Search Through Geology Grants in the U.S.

Mission

Maintain and grow a permanent non-profit foundation supporting educational and scientific activities in the field of geology.

Pursuing Our Mission

We receive dozens of requests for funding each year. Our Board of Trustees prioritizes each one, supporting those that best match our mission.

Our Funding Priorities

Education

Supporting educational opportunities and spreading knowledge around the globe, including continuing education, K-12 students, teachers, academics, university-level students and the general public.

Public Outreach

Educating the public on key aspects of geoscience and petroleum geology through opportunities such as the sponsorship, training and support of teachers in their efforts to bring more geology-related topics to classrooms.

University Student Support

Encouraging the study of geosciences at both the undergraduate and graduate level.

Educator Recognition

Recognizing and rewarding outstanding efforts in teaching earth sciences at the K-12 and university levels.

Knowledge Preservation

Providing access to archived geoscience digital library collections to educators, students, professionals and the general public.

Dissemination of Information

Communicating swiftly changing technological advances to the geological community through journals and special publications.

Emerging Opportunities

Funding future-oriented projects that help society through a better understanding of geology—especially petroleum geology. Includes programs that expose the public to world-renowned geoscientists and training teachers in earth sciences.

Research Projects

Supporting research projects within the geosciences. For information, contact a Foundation Representative or email us.

Mission

The Brinson Foundation is a privately funded philanthropic organization that provides an opportunity to focus our family’s common interests in encouraging personal initiative, advancing individual freedoms & liberties and positively contributing to society in the areas of education and scientific research.

Vision

We envision a society that cares for all of its members and endeavors to enhance individual self-worth and dignity. We also envision a world where every individual is a valued and productive member of society, where all people are committed to improving their lives and the quality of their environments.

Priority Areas

Education

We believe education provides people with the opportunity to expand their talents and capabilities. Through our grantmaking, we hope to inspire them to reach their full potential both as individuals and as contributing citizens of a greater community. We are especially interested in programs that make quality education accessible to those who are personally committed.

Education grants are made in the following focus areas:

• Health Care Career Development – programs that spark interest among high school and college students in health care-related career paths or provide professional development and accreditation supports for existing health care professionals.
• High School, College and Career Success – programs that provide motivated students and young adults of limited means with the academic support, personal skills, and financial resources needed to reach their full potential in school and careers.
• Liberty, Citizenship, and Free Enterprise – programs that educate and promote the principles of liberty, citizenship, and free enterprise to elementary through graduate school students and adults.
• Literacy – programs that develop the literacy skills of children, birth through elementary school age, improve the pedagogy of teachers, and ensure support for this learning among parents so that young children become functionally literate and are prepared for success in their future education and in life.
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) – programs that provide STEM education for youth and adults, promote careers in STEM, support professional development for STEM educators, and communicate STEM content to the general public.
• Student Health – programs that foster the health of preschool through high school students to help them stay enrolled and be productive in school.

Scientific Research

We support basic, cutting edge research in specific areas of interest that are underfunded or at a stage in which they are unlikely to receive government funding. These grants are typically made to top research institutions, which provide quality assurance oversight and accountability that may not be possible in a less structured environment. Support is often specific to graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, staff scientists, or faculty who are at the early stages of their careers.

Scientific Research grants are made in the following focus areas:

• Astrophysics/Cosmology – the study of the behavior, physical properties, and dynamic processes of celestial objects and related phenomena; and the study of the origin and evolution of the Universe and its largest structures.
• Evolutionary Developmental Biology – a field of biology which synthesizes embryology, molecular and population genetics, comparative morphology, paleontology, and molecular evolution to understand the evolution of biodiversity at a mechanistic level.
• Geosciences – the study of the physical processes and phenomena that form and shape Earth and other planets, including fields such as geology, seismology, and volcanology.
• Medical Research – promising studies conducted by early career scientists that have the potential to develop innovative clinical interventions for chronic conditions, as well as for highly treatable conditions which negatively impact the productivity of large segments of the population. In all cases, we focus our medical research funding in areas that improve the quality of life as distinct from solely extending life.

About DCNR

Established on July 1, 1995, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is charged with:

• Maintaining and protecting 121 state parks
• Managing 2.2 million acres of state forest land
• Providing information on the state's ecological and geologic resources
• Establishing community conservation partnerships with grants and technical assistance to benefit rivers, trails, greenways, local parks and recreation, regional heritage parks, open space, and natural areas.

DCNR Mission

DCNR’s mission is to conserve and sustain Pennsylvania’s natural resources for present and future generations’ use and enjoyment.

DCNR Vision

As Pennsylvania’s leader and chief advocate for conservation and outdoor recreation, DCNR will inspire citizens to:

• Value their natural resources
• Engage in conservation practices
• Experience the outdoors

Partnership

The goal of the Partnerships Grant Program is to advance collaborative multi-municipal or large-landscape recreation, conservation, and heritage projects.

