Pacific Northwest CESU

The Pacific Northwest CESU has compiled a list of potential sources of funding for individuals and organizations wishing to pursue studies or research in fields involving the understanding and management of natural and cultural resources. The majority of these sources offer support in the form of scholarships, fellowships, and grants.

Links to various funding sources are listed below within these general categories:

Funding for research in the National Park system
General database / clearinghouse listings of funding opportunities
Specific funding sources for various types of studies/research

For current listings, please see the Resources & Funding section of our Announcements page

Funding specifically for research in the National Park System

NPS Research Needs : More information on what various Parks are seeking in the PNW CESU region

Acadia National Park - LL Bean Research Fellowship Up to $5000 annually to fund research in Acadia National Park.

Boyd Evison Graduate Fellowship, Grand Teton Natural History Association. Scholarships average $5000-$10,000 per project, and may include housing provided at Grand Teton National Park.

Canon National Parks Science Scholars Program Doctoral research in biological, physical, social or technical science; $26,000 per year for three years.

Fellowship in the Rockies Housing , $5,000 stipend and research expenses for graduate research conducted during three months in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Denali National Park Research Fellowships $3000-$5000 grants for graduate and faculty research.

Grand Canyon National Park Small Grants Research Fund Grants under $5,000; may require matching funds.

Individual request to NPS social science needs Fields system-wide NPS inquiries for possible social science projects.

Jerry O'Neal student fellowship program. Supports research in Glacier NP, Grant-Kohrs Ranch NHS, and Little Bighorn Battlefield NHS.

Joshua Tree NP Competitive Research Grant Field research grant up to $12,000. Research pertinent to physical, biological, ecological or cultural science of the Joshua Tree area.

NPS National Center for Preservation Technology & Training Grants Variable per year and grant. Funding purposes include training, technology and basic research.

National Parks Foundation Competitive Grants Variable per year and grant. Focal areas include Volunteerism, Visitor Experience, Education, Community Engagement and Priority Programs.

National Parks Ecological Research Fellowship Program (NPF) Doctoral research fellowship for $60,000 per year for up to two years.

NPS Cultural Resources Diversity Program - Scholarships and Fellowships Listing includes relevant internal and external funding, not limited to park locations.

Rocky Mountain NP 2008 Bailey Fellowship. Sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Nature Association.

Sabbatical in the Parks program assists in arranging faculty sabbaticals to conduct research and other scholarly activity which provides usable knowledge for the National Park Service and/or advances science and human understanding.

NPS Social Science Program - Graduate Student Internships Semester spent in Washington D.C., conducting technical assistance alongside a visiting Chief Social Scientist. Stipend provided.

Western National Parks Association Grants Grants awarded to institutions and individuals for research in National Parks.

General listings and databases for scholarships, fellowships, grants, and other funding

Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service Listing of competitive grants and cooperative projects.

EPA Environmental Research Grants Current grant listings, including Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Program Grants (targeted grants for specific agency-requested research)

The Foundation Center An extensive grant database.

Grants.gov Search engine and application process for all federal grants.

Joint Fire Science Program RFPs Updated grant listing for forest fire science research and projects.

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Large listing of NFWF grants and funding.

NSF Graduate Fellowships NSF funding for graduate studies through their Division of Graduate Education. Support for students in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) fields.

Red Lodge Clearinghouse Grant database for conservation and collaboration, particularly Western U.S.

USFS Guide to Scholarships and Grants in International Forestry An extensive listing of external grants relevant to domestic and international research [published in 1995].

US Global Change Research Program - Calls for proposals Reference site listing agency grants by research area.

Scholarships, fellowships and grants for research that may be done within/have relevance to public lands

American Council of Learned Societies (various by year) Various fellowships offered in humanities or related social sciences.

American Ornithologist's Union Grants Several types given to AOU members, funded up to $1,800.

American Society of Mammologists Graduate student member of ASM awarded $14,000.

Anchor Environmental Scholarship Amounts of $500-5,000 awarded to graduates with a focus in aquatic-based remediation or waterfront development for tuition and supplies.

Animal Behavior Society Grants Various grants awarded to graduate student members for research.

ASPRS Fisher Fellowship (Remote sensing) Various graduate and undergraduate awards up to $2000.

Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour European-based society; graduate member research funded to £5000.

Award in Coastal Wetlands Studies Up to $5000 for graduate research.

Boone & Crockett Club Funding for big game biology & management research.

