Posts in category: Funding Opportunities

Biota Awards, an initiative of the Walder Foundation’s Environmental Sustainability program now in its second year, are a funding opportunity for early-career researchers based in Illinois who seek to restore, protect and conserve biodiversity locally and around the world. Awardees receive $300,000 of flexible research funding distributed over three years to pursue research that will have an on-the-ground impact on biodiversity conservation. Applicants must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent degree or experience and within seven years of their first independent research position at an academic, nonprofit, or government research institution. 

The application deadline is fast approaching – October 3!

You can find more info on the awards, eligibility and applying here.

The National Institutes of Water Resources (NIWR) has released their annual request for proposals (RFPs) under their National Competitive Grants Program. In cooperation with USGS, these RFPs, submitted through each state’s Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI), have historically funded only four applicants throughout the nation. In the last few years, however, Congress has recognized the unique capabilities of this program and additional funds have been allocated around specific focus areas. In addition to a general water-related focus of the annual RFP(104G), an RFP focusing on PFAs and an RFP focusing on Aquatic Invasive Species in the Upper Mississippi River Basin have been added. All three RFPs require similar preparation and encourage regional WRRI/Water Science Center collaborations. Any investigator at an institution of higher learning is eligible to apply for these grants with research that focuses on water issues of regional and national importance.

Given the potential benefit of these opportunities to the Great Lakes Region, the WRRIs in this region (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI) are organizing a joint informational webinar focusing on RFP preparation and regional collaborative opportunities. We discuss the full proposal process, funding priorities and give researchers a chance to ask questions.

Feel free to share this message with others who may benefit from these opportunities!

Webinar recording link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5p80TrsFN0

For more information about the funding opportunities see our Funding Opportunities page, https://water.usgs.gov/wrri/how-to-apply-for-grants-internships.php or contact the Illinois Water Resources Center (iwrc@illinois.edu).

IISG Mission

One of Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s (IISG) long-term goals is to help build a community of researchers and outreach professionals focused on critically important Lake Michigan issues. The IISG Scholars programs are designed to help build this community by introducing researchers to the issues and the stakeholders affected by them. In addition, the programs are intended to help graduate student scholars further the impact of their research, and faculty scholars develop innovative, fundable proposals for future work in the region. Past scholar projects can be reviewed at https://iiseagrant.org/category/iisg-scholars/.

The 2022 IISG Scholars competition is now open for Graduate Students and Faculty.

Awards are issued for one year and activities should be completed during that year. IISG expects to support 5–7 Graduate Student Scholars and 3–4 Faculty Scholars in 2022. The full Request for Applications, including award amounts and application requirements, can be found at https://iiseagrant.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/2022-IISG-Scholars-RFA.pdf.

Applicants for both opportunities (graduate students or faculty) should submit materials via https://esg.iiseagrant.org/ by 5:00 p.m. Central time on March 18, 2022. Applications should be submitted to the “IL-IN SG 2022 Scholars Competition”. Late applications will not be accepted unless the applicant has contacted IISG staff before the deadline to make them aware of potential issues, (e.g., computer, power, or internet issues).

Office hours, where potential applicants can ask questions about the technical aspects of their applications, will be held Tuesdays 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. and Fridays from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., both Eastern time, throughout the month of February. Connection information can be requested by emailing Research Coordinator Carolyn Foley at cfoley@purdue.edu. In addition, recordings outlining the technical aspects of applications, e.g., budget and forms preparation, will be posted to https://iiseagrant.org/research/funding-opportunities/ by February 16, 2022.