Funding is available for partnerships projects that help build local, county, regional, and statewide capacity to better develop and manage resources through the creation and implementation of public planning processes.

Peer Grant

The Peer Program is available to assist municipal entities with hiring a professional consultant to study specialized small-scale issues. 

Up to $18,000 can be made available to hire a peer -- typically a park and recreation professional -- to work in close collaboration with community leaders to develop an action plan.

The Engineering for Civil Infrastructure (ECI) program supports fundamental research that will shape the future of our nation's constructed civil infrastructure, subjected to and interacting with the natural environment, to meet the needs of humans. In this context, research driven by radical rethinking of traditional civil infrastructure in response to emerging technological innovations, changing population demographics, and evolving societal needs is encouraged.

The ECI program focuses on the physical infrastructure, such as the soil-foundation-structure-envelope-nonstructural building system; geostructures; and underground facilities. It seeks proposals that advance knowledge and methodologies within geotechnical, structural, architectural, materials, coastal, and construction engineering, especially that include collaboration with researchers from other fields, including, for example, biomimetics, bioinspired design, advanced computation, data science, materials science, additive manufacturing, robotics, and control theory.

Research may explore holistic building systems that view construction, geotechnical, structural, and architectural design as an integrated system; adaptive building envelope systems; nonconventional building materials; breakthroughs in remediated geological materials; and transformational construction processes. Principal investigators are encouraged to consider civil infrastructure subjected to and interacting with the natural environment under “normal” operating conditions; intermediate stress conditions (such as deterioration, and severe locational and climate conditions); and extreme single or multi natural hazard events (including earthquakes, windstorms, tsunamis, storm surges, sinkholes, subsidence, and landslides). Principal investigators are expected to bear in mind broader impacts associated with, for example, economic, environmental, habitant comfort, and societal benefits, which may include implications for resource and energy efficiency, life cycle, adaptability and resilience, and reduced dependence on municipal services and utilities.

Principal Investigators are encouraged to leverage NSF’s investments in the national experimental facilities of the National Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) program. Principal Investigators are also urged to make full use of resources available through the NHERI Cyberinfrastructure and NHERI Computational Modeling and Simulation Center awards, especially to both use and share experimental and simulation data, as well as computational models and simulation tools, to accelerate advances in engineering the constructed environment.

The ECI Program does not support research on mission agency responsibilities, such as nuclear power plants and energy-related infrastructure, transportation infrastructure (e.g., bridges and pavements), and natural resource exploration or recovery. The ECI Program also does not support research on: hazard characterization for and hazard mitigation of the impact of explosions, fire, blast loading, flooding, and solar wind and storms on civil infrastructure; sensor and measurement technologies; field instrumentation and monitoring; induced seismicity; and construction safety. Research on natural hazard characterization is supported through programs in the NSF Directorate for Geosciences.

Vocational Fund for Alaska’s Future

The Vocational Fund for Alaska’s Future (VFAF) grant program seeks applications from eligible organizations for projects that focus on efforts to build a highly qualified and highly skilled workforce in Alaska’s natural resource development industries. Scholarships are within the scope of this fund. 

Proposed projects focus on efforts to build a highly qualified and highly-skilled workforce in Alaska’s natural resource development industries and should be focused on:

• Building skills of relevance for Alaskans of all ages in areas such as:
  • Electrical work
  • Plumbing
  • Carpentry
  • Welding
  • Mining
  • Engineering
  • Geology
  • And other related disciplines. 

Projects that build career awareness, employability skills, and promote cross-sector skill acquisition will be especially competitive.

Each year, the Air & Waste Management Association recognizes individuals and companies for outstanding accomplishments in the promotion of a clean environment through the Honors & Awards Program at the Annual Conference and Exhibition. These awards were created by the Association to encourage environmental professionals to serve as models for others to emulate and, in doing so, further the mission and objectives of the Association.

This award is for an individual or organization related to the field of waste management, and can be conferred for:

• outstanding achievements in the science and art of waste management (the accomplishment on the part of the recipient is technological in nature and widely recognized by persons in the field; or
• outstanding achievement in the management, prevention and regulation of wastes (the recipient may be an employee in government, industry, education or research, whose accomplishments have led to minimizing the impact of waste in the environment); or
• distinguished achievement as an educator in the field of waste management

Richard I. Stessel (1956–2001) was a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of South Florida and an avid A&WMA enthusiast. He influenced A&WMA’s Technical Council to include greener, energy-efficient, and integrated engineering solutions in solid and hazardous waste management, using materials science and engineering together with industrial ecology, environmental, and subsurface engineering, along with geological science in innovative solid and hazardous waste management. The Richard I. Stessel Award may be awarded to members and nonmembers of the Association, or to an agency.

