George Mercer Award for an Outstanding Paper by an Early-Career Researcher
Funding Amount
$2,000 cash award + $700 travel award (for 1st author if under 40 years old)
Deadline
Deadline not published
Grant Type
Foundation
Deadline history & next window
- Cycle
- Annual
- Tracked since
- April 2026
Source: the cycle recorded on this listing. Confirm dates with the funder.
Can we apply?
Check your organization against each line. Taken from the listing; confirm with the funder's guidelines.
Other requirements
- Lead author must be 40 years of age or younger at the time of publication
- Paper must have been published in 2024 or 2025 (for the 2026 award cycle)
- If multiple authors, all authors receive a plaque; those 40 years of age or younger at time of publication share the monetary prize
Overview
Purpose: Given for an outstanding ecological research paper published by a younger researcher.
Eligibility:
- Lead author must be 40 years of age or younger at the time of publication
- Paper must have been published in 2024 or 2025 (for the 2026 award cycle)
- If multiple authors, all authors receive a plaque; those 40 years of age or younger at time of publication share the monetary prize
Award includes:
- $2,000 cash award + $700 travel (for 1st author if under 40 years old)
- Plaques for all authors
Background: Started in 1948
How to Apply
Application Process
Required Materials:
- Nomination letter (not to exceed 2 pages) that includes:
- Birth date(s) of eligible author(s)
- Explanation of the novelty and importance of the paper
- One required letter of support (not to exceed 2 pages)
- No more than two additional letters of support (each not to exceed 2 pages)
- Electronic copy of the publication
Submission: All submissions must be submitted through the online awards submission site.
What Ecological Society of America actually gave
Source: IRS Form 990, 2024 — the most recent filing with itemized grants
- Grants in 2024
- 3
- Total given
- $40K
- Median grant
- $10K
- Range
- $10K–$20K
- By dollars: Tennessee 50%, California 25%, Wisconsin 25%. Top recipient cities: Nashville, TN; San Francisco, CA; Ashland, WI.
Example grants
The Wildlife Society · Nashville, TN
Rise grant support passthrough from nsf
$20K
Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science · San Francisco, CA
Rise grant support passthrough from nsf
$10K
Society of Freshwater Sciences · Ashland, WI
Rise grant support passthrough from nsf
$10K
Focus Areas & Funding Uses
Fields of Work
- Science research
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