CNPS SCV Undergraduate Scholarships Grant

CNPS SCV Undergraduate Scholarships Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the California Native Plant Society
Amount: US $1,500
Last Updated: August 19, 2025

Summary

The CNPS SCV Undergraduate Scholarships support students conducting research on the conservation and ecology of native plants in Central and Northern California. Scholarships of up to $3,000 are available, focusing on projects related to native plant conservation, experimental design, and the significance of the research. The Santa Clara Valley Chapter encourages undergraduate students and research teams to apply, especially those investigating the rich biodiversity of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Overview

Background The Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the California Native Plant Society provides scholarships to students doing research on native plant or plant community conservation, plant ecology, plant community restoration, plant systematics, rare plants or other related botanical studies of native plants that grow in habitats in Central and Northern California. Research scholarships of up to $3,000 are available. The amount granted will depend on the project's requirements and available funding. Evaluation of applications will focus on the stated purpose of the research, experimental design, relationship to native plant and native habitat conservation, and overall impression of the research project. Available Scholarships There are several scholarships available. In addition to the two named scholarships that are awarded for research that focuses on specific, however not exclusive, topics, additional scholarships are available. The Sally Casey Shooting Stars Research Scholarship The Sally Casey Shooting Stars Research Scholarship is for a student focused on research involving native wildflowers, native grasses and grasslands, soil carbon, and soil interactions. Sally Casey (1921 - 2019) was a Founding Member of our Chapter and a CNPS Fellow. The education of future botanists was important to Sally, and for many years she helped to fund scholarships with the sale of shooting stars that she grew in her backyard nursery. The Don Mayall Conservation Research Scholarship The Don Mayall Conservation Research Scholarship is for a student focused on research on rare plants and serpentine ecosystems. Don Mayall (1932 - 2017) joined our CNPS Chapter in the mid-1980s. He was a CNPS Fellow and was active with in the successful protection efforts for Edgewood County Park (San Mateo County, CA) & Preserve and Coyote Ridge (Santa Clara County, CA).

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Scholarships are available for an undergraduate student or undergraduate research team (consisting of one or more undergraduates and a supervising faculty member).Students researching topics related to native plant and native habitat conservation in the San Francisco Bay Area are encouraged to apply.Applicants must be enrolled in an undergraduate program in an accredited college or university and undertaking botanical research related to native plants or native plant communities in Central or Northern California.