Funding exploration and discovery

The Leakey Foundation is the leading nonprofit funder of research dedicated to understanding human origins. Each year, we award approximately $1,000,000 in grants and scholarships, advancing our mission to explore and explain the human story.

Leakey Foundation Research Grants support both PhD dissertation research and post-PhD research across multiple disciplines related to human origins, evolution, and behavior. We prioritize funding for the exploratory phases of promising new research projects. We particularly value innovative, multidisciplinary approaches that expand the boundaries of our current understanding. 

We welcome proposals from researchers at all stages of their careers, especially PhD candidates. If your research aligns with our mission and you have an innovative or multidisciplinary project, we encourage you to apply.

Research Grants

The Leakey Foundation exclusively funds research related specifically to human origins. The majority of The Leakey Foundation’s Research Grants awarded to PhD candidates are up to $20,000 Larger grants given to senior scientists and post-PhD researchers may be funded up to $30,000.

The disciplines supported include archaeology, biological anthropology, paleoanthropology, primate behavioral ecology, genetics, geology, anatomy, morphology, paleobotany, and paleoclimatology.

Our current funding focus areas include:

• Paleoanthropology of the Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene
• Primates: Evolution, behavior, morphology, ecology, endocrinology, genetics, isotope studies
• Modern hunter-gatherer groups

Background

Formerly known as the National Physical Science Consortium (NPSC), was founded in 1989 “To increase the number of American citizens with graduate degrees in STEM fields, emphasizing recruitment of a diverse applicant pool.” Graduate Fellowships for STEM Diversity (GFSD) is a partnership between federal agencies & laboratories, industry, and higher education institutions. GFSD has a strong partnership with the University of Southern California. GFSD is a registered US nonprofit (501c3). We are only able to support our fellows through partnerships and generous donation of our sponsors.

Fields of Study

Though the fields supported can vary annually depending on employer needs, in general GFSD covers the following: Astronomy, Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geology, Materials Science, Mathematical Sciences, Physics, and their subdisciplines, and related engineering fields: Chemical, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Mechanical.

Duration:Initial support may be for two or three years, or for a full six years, depending on the employer-sponsor. Fellowship renewal will be reviewed in partnership with employer-sponsor on an annual basis. 

Amount: The charge to the employer for each student supported is $27,000 annually, of which $20,000 is the fellow’s expense allowance and $7,000 is GFSD’s fee to support its operations. (The charge is subject to change at the discretion of the GFSD Board of Directors.)

Location or Type of Institution: Any participating GFSD University or College

Additional Requirements

Applicants must be accepted at a participating GFSD-member university or college and progress through a full-time study program leading to a graduate degree in the physical sciences or related engineering fields. Fellows must complete one or two summer internships, as the sponsoring employer requires. To continue in good standing, fellows must submit a transcript annually as well as any forms and information that GFSD requests. Fellows must perform satisfactorily in their summer internship and during the academic year. A fellow who switches his or her field of study to one not of interest to the sponsoring employer will likely have support terminated.

AEG K-14 Education Fund Grant

Supporting geological education in earth science for elementary, middle, and high schools; and technical and community colleges.

Purpose and Scope

 The K-14 Education Fund was established by the AEG Foundation to advocate the learning and teaching of the science of geology in K-14 education. Initially called the K-12 Education Fund, the charter was amended in 2019 to include technical and community colleges and renamed the K14 Education Fund. Initial funding was provided by the AEG Foundation Greatest Need Fund.

K-14 education provides an important developmental stage in a student’s education. The coursework to which students are exposed during this stage can spark interest in geology and influence the choices they continue to make in their academic career paths.

The Fund was inspired by members of the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists (AEG) K-12 Education Committee and the Committee’s preparation of the AEG Policy Statement on Promoting Geology in K-12 Education adopted by the AEG Board of Directors on April 16, 2011.

The purpose of the K-14 Education Fund is to encourage K-14 students, K-14 teachers, and elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and technical and community colleges to explore methods and technologies to teach geology including, but not limited to, hands-on demonstrations of classroom activities and materials, attendance at earth science meetings focusing on methods and technologies to learn and teach geology, geologic field trips, invited professional demonstrations, and related activities.

Recipients of grants must be accredited K-14 teachers, an elementary, middle or high school, or an accredited school district within the United States, or an accredited technical school or community college. Membership in AEG is not a requirement, but is encouraged.

About The Award

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund aims to stimulate the growth of new connections between thinkers working in largely disconnected fields who might together change the course of climate change’s impact on human health. In the three years between Fall 2023 and Summer 2026, we will dedicate $1M to supporting small, early stage grants of $2,500–$50,000 toward achieving this goal.

We are mainly but not exclusively interested in activities that build connections between basic/early biomedical scientific approaches and ecological, environmental, geological, geographic, and planetary-scale thinking, as well as with population-focused fields, including epidemiology and public health, demography, economics, and urban planning. Also of interest is work piloting new approaches or interactions toward reducing the impact of health-centered activities, such as developing more sustainable systems for health care, care delivery, and biomedical research systems.

