Category Archives: Research

Wildlife Acoustics Scientific Product Grant

Wildlife Acoustics offers eligible products from their bioacoustic research tools through the Scientific Product Grant. Applicants may request up to $4,000 in products and software.

Applications are reviewed on a quarterly basis and up to $12,000 in products dispersed per quarter. Applicants may also submit a request for only a Kaleidoscope Pro software license of which an unlimited number are available each quarter. Submissions are due by August 15, 2024 or November 15, 2024.

Eligibility

This grant is open to applicants associated with nonprofit, nongovernmental, charitable, and educational organizations.

Products cannot be shipped to Belarus, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Sudan, and Syria or anyone who will take products to those countries.

Application Requirements

All applications must include:

  • A description of how the project will advance scientific knowledge and contribute to long-term conservation
  • An explanation of how the grant will significantly contribute to the success of the project
  • A detailed description of expected outcomes and how they will be evaluated
  • A plan to begin the project within one year of the award
  • A letter of recommendation
  • A copy of the organization’s certificate/tax exemption letter showing tax-exempt and charitable or educational status

Eligible Equipment

Not all Wildlife Acoustics products are eligible for this grant. Applicants may request:

Shipping costs will be covered by Wildlife Acoustics, but grantees are responsible for any applicable broker fees, duties, or taxes.

GiveWell Grants

GiveWell makes recommendations to donors on how their money can make the most impact. Donors can give to their Top Charities, to the All Grants Fund which is open to new applicants, or an Unrestricted Fund.

Applications are accepted on a continual basis, from organizations anywhere in the world. GiveWell is dedicated to funding projects in global health and research that are the most cost effective. Their mission is to “maximize global well-being.” Past grants have ranged from $10,000 to $79.9 million, but they have not put a cap on future awards.

Eligibility

GiveWell supports projects in global health and research from:

  • Early stage or established organizations enacting potentially cost-effective or scalable programs
  • Established organizations carrying out cost-effective, but not scalable, work
  • Organizations working to influence public health policy
  • Organizations doing research that will support GiveWell’s grantmaking process
  • Organizations that raise money for GiveWell’s recommended charities

Example Programs

Image by Joko Narimo

Past funded projects include:

  • Incentives for immunization
  • Lead exposure prevention
  • Road traffic safety
  • Seasonal malaria chemoprevention
  • Water chlorination

Grant Process

Application

Interested applicants may submit a form at any time. The form is extremely short; the primary questions are:

  • Roughly how much funding over how many years are you seeking?
  • What would you hope to accomplish with this grant?

Initial Investigation

The initial investigation consists of one or two conversations to better understand the applicant, the proposed project, and its potential impact. Some supporting documents may be required.

Leadership Approval

GiveWell leaders will review the information from the initial investigation and decide whether to proceed to the next step.

Deeper Investigation

Image by aymane jdidi

Conversations will continue over a period of 2-6 months and additional documentation may be required, such as:

  • Monitoring and evaluation from past programs 
  • Baseline data on key indicators
  • A description of the proposed project and planned monitoring and evaluation for new organizations
  • Budgets 
  • Plans for grant funding

Conditional Approval

At this point, the grant investigator will make a recommendation to the leadership that a grant be approved. This is not a guarantee, but it is likely that the grant will receive final approval.

Grant Made

The method of disbursement will depend on how the grant is funded. The possibilities are:

  • GiveWell funds – funds donated to GiveWell for grantmaking purposes
  • Open Philanthropy – GiveWell may make a recommendation to this outside organization
  • Effective Altruism (EA) Global Health and Development Fund – recommendations may also be made to this fund, which is managed by GiveWell’s CEO and collaborates with their research team
  • Individual donors – recommendations may be made to individuals who might give directly or through GiveWell

Grant Renewal Investigation

If applicable, GiveWell may conduct an investigation to determine whether further funding is warranted and cost-effective.

Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust

The Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust supports research and education in the field of ornamental horticulture. They award grants in five areas: Research, Public Gardens, Ornamental Plants, Publications, and Education.

Letters of Inquiry are due by June 14, 2024. If invited to submit, full applications will be due July 15th. Awards may be up to $25,000 but are more typically $20,000 or less.

