Redwoods Research Starter Grants for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color

Our Work > Study > Redwoods Research Starter Grants for BIPOC

Save the Redwoods League is offering starter grants of up to $5,000 for undergraduate and graduate students of color (Black, Indigenous, Latinx/Latina/Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander folks, and other people of color) interested in research in coast redwood and giant sequoia forests. The goal of the starter grants is to provide introductory opportunities for members of underrepresented communities to explore ideas in the redwood research space, or potentially enhance the work of those who are already working in this space.

The funding can be used to support a wide variety of activities, including travel for project development, wages to support a literature review or lab work, and pilot studies that can support development of future research projects. It can be used to fund a stand-alone study or as supplemental funding to expand the scope of an existing project. Topic areas can include any academic discipline, as long as the proposal has a clear connection to coast redwood or giant sequoia forests.

At minimum, deliverables must include:

• A final written report (1-2 pages) summarizing the project and any findings.
• A visual report in the form of a short video, blog with photos or some other medium that includes visual content suitable for sharing on the League website or social media. The applicant has wide leverage in defining how the visual report looks, but the goal is to make it accessible and engaging for general, non-scientist audiences.

Broadly, the proposal should address how this starter grant will accomplish your educational or professional development goals, including how it could inform future studies or grant applications, if applicable. The applicant should identify mentor(s)/collaborator(s) on this project, which can include more traditional Principal Investigators, teachers or supervisors, depending on the circumstance. The role of the mentor will be to guide the student through the research project and facilitate the grant agreement and funding award process at their institution.

Proposal evaluation will focus primarily on the project’s potential to enhance the applicant’s professional development in redwood research and conservation, with secondary emphasis on the potential for the project to either generate novel results or to support novel research questions in the future. The proposals should be no more than 3 pages, excluding references and the cover page. More specifics on proposal requirements can be found in the proposal template.

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How to apply:

To apply, please use the template and send a single pdf of the proposal, student C.V./resume, and mentor C.V./resume (in that order) to StarterGrants@SaveTheRedwoods.org by November 18^th, 2022.

For questions about the application process or for consultation on project ideas, please contact Dr. Joanna Nelson, Director of Science and Conservation Planning, and Laura Lalemand, Senior Scientist, at StarterGrants@SaveTheRedwoods.org.

Application Eligibility

We only accept applications from nonprofit 501(c) organizations that focus on research and education (this includes researchers from universities and public agencies) as described in 26 USC Section 170(b) (1) (A) [other than clauses (vii) and (viii)] AND applications from independent researchers (on the condition that the research is solely for educational and/or charitable purposes) AND from federally or state recognized Indigenous, Native, and Tribal nations and communities (on the condition that the research is solely for educational and/or charitable purposes).

• Funding requests should not exceed $5,000.
• The League will only fund reimbursement costs that are listed in the Grant Agreement Form; reimbursement costs include allowable costs and non-cancelable obligations incurred as a result of proposal performance.
• The League does not fund indirect costs (these costs include but are not limited to overhead costs, administration fees, rent, insurance, etc.).
• Past grant recipients must have submitted both a final written and visual report for all previous League grants to be eligible for funding in the current grant cycle.
• If your proposal is selected, it is a requirement to use the League’s Grant Agreement Form. Edits to the League Grant Agreement Form are not allowed; any questions regarding edits should be submitted in writing to the League before submitting a full proposal.
• Students must identify a mentor at their research institution who can help guide the student through their research project, and facilitate processing of the grant agreement and awarded funds at their institution.