Another area of interest is preparation for the impacts of extreme weather and other crises that can drive large-scale disruptions that will immediately impact human health and the delivery of health care. Public outreach, climate communication, and education efforts focused on the intersection of climate and health are also appropriate for this call. This program supports work conceived through many kinds of creative thinking. Successful applicants include academic scientists, physicians, and public health experts, community organizations, science outreach centers, non-biomedical academic departments, and more.

Please see FAQs for additional guidelines.

Background

The Arthur James Boucot Research Grants were initiated by Dr. Arthur James Boucot and Barbara Boucot. Art Boucot, a former President of the Paleontological Society (1980-1981), was an internationally renowned paleontologist, specializing in Paleozoic fossils, specifically brachiopods and gastropods. He was a recipient the SEPM R. C. Moore Medal and the Paleontological Society Medal, among many other honors and distinctions. Art had a seven-decade career devoted to fieldwork in invertebrate paleontology that covered all continents, including Antarctica, resulting in over 500 peer-reviewed publications and books. Art made major contributions to paleocommunity evolution, paleobiogeography, biostratigraphy, and refinements to the geologic time scale, including resolutions of problems concerning Ordovician, Silurian and Devonian boundaries.

Conduct Research in Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park is a “Crown Jewel” of the National Park System with a reputation for innovation in research and interpretive programs. Each year the Rocky Mountain Conservancy and Rocky Mountain National Park co-sponsor a research fellowship opportunity for one graduate level student to spend three to four months conducting research in Rocky Mountain National Park.

The Rocky Mountain Research Fellowship is an endowed program funded by the Leslie Fidel Bailey Charitable Trust. It is designed to encourage highly qualified graduate students to apply their talents to conducting research in the national parks.

About the Fellowship

The RMNP Research Fellowship is an endowed program funded by the Leslie Fidel Bailey Charitable Trust. It is designed to encourage highly qualified graduate students to apply their talents to conducting research in the national parks. It is also intended to convey the importance of communicating park research to the public. One fellowship is awarded annually.

This fellowship opportunity invites a broad range of research proposals to be reviewed and conducted in Rocky Mountain National Park, including wildlife management, vegetation and riparian studies, fire ecology, cultural sciences, archeology and historic structures preservation, as well as other topics in botany, zoology, geology, history, ecology and ornithology. 

The graduate student awarded the Research Fellowship will work with Rocky Mountain National Park staff for a period of three to four months. Applicants must submit a preliminary research proposal and the chosen fellow will be expected to convey research finding to the general public as well as to professional audiences.

Housing and Living Expense Stipend

Housing is provided in addition to a living expense reimbursement stipend of $12,000. Participants can additionally qualify for up to $3,000 for expenses related to fulfilling research and program requirements.

Our Mission

The Waterbird Society is an international, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to foster the study, evidence-based management, and conservation of the world’s aquatic birds. The Society’s primary goals are to: (1) promote research on waterbirds and their habitats, (2) foster waterbird conservation globally, (3) enhance opportunities for information-sharing and professional development, and (4) cultivate a diverse and welcoming community through equitable and inclusive values and practices. To accomplish these goals, the Society publishes a peer-reviewed journal, hosts scientific meetings, provides grants and awards, and facilitates related activities.

Kushlan Research Award

Jim Kushlan has been a driving force behind research and conservation of the world’s herons for over three decades. He was Director of the Patuxent Environmental Science Center for the US Geological Service, Chair of the Department of Biology at the University of Mississippi, Director of the Center for Water Resources Studies at East Texas State University, and Research Biologist with the U.S. Department of the Interior. Dr. Kushlan received his doctorate from the University of Miami in 1974 and has written or co-authored scores of scientific papers and scholarly books. The generous grant to the Waterbird Society in 2000 established an endowment to provide support for the research award in his name.

About the Kushlan Research Award

The goal of the Kushlan Research Award in Ciconiiform Biology and Conservation is to encourage significant scientific advances in the biology, ecology, or conservation biology of wading birds (i.e. herons, storks, ibises, and their taxonomic allies). The grants committee currently solicits proposals that focus on:

Financial and education status of applicants are not considerations. Selection is made by a committee based on the applicant’s likelihood of publishing timely and substantial contributions to the literature. Depending on the scientific merit of the competition, awards will be offered in most years – one or more awards from $1,000 to $7,000 will be made.

Research Grants

The Geological Society of London is a not-for-profit organisation, and a registered charity (no. 210161). Its aims are to improve knowledge and understanding of the Earth, to promote Earth science education and awareness, and to promote professional excellence and ethical standards in the work of Earth scientists, for the public good. 

Please note that you do not need to be a Fellow to apply, however if successful, you will need to become a Fellow in order to receive your grant.

