Earthwatch Research Funding Program

Earthwatch supports research projects that produce rigorous, relevant, and impactful science, address global change, and actively involve citizen-scientist participants.

Geographic Scope: Global (with geographic restrictions due to safety concerns—review "No Go" List)

Focus Areas:

• Biodiversity Conservation
• Marine Conservation
• Traditional Ecological Knowledge
• Climate change
• Habitat loss and degradation
• Air and plastic pollution
• Endangered species
• Urban resilience

Award Amount: Annual budgets for projects with long-duration teams range between $20,000–$80,000 USD, with most covering volunteer and staff expenses while in the field. Final grants provided on a per-capita basis based on number of participants.

Project Duration: Research projects are tenable for three years, subject to annual performance review, and may be eligible for renewal beyond that period. Long-term support averages 10–11 years across available projects.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Scientific merit
• Appropriateness of citizen-scientist activities
• Expected project outcomes and impacts
• Safety and logistics

Funded Expenses:

• Field equipment and supplies
• PI and co-PI transport to the field
• Participant field transportation
• Field technicians
• Support staff (cooks, logistics coordinators, wildlife guards, drivers, etc.)
• Food and housing for PIs/co-PIs, field technicians, and Earthwatch participants

NOT Funded:

• Scientist salaries
• Student tuition
• Institutional overhead
• Capital equipment
• Post-fielding data analysis

PI Eligibility Requirements:

• Pre-proposals must be submitted by the PI responsible for all scientific oversight
• Lead PI or at least one research team member must have a Ph.D. in the field of proposed research
• Affiliation required with: university, government agency, tribal agency, or science-focused NGO
• OR collaborate with a co-investigator meeting those qualifications
• Earthwatch encourages applications from: historically underrepresented groups in STEM, scientists local to research nation, early career scientists
• University labs (advisors + grad students) provide strong model

Project Requirements:

• Quantifiable goals and measurable impacts
• 3-year or longer duration (longer-term receives priority)
• Field-based research and data collection with participants trained in field
• Data gathered primarily by citizen-scientist participants recruited by Earthwatch
• Minimum of 4 research teams per year (average 6-8 teams)
• 4–15 participants per team as needed
• Field research teams typically 7–9 days (some 10–14 days)
• Reputable housing within 45-minute drive from site
• Must field: adult, high school and college student, teacher, and/or corporate groups
• Run in English with all communications and documents in English
• Educate volunteers about science and relevance to global priorities
• Prioritize locally run vendors, partners, and sustainable businesses
• Collaborate with local community stakeholders through engagement, outreach, conservation actions

Research Ethics Standards:

• All projects must follow existing institutional, national, and international standards
• Animals: Only capture/handling when justified and necessary; develop noninvasive methods (eDNA, camera traps, acoustical monitoring)
• Human Subjects: IRB clearance required prior to fielding; participants not to conduct independent surveys
• Bias: Rigorous QA/QC measures while engaging citizen scientists; assessment and publication encouraged
• Sustainability: Minimize carbon footprint; sustainable transportation, accommodations, food, and community interactions

Citizen Science Model:

• Earthwatch recruits diverse participant types: individuals, professionals, groups, teens (15-18), community fellows
• Participants meaningfully contribute by collecting field data under direct scientist supervision
• No previous research experience required
• Earthwatch staff prepare participants using PI-developed materials; PIs train upon field arrival

Application Process

Step 1: Submit Pre-Proposal

• Visit Earthwatch Submission Portal
• Submit pre-proposal for review
• NOTE: As of 2026, new pre-proposals accepted starting April 2026 for projects beginning in 2028

Step 2: Pre-Proposal Review
Proposals evaluated on:

• Scientific merit
• Appropriateness of citizen-scientist activities
• Expected project outcomes and impacts
• Safety and logistics

Required Materials for Pre-Proposal:

• All materials submitted by the PI
• Scientific qualifications documentation
• Institutional affiliation verification
• Research proposal details
• Citizen-science integration plan
• Safety assessment and field logistics
• Community engagement strategy
• Ethics compliance documentation (IRB clearance for human subjects, animal protocol compliance)

Proposal Requirements:

• Describe quantifiable goals and measurable impacts
• Justify 3+ year duration
• Detail field-based research and citizen-scientist participant roles
• Specify minimum 4 research teams per year
• Define team size (4–15 participants) and duration (7–9 or 10–14 days)
• Identify housing location within 45-minute radius
• Describe participant types to be fielded
• Confirm English-language operations
• Explain volunteer education about science relevance
• Detail local vendor/partner priorities and sustainable practices
• Outline community stakeholder collaboration
• Demonstrate research ethics compliance
• Address carbon footprint minimization and ecological sustainability
• Explain QA/QC measures and citizen scientist engagement

Submission Format:

• Submit through Submission Portal
• All communications and documents must be in English

Additional Notes:

• Earthwatch funding is supplemental to other funding sources
• Research ethics standards (animals, human subjects, bias reduction, ecological sustainability) must be addressed
• Contact partnerships@earthwatch.org for questions