Government to graduate students in marine and aquatic-related fields. The Knauss Fellowship meets NOAA's Mission goal of Protect, Restore and Manage the Use of Coastal and Ocean Resources Through Ecosystem-Based Management. Deadline: April 3, 2009.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Student Opportunities website is designed to provide information about educational opportunities that are available throughout NOAA. Information on scholarships, internships and fellowships including a brief description of each program; application deadline; award amount; dates of opportunity; contact name, telephone number, and e-mail address; and website for the various opportunities are found on this site.
2009 Academic Year EPA Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships for Undergraduate Environmental Study. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) program, is offering Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) undergraduate fellowships for bachelor level students in environmental fields of study. The deadline for receipt of pre-applications is December 11, 2008 at 4:00 PM Eastern Time. Subject to availability of funding, the Agency plans to award approximately 20 new fellowships by July 31, 2009. Eligible students will receive support for their junior and senior years of undergraduate study and for an internship at an EPA facility during the summer between their junior and senior years. The fellowship provides up to $19,250 per year of academic support and up to $8,000 of internship support for a three-month summer period.
The Sounds Conservancy Grants Program is dedicated to supporting the conservation and restoration of the sounds of Long Island, Fishers Island, Block Island, Rhode Island, Martha¹s Vineyard, and Nantucket and their adjacent coastlines in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island.
What they fund: Project support for undergraduate and graduate students up to $2500.
Deadline: March 15
Goldman Global Leaders Program nominations are being accepted NOW!
GSGLP conducts an annual international competition rewarding the academic excellence & leadership potential of 150 second-year students by awarding each Leader with $3,000. Recipients will be invited to New York during Spring '09 to receive their award. Students MUST be nominated by a Brown faculty/staff member AND must meet eligibility requirements. Please email beverly_ehrich@brown.edu, for nomination forms or more information. Deadline December 12, 2008.
Education/Outreach
EPA Environmental Education Grants -- Solicitation Notice for 2009
This document solicits grant proposals to support environmental education projects that promote
environmental stewardship and help develop knowledgeable and responsible students, teachers,
and citizens. This grant program provides financial support for innovative projects that design,
demonstrate, or disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques as
described in this notice. Deadline December 18.
NSF: Informal Science Education. The ISE program invests in projects that develop and implement informal learning experiences designed to increase interest, engagement, and understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by individuals of all ages and backgrounds, as well as projects that advance knowledge and practice of informal science education. Projects may target either public audiences or professionals whose work directly affects informal STEM learning. ISE projects are expected to demonstrate strategic impact, innovation, and collaboration. Deadline: December 18, 2008.
Communicating Research to Public Audiences. Communicating Research to Public Audiences is a component of the Informal Science Education program (ISE) in the Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education. ISE projects provide rich and stimulating contexts and experiences for individuals of all ages, interests, and backgrounds to increase their appreciation for, and understanding of, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in out-of-school settings. Proposals may be submitted at anytime, but at least six months prior to anticipated start date. PI must have an NSF grant.
The goal of the Undergraduate Research and Mentoring in the Biological Sciences (URM) program is to increase the number and diversity of individuals pursuing graduate studies in all areas of biological research supported by the NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences. Support will be provided to academic institutions to establish innovative programs to engage undergraduates in a year-round research and mentoring activity. Particular emphasis will be placed on broadening participation of members of groups historically underrepresented in science and engineering: African Americans, Alaska Natives, American Indians, Hispanic Americans, Native Pacific Islanders, and persons with disabilities. Dedaline: March 3 / September 15 and semi-annually thereafter.
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU). The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU program. This solicitation features two mechanisms for support of student research: (1) REU Sites are based on independent proposals to initiate and conduct projects that engage a number of students in research.
Jessie B. Cox Charitable Trust
The Trust funds projects in New England in the areas of health, education and the environment. To protect and enhance the natural and urban environment, and to conserve New England's natural resources. The average annual grant is about $35,000, with grants generally in the range of $25,000 to $75,000. Although the Trustees and Grants Committee occasionally award grants outside this range, the Trust ordinarily does not consider grant requests for less than $20,000.
The Trust is interested in supporting environmental projects which will have a positive impact on:
- protection of critical natural resources;
- energy conservation;
- public awareness of the critical environmental issues facing the region; and
- protection of the public's health, especially in low- income or minority communities.