The Society awards and administers a range of funds and grants for a broad scope of research activities (see individual below). The average grant has previously been about £1,500. 

Mike Coward Fund

• For fieldwork in structural geology as applied to regional tectonics

Edmund Johnson Garwood Fund

• For the encouragement of research in stratigraphy, with palaeontology, and in physical geology

Gloyne Outdoor Geological Research Fund

• For the prosecution of outdoor research preferentially of a palaeontological or stratigraphical character, and preferentially within the limits of the British Commonwealth

Annie Greenly Fund

• For detailed geological mapping

Elspeth Matthews Fund

• For members of the Society for geological field-based research anywhere in the world

Joseph Burr Tyrrell Fund

• To assist geologists of Great Britain and Ireland to travel to and in Canada; or to assist in the publication of meritorious papers by geologists of Great Britain and Ireland upon the geology of Canada; or to assist such geologists in any other way best adapted to further this object.

Robert Scott Memorial Award

• CASP (formerly known as the Cambridge Arctic Shelf Programme) has generously bequeathed an endowment in memory of Robert Scott, one of their senior geologists, who died suddenly in 2012 of leukaemia. The interest earned will be used to support a single research award of £2,200 each year

Jeremy Ingham Fund

• An annual award of up to £2,000 will be made for the encouragement of research into engineering geology

Distinguished Geologist Memorial Trust Fund

• This bursary aims to assist early career geologists, particularly those in industry, with professional development by contributing to travel costs or gaining experience. 

Northwest Scientific Association

The Northwest Scientific Association is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1923.  Our organization has a long and proud history of providing opportunities and promoting the work of scientists throughout the northwest and beyond. Most of our members are from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Montana, Alaska, and British Columbia. Our members include professional scientists practicing a myriad of scientific disciplines (from forestry and lichenology to geology and wildlife, with everything in between) from state, federal, private, tribal, and academic institutions. We encourage student membership and offer student grants for undergraduate and graduate students to engage in scientific research projects. We also value the membership of citizen scientists, naturalists, and those folks just interested in all of the science that is happening in our area.

Student Research Grant

The Northwest Scientific Association awards grants of up to $1,500 to support student research in the pure and applied sciences. For students, this is an opportunity to generate funding for your research, gain experience organizing a grant proposal, add substance to your CV, and potentially have your research published in the scientific quarterly, Northwest Science.

Research grants are awarded up to $750 for winning undergraduate (BA/BS) proposals, and up to $1500 for winning graduate (MA/MS or PhD) proposals.

This fund is named in honor of the late John E. Sanders, a well-known sedimentologist who taught at Yale (1954-1965) and Barnard College of Columbia University (1969-1989). Sanders was born in 1926 and completed his undergraduate work in Geology at Ohio Wesleyan University. He received his Ph.D. from Yale in 1953. His work on the Triassic Rift System, turbidity currents, and coastal sedimentation remains pioneering to this day. As a concerned environmentalist, he was one of the earliest scientists to recognize that geologic principles can be applied in documenting and mitigating environmental problems. Author and co-author of numerous papers and several textbooks, including the Principles of Sedimentology, Sanders died in 1999.

The fund will be used to support student research in the areas of coastal or environmental geology. Awardees should acknowledge the funding source in any resulting Masters theses, Ph. D. Dissertations, and other publications.

The primary role of the GSA research grants program is to provide partial support of master's and doctoral thesis research in the geological sciences for graduate students enrolled in universities in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Central America. In 2024, approximately $800,000 was awarded to 316 graduate students (~67% of the 491 who applied), with an average grant of ~$2,500.

Goals

• Support graduate student research in the geosciences and ultimately enhance the geoscience workforce.
• Provide career development opportunity for students by gaining experience with grants writing, project development and research.
• Increase the diversity of the geosciences through opportunities for students of underrepresented communities to achieve success in research

Specialized Awards: The Committee on Research Grants selects recipients of special awards from applicants to the general research grants program. A student may not apply directly for a specialized grant, however may indicate on the application if he/she would like to be considered for an award. These are generally recognition awards only with no additional funding. However, some specialized awardees may be funded for an amount greater than US$2,500.

Fellowships for Faculty

Citizens & Scholars offers three Fellowships for Faculty at the college or university level.

MMUF Advancement Program

Creating and Patching a Faculty Pipeline

The MMUF Advancement Program Fellows bring diverse perspectives to their graduate studies and careers in the academy, ensuring their perspectives are shared within their disciplines and with their students. Fellows are alumni of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) program and gather to prepare graduate school applications, receive funding for additional research, and professional support throughout their dissertation research. 

The MMUF Travel & Research Grant

The MMUF Travel & Research Grants provide eligible graduate students with the financial means to complete their research prior to the start of dissertation writing. Funding is for one summer or one semester of travel and/or research support. Awards are based on the scholarly merit of the individual applications received.

