TACF External Grants Program

The TACF External Grants Program aims to support research on American chestnut restoration, with funding opportunities available for projects up to $50,000. The program encourages proposals addressing various priority research areas, including gene product investigations, pathogen interactions, and ecological studies. Grants cover one year of funding, with the possibility of extending for up to five years. Applicants must be in good standing and demonstrate matching fund support. Note: The program is on hiatus in 2025.

NOTE: This program is on hiatus in 2025 and is expected to resume in 2026.
Are you looking for funding to support your American chestnut research? External grants offer recipients a variety of benefits such as professional development and an expanded network. Grant activities contribute to the continuous renewal and development of faculty and staff, to the education and motivation of students, and achievement of our mutual interest – restoration of the American chestnut.
The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) is pleased to announce its annual request for research proposals. We will entertain any research proposal concerned with any aspect of chestnut biology that addresses our core mission - to return the iconic American chestnut to its native range.
This is a small grants program. TACF does not ordinarily fund projects in excess of $10,000, with exceptions made for priority research areas.
Priority Research Areas
TACF is particularly interested in the following research areas, but will not limit proposals to these topics. The Committee will entertain proposals up to $50,000 should they address the following priority topics:
Investigations on the existence and/or function of gene products encoded by the native "germin" genes of dentata is an area of interest.Investigations into host x pathogen interactions of Cryphonectria parasitica or Phytophthora cinnamomi in species of Castanea.Studies which compare the ecological functionality of backcross and transgenic American chestnuts to wild type American chestnut.The development of methods to optimize vegetative propagation of American chestnut. Examples include optimizing protocols for rooted cuttings and/or grafting.Studies which address or local adaptation and abiotic stress tolerance in wildtype, transgenic, and backcross hybrid populations of American chestnut.Development of methods to increase the efficiency of embryogenesis and/or induction of shoot apical meristems to enable genetic transformation and gene editing in American chestnut.
Duration
Grants are to cover the twelve months following acceptance of the grant. Multiyear proposals will only have the first year funded. Requests for funding of subsequent years will require resubmission (using a nearly identical proposal, with a full report on the research project required before any other requests are considered). Funding for subsequent years’ funding is not guaranteed. TACF will entertain proposals for the same project for a maximum of five (5) years.

Eligibility

We will entertain any research proposal concerned with the myriad of aspects involved in chestnut restoration that address our core mission.Student salaries are allowedApplicant must be in good standing with TACF, e.g. submitted past grant reports. Do not submit a proposal if it has not been reviewed/approved by your university sponsored projects office.
You must be a member of this organization to apply for this award - become a member. Principal Investigators are required to hold at least a Regular membership with
The American Chestnut Foundation at the time of application.

Ineligibility

TACF's policy is not to pay overhead charges, since our grants are relatively small. Payment of faculty salary is also not allowed.If principal investigator (PI) is a current recipient of other funding from TACF via pass-through funds, the PI is ineligible to apply for funds through this program; this does not apply to current, active grants through the External Grants program.