The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funds researchers seeking to conduct their own environmental research within an eligible host organization in the UK. NERC supports fellows undertaking research across the breadth of the NERC remit within environmental sciences, including freshwater, earth, atmospheric, marine and terrestrial sciences, earth observation, and polar science. The total available funding is £7.2 million. This opportunity is open to applicants who hold a PhD qualification. The fellowship covers 80% full economic cost for five years. Fellows can choose to work full-time or part-time. The deadline for application is 03 April 2025. Independent Research Fellowship
marine/coastal
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation — Atlantic Flyway Shorebirds 2025
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and partners support the conservation of migratory waterbirds and their habitats through strategic investments to secure populations of three species – American oystercatcher (short distance migrant), whimbrel (mid-distance migrant) and threatened red knot (long-distance migrant). The program focuses on priority shorebird sites along the U.S. Atlantic seaboard (including the Florida Gulf Coast and panhandle) as well as priority wintering sites for each of the focal species in the Caribbean and South America. The award size is not specified, but the majority of awards will fall in the US$75 thousand to US$250 thousand range. Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations, Indian tribes, and universities. The deadline for applications is 04 November 2024. Atlantic Flyway Shorebird Initiative
ProBleu — Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
The ProBleu funding initiative supports primary and secondary schools as essential champions in educating children and youth about blue sustainability and the safeguarding of marine and freshwater ecosystems. The call is open to primary and secondary-level schools in the EU Member States and associated countries. Schools can apply for up to €10 thousand for water & ocean literacy projects that last up to a year. The application deadline is 21 November 2024. Link to ProBleu
Earthshot Prize — Nominations 2025
The Earthshot Prize searches the globe for game-changing innovations that will help repair our planet. The best five solutions receive £1 million to scale their work. The categories are: Protect and Restore Nature; Clean our Air; Revive our Oceans; Build a Waste-Free World; and Fix our Climate. The Earthshot Prize has a network of official nominators. Some nominators are happy to accept proposals from the public for consideration. Nominations for the 2025 prize year will close on 11 December 2024. View Official Nominators
World Wildlife Fund — Food Systems Fellowship
The WWF Russell E. Train Education for Nature Program (EFN) invites applications from researchers to pursue graduate-level studies geared towards research that cultivates a better understanding of the place-based nature of food systems and transformation. The fellowship is open to nationals of Belize, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chile, Colombia, Dem. Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Fiji, French Guiana, Gabon, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Paraguay, Peru, Republic of Congo, Suriname, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, and Zambia. The deadline to submit an application is 18 December 2024. Food Systems Fellowship
Commonwealth Foundation — Grants for Civil Society in Commonwealth Countries
The Commonwealth Foundation makes grants to civil society organizations in Commonwealth countries to support participatory governance. (Note: This could include participatory governance related to the management of forests, wildlife, water supplies, and other subjects in natural resources and the environment.) The total grant amount requested must be between £15 thousand and £30 thousand per year for a maximum of two years. A list of eligible countries is included in the call. The deadline is 24 October 2024. Commonwealth Foundation
Smithsonian Institution — Resilience and Sustainability Science Postdoctoral Fellowship
Smithsonian seeks to support up to five post-doctoral fellows as they conduct independent research in support of the Smithsonian’s goals to understand and expand resilience. These fellows will be able to leverage the Smithsonian’s resources, including its scientists, collections, exhibits, and data sets, to advance scientific understanding of resilience and sustainability in either marine or terrestrial systems. Recipients will receive a stipend of $62 thousand per year for Postdoctoral Fellows. Stipends are prorated for periods of less than 24 months. A maximum research allowance of $10 thousand is available for the fellowship period. The fellowship program is open to qualified applicants worldwide. All applications must be submitted by 15 October 2024. Resilience and Sustainability Science Postdoctoral Fellowship
Conrad Foundation — Spirit of Innovation Challenge 2024-2025
The Spirit of Innovation Challenge is a worldwide competition for youth ages 13-18 to create commercially viable products or services to address issues of global sustainability. Categories include “Energy and Environment”. Ideas are submitted by student teams, which can be international, if desired. There is a fee for team registration (discounted rates may apply for qualified title one schools or special circumstances). The winning teams are offered seed money to continue the development of their ideas. The application deadline for the activation stage (phase 1) is 01 November 2024. Link to the challenge
Munich Re Foundation — RISK Award “Children and Youths”
The RISK Award seeks operational field projects in risk reduction and disaster management. The prize will provide financial support of €100 thousand to projects dedicated to increasing people’s resilience to risks and disasters, especially in developing countries. The submitted projects may emphasize the importance of children and young people as agents of change. There are no eligibility restrictions but research institutions and NGOs are especially encouraged to submit. Projects have to be submitted by 17 October 2024. More
U.S. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation — Conservation of Sea Turtles 2025
The U.S. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) requests proposals that seek to improve the recovery and conservation of sea turtle populations. The majority of projects will take place in the Western Hemisphere: leatherbacks and loggerheads in the Northwest Atlantic, and leatherbacks and hawksbills in the Eastern Pacific. In 2025, the NFWF Sea Turtles Program will also award support to permitted U.S. organizations in providing sea turtle stranding response and/or rehabilitation in the United States and U.S. Territories. The RFP will award up to US$1.5 million, however, the majority of awards will fall in the range of US$50 thousand to US$300 thousand. A minimum of a 1:1 match of cash and/or in-kind services is required. Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations, government agencies, Indian tribes, educational institutions, businesses, and individuals. The deadline for pre-proposals is 10 September 2024. NFWF’s Sea Turtles Program