• The Challenge: Diverse perspectives have been historically excluded from higher education
• The Fellows: 431 grants have been awarded through the MMUF Advancement Program and 80% of scholars have earned their doctorate
• The Impact: Young adults have increased access to a diversity of perspectives and deepen their understanding of people of all backgrounds

The Award

The MMUF Travel & Research Grants are available to graduate students who participated in the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program. The grants provide eligible graduate students with the financial means to complete their research prior to the start of dissertation writing.

• The MMUF Travel & Research grants provide up to $5,000 for a period of one summer or one semester. Grants may be used to cover dissertation research, travel to/from research sites, and photocopying of documents and/or the purchase of access to databases for research purposes. 
• Funding is for one summer or one semester of travel and/or research support. Awards are based on the scholarly merit of the individual applications received.

Proposal Call Overview

The Joint Genome Institute (JGI), a DOE Office of Science User Facility at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab),  and the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL), a DOE Office of Science User Facility at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are seeking collaborative research proposals through the Facilities Integrating Collaborations for User Science (FICUS) program. The FICUS program, originally established in 2014 to encourage and enable ambitious multidisciplinary research projects, integrates the expertise and experimental capabilities of multiple DOE-supported user facilities.

The FY 2026 FICUS proposal call will include access to expanded capabilities available at DOE-supported user facilities, including the Bio-SANS beamline through the Center for Structural Molecular Biology (CSMB) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory via the eBERlight program. Additionally, applicants can also request access to archived biological, genomic, and geological samples and specimens from terrestrial and aquatic sites through National Science Foundation's (NSF) National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON).

Successful proposals will address high-risk/high-payoff activities within the focus topic areas that can be completed in 24 months, utilize a variety of available capabilities across two or more user facilities, and generate datasets that go beyond what can be produced through individual projects at each of these facilities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact facility staff (see contact information below) before submitting a Letter of Intent to receive guidance on available capabilities and designs for analyses that are tailored to their research goals.

Focused Topic Areas

Proposals submitted to this call should be responsive to one or more of the following focus area topics aligned to the Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program.

Biofuels, biomaterials, and bioproducts – Proposals should be aimed at characterizing biological processes (including pathways generated by synthetic biology approaches) that are relevant to the production of biofuels, biomaterials, and bioproducts, and connecting these processes to omics-based analyses for DOE-relevant plants, microbes, and microbial communities including viruses. Topics of interest include the generation and use of the structural elucidation of proteins of unknown function; the use of omics and structural biology data to refine and constrain genome-scale metabolic models; the discovery, characterization, and engineering of enzymes and metabolic pathways for biomass decomposition and/or conversion to biofuels, biomaterials, and bioproducts; the utilization of C1 substrates; microbially mediated recycling and upcycling of plastics; secure biosystem design and biocontainment; genome-enabled organic and inorganic material synthesis; and investigations into organisms and/or biological products involved in plant–microbe interactions that impact biofuel and bioproduct feedstock productivity.

Hydro-biogeochemistry – Proposals should focus on the cycling and transport of key elements (especially carbon and nitrogen), nutrients, and other compounds within terrestrial ecosystems. Study systems could include soils, vegetation, microbial communities, the atmosphere, the subsurface, and land/aquatic/atmospheric interfaces, including but not limited to river/stream systems, coastal zones, terrestrial wetlands, and/or urban to rural ecosystems. Proposals should seek to elucidate key hydro-biogeochemical processes through which microorganisms and their metabolic processes (i) influence soil carbon and nitrogen persistence, turnover, and sequestration; (ii) respond to hydrologic and environmental perturbations; (iii) facilitate the resilience of a given system following a significant disturbance event; and (iv) influence the biogeochemical cycling of critical elements, nutrients, colloids, and other compounds under baseline or disturbance conditions. Understanding the regulatory/metabolic processes of plants, microbes, and microbial communities, including viruses, is of particular interest. Proposals should seek to link microbial populations, genes, and traits to molecular biogeochemistry and to forcings in the surrounding environment. Emphasis is also placed on tracking biological processes across time and space to better understand how microscale changes translate into macroscale effects.

Inter-organismal interactions – Proposals should explore the exchange of metabolites, signals, and/or nutrients (carbon, nitrogen, and other elements) among plant roots to shoots, microbes, and viruses in below- and aboveground ecosystems and across associated interfaces (e.g., terrestrial–aquatic and land–atmosphere interfaces), as well as investigate signaling, cooperation, or competition via physical or chemical means under environmental stresses (e.g., flooding, drought, and salinity). Proposals focused on the impacts of biological diversity and root structure within plant populations, on plant-associated microbial communities, and on plant–microbe interactions are also encouraged. These investigations can include metabolite exchange, the structural or functional characterization of transporters, surface proteins, exudates, and VOCs, e.g., carbon transformations, plant-mediated CH4 transport, and the foliar uptake of nutrients. Investigations that focus on the enzymes, pathways, proteins, and metabolites involved in secondary metabolism that affect multiorganismal and organism–environment interactions are also encouraged.