Eligibility

This grant is open to registered nonprofit organizations in:

  • North America
  • South America
  • Central America
  • The Caribbean
  • Australia
  • New Zealand

Funding Limitations

Grant funds are for project support only and may not be used for:

  • General operating support
  • Endowments
  • Capital Campaigns

Funding Areas

Research

Image by 👀 Mabel Amber, who will one day

Eligibile research needs may include:

  • Lab freezer
  • Research on the horticultural potential of plants in a specific region
  • Research on proper techniques and best practices for cultivating a specific group of plants

Public Gardens

Projects under this funding area should create, preserve, and/or maintain publicly accessible ornamental horticultural gardens. This might include:

  • Building home demonstration beds
  • Resurfacing trails for ADA accessibility and/or weather adaptability
  • Repairs following a natural disaster

Ornamental Plants

Projects under this funding area should promote environmentally responsible cultivation of ornamental horticultural plants. This might include:

  • Testing new species for invasiveness
  • Demonstrating the use of native ornamentals in public or home landscaping
  • Purchasing collections management software

Publications

Image by Nimrod Oren

Grant funds may be used to publish books or other materials on ornamental horticulture, such as:

  • A guide to ornamentals appropriate for local and/or regional landscaping
  • A guide to best practices for disease and pest control
  • An online, publicly accessible horticultural inventory

Education

Grant funds may be used for formal or informal educational activities, such as:

  • Classes on home gardening
  • Internships
  • Construction or remodeling of educational facilities

Wayne F Placek Grants

Wayne F Placek Grants from the American Psychological Foundation support research on public understanding of LGBTQ+ issues. Two grants will be awarded in 2024. One, the Wayne F. Placek Grant in Memorial of John Peterson, will go to a psychological research project focused on queer Black individuals and communities.

Applications for up to $15,000 are due by June 12, 2024 at 11:59 PM Hawaii Time.

Eligibility

This grant is open to:

  • 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations
  • Doctoral-level or graduate student researchers affiliated with an educational institution

International applicants who meet the above criteria and whose country has diplomatic relations with the United States are welcome to apply.

The recipient of the Wayne F. Placek Grant in Memorial of John Peterson must be a person of color.

Topic Areas

Research project should focus on one of the following topics:

  • Heterosexual attitudes toward LGBTQ+ people, including prejudice, discrimination, and violence
  • Family and workplace issues faced by LGBTQ+ people
  • Concerns of specific sub-sectors of the LGBTQ+ population that have been underrepresented in scientific research
  • Issues faced by Black LGBTQ+ people and communities

Allowable Expenses

Grant funds may be used for direct costs only, such as:

  • PI stipend
  • Participant payments
  • Technology (software, hardware, imaging, etc.)
  • Open access and/or publication costs
  • Travel
  • Personnel stipends
  • Supplemental training

Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood

The Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood was founded in 2014 as part of the estate of Teresa Caplan.The Foundation serves as an incubator for research and development in the U.S. that has the potential to improve the lives of children aged birth to 7.

Funding is available in three focus areas: Early Childhood Welfare, Early Childhood Education and Play, and Parenting Education. Letters of Interest are due by May 31, 2024 and should be sent to info@earlychildhoodfoundation.org.

Eligibility

Applicant

This grant is open to nonprofit, non-religious and non-political organizations in the United States.

Program

Eligible programs must be:

  • New, not pre-existing
  • Secular
  • For the benefit of children only
  • For the benefit of children in the United States
  • Potentially capable of having a national impact

Funding Limitations

Grant funds may not be use for:

  • Purchasing or renovating capital equipment
  • Staging single events
  • The creation or purchase of works of art or literature

No more than 15% of grant funding may be spent on indirect costs.

Focus Areas

Early Childhood Welfare

Image by Design_Miss_C

Welfare is defined to include:

  • Physical and mental health
  • Safety
  • Nutrition
  • Education
  • Play
  • Familial support
  • Acculturation
  • Societal integration
  • Childcare

Early Childhood Education and Play

The Foundation seeks to fund projects to develop:

  • Innovative curricula
  • Research based pedagogical standards
  • Imaginative play materials
  • Creative learning environments

Parenting Education

Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/boy-wearing-chef-hat-35666/

The Foundation seeks to fund projects that teach parents about:

  • Developmental psychology
  • Cultural child rearing differences
  • Pedagogy
  • Issues of health
  • Prenatal care and diet

and/or provide parents with cognitive and emotional support.

Spencer Foundation Small Research Grants on Education Program

The Spencer Foundation Small Research Grants on Education Program supports research projects that broadly contribute to the improvement of education.

Applications from anywhere in the world are due by April 30, 2024 at 12:00 PM CDT. Requests may be up to $50,000 for projects lasting 1-5 years. Cash or in-kind matches are not required.

Eligibility

This grant is open to Principle Investigators with a PhD in an academic discipline or professional field or with appropriate experience in an education research-related profession. Graduate students may assist with the project but they may not be the PI or co-PI.

Applicants must be associated with a:

  • Nonprofit or public institution of higher education
  • Public school district
  • Research facility
  • Nonprofit organization with their country’s equivalent of a 501(c)3 designation

Research Types

The Foundation welcomes creativity in scholarship and is open to many different types of research.

