Green-Wood Research Award in Human/Nature Interactions

The Green-Wood Research Award in Human/Nature Interactions provides support for emerging investigators and designers to conduct original research or design work that utilizes the location, landscape and/or collections of Green-Wood Cemetery and Historic Fund to advance the study of the relationship between humans and nature.

Geographic Scope: Not limited to universities in the United States or to United States citizens. International applicants welcome.

Funding Amount: Awards up to a maximum of $4,000 per year. Applicants are encouraged to leverage and combine funds with other sources of financial support to foster more ambitious projects.

Focus Areas: Research and design work spanning natural, social, and health sciences, and design fields that focus on human/nature interactions. Sample topics include:

• Bereavement
• Physical and behavioral health
• Gentrification
• Environmental justice and colonial legacy
• Urban climate resilience
• Green burial and religious ritual
• Ecological landscape design

About Green-Wood: A world-renowned arboretum featuring a dynamic living collection of approximately 8,000 specimens representing 695 taxa, 61 taxonomic families, and 159 different genera. Green-Wood's living collection sequesters 264,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide annually, removes 12,000 lbs. of pollution from the air, and mitigates 2,620,000 gallons of stormwater. Also houses expansive historical and cultural archives and collections.

Eligibility:

• Emerging investigators including graduate students, early-career faculty, NGO-affiliated staff
• Those trained in natural, social, and health sciences, and design fields
• Special consideration may be given to advanced undergraduate students
• Applicants should be well positioned to conduct original, independent research or design work
• Must be fluent in English
• Special consideration given to groups under-represented in their fields of practice

Award Benefits: In addition to monetary award, researchers receive:

• Access to landscape assets
• Data associated with plant records and wildlife
• Map layers and Esri GIS software and mobile app tools
• Support staff (equipment operation, electricians for monitoring devices)
• Storage space for equipment
• Freezers and refrigerators for temporary sample storage
• Office space with desktops

Multi-Year Projects: Eligible for continued funding, but renewal proposal and progress report required annually. Entire cohort reviewed collectively each year—no guarantee of continued funding.

Deliverables:

• Award recipients expected to participate in public education program in latter half of award term
• Final report due by March 1 of award end year
• Reports made available to stakeholders via Internet and/or printed form
• Should include figures, tables, photographs, and documentation in style accessible to non-scientists

Project Term: February 15 to January 31 (12-month award cycle)

Selection Criteria: Reviewed through competitive process by Green-Wood staff and qualified experts. Selection based on:

• Expertise of applicant and readiness to conduct proposed study
• Quality of proposed study
• Relevance to Green-Wood's collections and award goals

Application Process

Deadline: January 15 (annually)

Submission: Upload completed proposals via online form in PDF format. Proposals must be received by December 31 to be eligible for funding.

Required Materials:

1. Proposal Narrative (maximum 3 pages, 1" margins, 12-point Times New Roman or Arial font):
   • Project Title: Brief, clear, specific description of proposed work
   • Principal Investigator(s) and Cooperators: Names, titles, contact addresses, email addresses, and primary roles
   • Background: Describe importance to award goals/priorities; reasons for work; important problems/opportunities to address; needs to fulfill; intended beneficiaries
   • Specific Objectives: Clear, complete, logically arranged statements of specific objectives and testable hypotheses if appropriate; measurable outcomes relating to human/nature interaction
   • Approach/Methods: Overall strategy and methods to achieve objectives at Green-Wood; innovative features relative to previous efforts and demonstrable needs
   • Intended Outcomes and Impacts: Expected outcomes and how project enhances knowledge of human/nature interaction
   • Project Timeline: Anticipated dates for on-site research
2. Budget (one-page maximum):
   • Itemize research and travel costs associated with proposed project
   • Awards not intended as salary stipend
   • Maximum $4,000 per year
3. Curriculum Vitae (maximum 2 pages)
4. Letter of Recommendation (for non-faculty applicants):
   • Referee must submit directly to researchaward@green-wood.com
   • Subject line: "Human Nature Interactions Award" and applicant's name
   • Deadline: January 15

Notification: Project leaders of successful proposals notified in late January

Questions: Contact researchaward@green-wood.com