Novel applications of molecular techniques – Proposals should be aimed at redefining the boundaries of the scientific integration of experimental and data capabilities across participating entities. Outcomes should have long-term benefits to DOE/BER goals involving the production of biofuels, biomaterials, and bioproducts; plastic bioprocessing and degradation; plant–microbe interactions; nutrient exchange, ecosystem resilience, or plasticity in response to significant environmental disturbance events; and land–atmosphere exchanges and feedback. The structural and functional characterization of novel proteins (e.g., enzymes), compounds (e.g., primary and secondary metabolites), or biomaterials produced by genes found in (meta)genomic data, and functional analyses of uncultivated organisms are of particular interest. For high-risk, exploratory studies aimed at assessing the general feasibility or establishing proof of principle, the scope should be limited to a scale required to demonstrate novel results, with the possibility of expanded support after successful completion.

The following topics are not within scope for this call for proposals: – Food, feed, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, starch, marine (more than 185 km from land), human health related, wastewater treatment, and transport of plastics/microplastics.

Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR)

The history of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is rich and varied, beginning with its creation by the Ohio Legislature in 1949.

At that time, the department was charged with the responsibility of formulating and putting into execution a long-term comprehensive plan for the development and wise use of the natural resources of the state, to the end that the health, happiness and wholesome enjoyment of life of the people of Ohio may be further encouraged.

A department of incredible diversity, ODNR owns and manages more than 800,000 acres of land, including 75 state parks, 24 state forests, 140 state nature preserves and 150 wildlife areas. The department also has jurisdiction over more than 120,000 acres of inland waters; 7,000 miles of streams; 481 miles of Ohio River; and 2.25 million acres of Lake Erie. In addition, ODNR licenses all hunting, fishing and watercraft in the state and the department is responsible for overseeing and permitting all mineral extraction, monitoring dam safety, managing water resources, mapping the state's major geologic structures and mineral resources and providing multiple outdoor grant programs to local communities.

Each division and office is unique in how they operate to fulfill the main mission of ODNR. The ODNR Division of Wildlife receives more than 97% of its funding through the sale of licenses, permits, federal reimbursements and donations. With the increase in oil and gas production since 2012, the ODNR Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management has grown from a staff of 44 to more than 130, including inspectors, engineers, geologists and hydrogeologists. Divisions and offices also change over time to improve efficiency. For example, in 2016 the Division of Parks and Recreation merged with the Division of Watercraft since they had overlapping responsibilities.

Clean Ohio Trail Fund

The Clean Ohio Trail Fund (COTF) seeks to improve outdoor recreational opportunities for Ohioans by funding trails for outdoor pursuits of all kinds.

What projects qualify:

• Land acquisition for a trail
• New trails or connector-trail development
• Construction grants also might cover the cost of engineering and design

Important things to know:

• State of Ohio will reimburse up to 75 percent of eligible costs under Clean Ohio Trail Fund with a grantee match of 25 percent
• All projects must be completed within 15 months from the date they are signed into contract

Dr. Wesley Eckenfelder, Jr.’s career as an environmental trailblazer spanned more than 50 years, during which time he trained thousands of graduate students and professionals in the science and art of industrial wastewater treatment. To honor his dedication to the environmental industry, we offer a $5,000 Dr. Wesley Eckenfelder, Jr. Scholarship to support students who are interested in pursuing a career in the environmental profession.

CSS Student Grants Program from our Memorial Funds

The Colorado Scientific Society invites junior and senior undergraduates and graduate students in Master’s and Ph.D. programs at accredited colleges and universities to apply for research grants to be awarded in late April 2025. Approximately a dozen to fifteen grants ranging from $600 to $1000 each will be awarded for field-oriented research on geology, engineering geology, geochemistry, and geophysics on the Rocky Mountain region. 

History

Since 1984, the Colorado Scientific Society has established six funds that are supported by the gifts in memory of past members Ogden Tweto, Steven Oriel, Edwin Eckel, Bill Pierce, George Snyder and Bruce Bryant. The income from these funds is used to support undergraduate and graduate student research in the Rocky Mountain west.

• The Ogden Tweto Fund was established to support field investigations of regional geologic and stratigraphic problems with emphasis on the geology of Colorado.
• The Steven Oriel Fund focuses on regional geologic and stratigraphic problems with emphasis on the geology of the Rocky Mountain Region and the Overthrust Belt.
• The Edwin Eckel Fund primarily supports research in engineering geology.
• The Bill Pierce Fund supports studies of the Heart Mountain fault, northwest Wyoming, and of Quaternary geology.
• The George Snyder Fund supports field studies in the Rocky Mountains, focusing on Precambrian igneous and metamorphic geology and basement tectonics.
• The Bruce Bryant Fund supports the studies of a young and upcoming geologist in his or her field-oriented student research, honoring our 1985 CSS President’s lifelong study of the geology of Colorado and other states.