Methodology

Methodologies may include, but are not limited to:

  • Qualitative
  • Quantitative
  • Mixed-methods
  • Ethnographies
  • Computational modeling
  • Design-based research
  • Participatory methods
  • Historical research

Field

Proposals for research in a variety of fields is welcome, so long as it focuses on a question central to education. This may include, but is not limited to:

  • Anthropology
  • Economics
  • Education
  • History
  • Law
  • Neuroscience
  • Philosophy
  • Psychology
  • Sociology

Optional Supplemental Course Release

Professors with a course load of 6 or more per academic year may request an additional $10,000 to ‘buy’ a portion of their time.

Robert Schalkenbach Foundation Progress of Ideas Grant

The Robert Schalkenbach Foundation supports research projects that carry on the legacy of 19th century economist and social reformer Henry George through their Progress of Ideas Grant.

Applications for up to $10,000 over 2 years are due by April 12, 2024. Grantees will be notified by May 13, 2024.

Eligibility

This grant is open to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations in the United States.

Potential Project Topics

Potential research topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Infrastructure spending
  • Public investment and value capture
  • Sprawl and suburbanization
  • Housing affordability, including gentrification and displacement
  • Native American and Indigenous land rights
  • Climate change
  • Influence of Henry George on Progressive Era history and politics

Project Deliverables

Following the completion of their research project, grantees will be expected to:

  • Participate in a one hour Zoom interview, to be recorded and shared as part of the Foundation’s video catalog
  • Participate in the creation of 2-3 short YouTube videos summarizing the research process
  • Submit an 800-1500 word essay, suitable for publication on the Foundation website and social media pages summarizing their research and its findings.

Call for proposals evaluating the impact of AI on Poverty, Health, Energy and Climate SDGs

The Future of Life Institute has issued a Call for proposals evaluating the impact of AI on Poverty, Health, Energy and Climate on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Projects can examine uses of AI to directly impact SDGs or cases when the impacts occur as side effects. Applications for $15,000 are due by April 1, 2024.

Eligibility

This grant is open to nonprofit organizations from anywhere in the world. Individual researchers must be associated with a nonprofit who can accept the funding on their behalf.

Allowable Expenses

Grant funds are unrestricted, with the sole caveat that only 15% may be used for institutional overhead or indirect costs.

Review Criteria

All applications will be reviewed based on:

  • Researcher’s track record
  • Quality of the evaluation outline
  • Likelihood of the research yielding valuable findings
  • Rigor of the proposed projection method

The Water Research Foundation Unsolicited Research Program

The Water Research Foundation supports innovative research with the potential to significantly propel protection and enhancement of water quality through their Unsolicited Research Program.

Pre-proposals for $25,000–$175,000 are due by March 28, 2024 at 3:00 PM MT. For those invited to submit, full proposals will be due by July 25. A match of at least 33% of awarded funds is required.

Eligibility

This grant is open to:

  • Nongovernmental organizations
  • Academics
  • Consultants
  • Utilities

Potential Project Focus

Projects may:

  • Complement the Research Priority Program
  • Address issues of regional and national significance
  • Pilot innovative technologies
  • Conduct research on drinking water, wastewater, recycled water, and stormwater
  • Build on existing research to create solutions to water quality issues

Evaluation Criteria

All pre-proposals will reviewed based on:

  • Technical and scientific merit
  • Project originality
  • Technical approach
  • Significance and value of research
  • Project schedule
  • Qualifications of key personnel/Organizational capacity

National Science Foundation: Growing Convergence Research

Growing Convergence Research is a multidisciplinary method of solving complex and vexing problems. The U.S. National Science Foundation is seeking applications from teams using GCR to develop innovative solutions to complicated problems.

The NSF anticipates awarding 6-10 grants of up to $1.2 million for two years of Phase I work. Continued support of up to $2.4 million for an additional three years of Phase II work will be contingent upon exceptional progress in Phase I. Applications are due through Grants.gov or Research.gov by April 12, 2024 at 5 PM, submitter’s local time.

Eligibility

This grant is open to:

  • 2 and 4 year institutions of higher education, accredited and located in the United States
  • Nonprofit, non-academic organizations such as museums, research laboratories, observatories, and professional societies engaged in educational or research activities

The Primary Investigator must be a full time appointee in a research or teaching position at an eligible organization.

Applications Requirements

All applications must include:

  • A long term vision inspired by a societal and/or scientific problem
  • An explanation of why the project fits this solicitation and why a growing convergence research approach is required
  • An explanation of the challenges that this project hopes to address and how it will tranform scientific understanding
  • A five-year, two phase research plan
  • A convergence management plan

Review Criteria

All applications will be reviewed based on:

  • Intellectual merit – its potential to further knowledge
  • Broader impacts – potential benefits to society