BP Conservation Programme Awards Support wildlife conservation projects with local involvement, and in which a majority of team members are students.

Budweiser Conservation Scholars Award of up to $10,000 in tuition and expenses for graduates or advanced undergraduates.

Catherine Beattie Fellowship Grant given in the amount of $1,000 to $4,000 to conduct research on an endangered U.S. plants.

Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation Seed grants up to $10,580 to fund work in various disciplines that incorporates a balance between the advance of technology and the preservation of the natural/human environment.

Charles Redd Center for Western Studies Awards up to $1,500 for research (various disciplines) dealing with the Mountain West.

Colorado Mountain Club Foundation Small grants related to the Rocky Mountains.

Community Forestry Research Fellowship Graduate awards for participatory field work in U.S. communities.

Conservation Innovation Grants and Cooperative Conservation Partnership Funding from NRCS

Earthwatch Research Grants (Doctoral) Projects funded between $16,000 and $48,000 depending on the number of Earthwatch volunteers included as assistants.

EPA NNEMS Funded, predeveloped research opportunities related to environmental protection, including pollution control, science, engineering, technology, and social science. Graduate and undergraduate levels.

Exploration Fund for Field Research Graduate awards to $1,500.

Frances Peacock Scholarship Research on endangered bird habitat, funded to $4000.

Garden Club of America Scholarships, including:

Fellowship in Ecological Restoration: $8000 award for study and research in ecological restoration.
Scholarship in Field Botany: Summer studies in pure botany funded to $1500.
Summer Environmental Studies Awards: Summer work or studies beyond academic requirements funded to $1500.

Geological Society of America Graduate Research Grants Average award of $1800 for graduate studies.

Global Change Education Program GREF Three year appointment for university research with annual stipend of $19,200.

Gloria Barron Wilderness Society Scholarship $10,000 graduate award toward a paper dealing with North American wilderness management, law or policy.

Hertz Foundation Fellowship for Applied Physical Science PhD Awarded to students beginning doctoral research in applied physical sciences; annual stipend of $25,000.

Hunt Summer Scholarship in Field Botany Undergraduate and masters student award for summer study in field botany, $1500; does not support laboratory work.

Joseph Fischer Dissertation Fellowship (Resources for the Future) Doctoral research in economics or social sciences dealing with environment, natural resources, or energy topics. Amount around $12,000.

Laird Norton Endowment Foundation that focuses on funding Sustainable Watershed Management.

NASA Earth Science Fellowship Program Award in specified research areas of $22,000, renewable up to three years.

National Geographic Conservation Trust Grants Seed grants for projects that impact conservation; amounts average $15,000 to $20,000.

National Physical Science Consortium Fellowship Ph.D.-track scholarship awarded in partnership with a sponsoring employer.

National Water Institute Fellowship $15,000 for graduate research in water resources.

Native Plant Conservation Initiative Primarily funds conservation action projects, although research related to agency management of native plants is considered.

NOAA SeaGrant Funding and Fellowships - SeaGrant Fellowship Graduate fellowship in marine resource economics or marine population dynamics, funded 2-3 years at $38,000 annually .

NSF - Igert Traineeships Traineeships in interdisciplinary science and engineering, through an IGERT program site at participating universities. [UW Urban Ecology is an IGERT program].

NSF/New England Wild Flower Society Research Fellowship Program in Conservation Biology $3750 awards for basic research in rare plant taxa of New England.

Richard A. Herbert Memorial Scholarships $2000 awarded to American Water Resources Association members.

Sally Kress Tompkins Fellowship (Historic Preservation) $9,200 award for architecture historians to work on Historical American Buildings Survey over the summer.

Sigma Xi Grants-in-aid-of-research Program awards under $1000.

Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology Various awards under $2000.

Udall Conflict Resolution Fellowships Awards of $24,000 for doctoral students in their last year for writing dissertations on topics of environmental policy or conflict resolution.

USGS Grand Canyon MRC Grants RFPs for biological research.

Welder Wildlife Foundation Monthly stipend for unfunded graduate students in wildlife conservation and management.

Wenner-Gren Research Grants Basic research in archeology and anthropology funded to $25,000.

Wildlife Conservation Society (international focus) Conservation awards of $25,000; research focus in tropical conservation.

Wilson Ornithological Society Research Grant Avian research funded to $2,500.

Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Science Grants Program Grants to organizations and universities for research concerning conservation in the Yellowstone to Yukon ecoregion.

Last modified August 20, 2008