Association for Women Geoscientists Osage Chapter

Recipients of the service scholarships are AWG Osage chapter members who exemplify AWG's mission to encourage, exchange, and enhance by participating in outreach events aimed at educating and promoting women in geosciences. This project provides funding for female or make undergraduate and graduate students to cover academic expenses.

The goal of this scholarship is to encourage and support students who are interested in the AWG mission of increasing participation of underrepresented groups in the geosciences through service to the community. We invite applications from geoscience students for merit-based scholarships of $500 to be used for research, tuition, or books. Scholarships are made possible by AWG Osage and AWG Foundation. This scholarship is funded in honor of Sean S. Thomson of Lawrence, Kansas for his invaluable support of the Osage Chapter.

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Earth Science Scholarship Program

The Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists Foundation (SIPES) was established in 1981 to perform the charitable, educational and scientific purposes of the Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists. The SIPES Foundation has carried out these activities through many programs including seminars, an earth science film library, publications for the National Park Service, and annual scholarship awards.

The SIPES Foundation has awarded scholarships to more than 200 outstanding earth science and engineering students since it was founded in 1981. SIPES is a national organization of more than 1200 self-employed geologists, geophysicists and engineers engaged primarily in domestic energy exploration and development.

Conservation Scholarship

The IWLA National Conservation Scholarship program was established in 2005 to promote conservation leadership among future natural resource managers and professionals.

This scholarship supports rising junior and senior college undergraduates from recognized conservation or environment-related degree programs. These degree programs may include (but are not limited to) environmental science, natural resource management, forestry, wildlife, fisheries, parks and recreation, range management, and other related sciences such as ecology, biology (conservation/ field/ marine), geology, hydrology, and zoology.

The National Conservation Scholarship complements the many scholarships offered annually by IWLA chapters and state divisions.

The Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research Grants

The Lewis and Clark Fund encourages exploratory field studies for the collection of specimens and data and to provide the imaginative stimulus that accompanies direct observation.

Applications are invited from disciplines with a large dependence on field studies, such as archaeology, anthropology, biology, ecology, geography, geology, linguistics, paleontology, and population genetics, but grants will not be restricted to these fields.

WHOI Postdoctoral Scholar Program

We invite applications for eighteen-month Postdoctoral Scholarships that are designed to extend the education and training of the applicants and to advance their research careers. WHOI is the largest private, non-profit oceanographic institution in the world. Our mission is to advance understanding of the ocean and its interaction with the Earth system and to communicate this understanding for the benefit of society. Awards are granted to recent doctorates in oceanography, chemistry, engineering, geology, geophysics, mathematics, meteorology, physics, biology, economics, marine policy, and any field that may contribute to WHOI’s core mission.

WHOI’s Postdoctoral Scholars conduct independent research in association with one or more members of the Resident Scientific or Senior Technical Staff. Communication with potential WHOI advisors prior to submitting an application is highly recommended and sponsor support for research activities will be considered in the award selection. More information about ongoing WHOI research is available through individual Department, Center, and Institute web pages found on the Research Areas page. Assistance identifying potential sponsors will be provided on request.

WHOI maintains a two-tiered mentoring system for postdoctoral researchers, with resources at the Departmental and Institutional levels. Postdoctoral researchers meet with departmental Postdoctoral Research Mentorship Committees. Numerous institutional career development events, including proposal writing workshops, an annual Postdoctoral Science Symposium, networking opportunities with federal agency program managers and others, and forums on academic and non-academic careers, are well-attended by WHOI postdoctoral researchers. Social and research events are held to convene postdoctoral researchers, their sponsors, and WHOI’s leadership to discuss issues of potential importance to postdoctoral scientists.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are integral to WHOI’s academic excellence and leadership in the global scientific community. WHOI stands committed to a sustained effort to advance inclusion and belonging throughout all levels of the Institution. A goal of the Postdoctoral Scholar Program is the long-term broadening of participation in ocean science and engineering, and we particularly encourage women, minorities, veterans, those with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups to apply.

Award Timing

Applications are required by December 1, 2025. Awardees can initiate their study and research period at the Institution any time after March 1 and before December 1st of the year following the award notification. December 1st is a firm deadline.  It is expected that awardees will physically reside at WHOI for at least two-thirds of their total postdoctoral award period. Recipients of the 2026-2027 awards will receive an annual stipend of at least $71,000 for an 18-month appointment, plus relocation and health and welfare allowances. Limited support is also available for travel expenses, equipment, supplies, and special services. Although extensions to this fellowship are rare, WHOI Postdoctoral Scholars are able to submit proposals to extend their stay as a Postdoctoral Investigator. Sponsors are committed to supporting Scholars in their career development.