Concept papers may be submitted at any time, but must be received by January 15, April 15, July 15 or October 15 by 6:00 p.m. to be considered at the next regular meeting of the Trustees and Grants Committee.
Conservation & Solutions
NOAA: International Coral. The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program, as authorized under the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, provides matching grants of financial assistance for international coral reef conservation projects. The Program solicits proposals under four funding categories: (1) Promote Watershed Management in the Wider Caribbean, Brazil, and Bermuda; (2) Support Planning for Effective Marine Protected Area Management; (3) Encourage the Development of National Networks of Marine Protected Areas in the Wider Caribbean, Bermuda, Brazil, Southeast Asia, and the South Pacific; and (4) Promote Regional Socio-Economic Training and Monitoring in Coral Reef Management in the Wider Caribbean, Brazil, Bermuda, the Western Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the South Pacific, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Each funding category has specific applicant and project eligibility criteria. Deadline February 13, 2009.
NASA EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE FELLOWSHIP (NESSF) PROGRAM
2009/2010 ACADEMIC YEAR. The Earth Science Research Program, managed by the Earth Science Division, fulfills NASA's mission to advance U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests through a robust space exploration program and, in particular, strategic goal 3A, to study Earth from space to advance scientific understanding and meet societal needs. This strategic goal is motivated by the fundamental question: “How is the Earth system changing, and what are the consequences for life on Earth?” Within this goal, the Earth Science Division has two primary strategic objectives: (1) Earth System Science – understand how the Earth is changing to better predict change and understand the consequences of change for life on Earth; and (2) Earth Science Applications – expand and accelerate the realization of economic and societal benefits from Earth science, information, and technology. Proposals are submitted by a faculty member on behalf of a specific graduate student. this year's solicitation includes specific guidelines about area that are encouraged and discouraged (see page 3). Deadline is February 2.
The Surdna Foundation’s Environment Program is national in scope and supports a healthy natural environment, the foundation upon which human communities flourish.
Three focus areas:
- Programs to stabilize climate change at the local, state and national level.
- Improve transportation systems and patterns of land use across metropolitan areas, working landscapes, and intact ecosystems.
- Safeguard the biological diversity and productivity of U.S. domestic oceans.
Applications are accepted at any time, however, grants are approved three times a year: in February, May and September. The sponsor asks that requests must be submitted three to four months ahead of time for staff review.
Nathan Cummings Foundation
The Environment program’s accountability approach seeks to address the root causes of environmental degradation. Often specific corporate and other institutional interests, rather than environmental needs, prevail in environmental policies. Without sufficient countervailing forces, the increase in such influences on decision-makers and public policy can lead to the undermining of the environment. Funding priority will be given to projects with the potential of having state, multi-state, or national impacts.
In recent years, many successful grantees have focused on corporate responsibility, corporate transparency, green investing, urban empowerment, and public awareness.
Letters of Inquiry (2-3 pages) are accepted at all times of the year - there are no deadlines.
For those invited to submit a full proposal, deadlines are August and January 15.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of the P3 Award Program, is seeking applications proposing to research, develop, and design solutions to real world challenges involving the overall sustainability of human society. The P3 competition highlights the use of scientific principles in creating innovative projects focused on sustainability. The P3 Awards program was developed to foster progress toward sustainability by achieving the mutual goals of economic prosperity, protection of the planet, and improved quality of life for its people-- people, prosperity, and the planet – the three pillars of sustainability. The EPA offers the P3 competition in order to respond to the technical needs of the world while moving towards the goal of sustainability. Please see the P3 website (http://www.epa.gov/P3) for more details about this program.
The New England Grassroots Environment Fund (NEGEF) is designed to foster and give voice to grassroots environmental initiatives in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The Fund provides grants to fuel civic 
engagement, local activism, and social change. NEGEF’s Small Grants Program provides grants up to $2,500 to fund community involvement in projects that address a wide range of environmental issues including: agriculture, air quality, alternative energy, aquifer protection, biotechnology, community gardens, environmental justice, energy conservation, forestry, global warming, land trusts, marine environment, public health, sprawl, sustainable communities, toxics and hazardous waste, trails, water quality, watershed management, wetlands, wildlife, and youth-organized environmental work. http://www.grassrootsfund.org/