Weston Family Boreal Research Fellowship Grant

Weston Family Boreal Research Fellowship Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Wildlife Conservation Society Canada
Amount: Up to C $20,000
Last Updated: November 07, 2025

Summary

The Weston Family Boreal Research Fellowship, supported by the Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, offers financial assistance to graduate students conducting field-based research in the Ontario Northern Boreal and Northern Boreal Mountains. This fellowship encourages projects that align with WCS Canada's conservation objectives and that collaborate with Indigenous communities. Successful applicants will benefit from mentorship and networking opportunities, while contributing to significant conservation efforts in North America's boreal regions.

Overview

Background With generous support from the Weston Family Foundation, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Canada is pleased to offer one-year Boreal Research Fellowships to graduate students pursuing their Master's or Doctoral degree. Successful applicants will receive financial support for their projects, mentorship from WCS Canada scientists, and an opportunity to network with other Fellows. Weston Family Boreal Research Fellowships support field-based research that contributes to WCS Canada’s conservation objectives or priority research projects in the Ontario Northern Boreal and the Northern Boreal Mountains of BC and Yukon. We encourage research that partners with Indigenous communities in these regions. Boreal research that takes place outside of the priority regions that supports WCS Canada’s vision and mission may also be eligible if it aligns with the conservation and research objectives of the priority regions. Our Mission: To save wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. Our Vision: WCS envisions a world where wildlife thrives in healthy lands and seas, valued by societies that embrace and benefit from the diversity and integrity of life on Earth. Please refer to additional informations here.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Eligible ProjectsThe boreal region in North America is one of the Priority Regions for global conservation identified by the Wildlife Conservation Society. WCS Canada’s work to conserve the boreal is focused on the Ontario Northern Boreal and the Northern Boreal Mountains of BC and Yukon.These represent some of the last intact wild areas remaining on Earth, and it is our goal to work with local communities to advance conservation.Weston Family Boreal Research Fellowships are an opportunity for graduate students to contribute to conservation in Canada by generating scientific research that can be used in decision-making to support nature and communities.We are looking for high-quality social and ecological scientific research that addresses the conservation objectives or priority research projects of WCS Canada in the Ontario Northern Boreal, the Northern Boreal Mountains, and other priority research projects in the boreal.Weston Family Boreal Research Fellowships prioritize field-based research that supports WCS Canada’s work in the Ontario Northern Boreal and the Northern Boreal Mountains.In order to be eligible for the Weston Family Boreal Research Fellowship, applicants must be pursuing a graduate degree in conservation science, or in a related social or natural science field,i.e., applicants may either be currently enrolled or must have accepted a letter of offer from a University.Current fellows may reapply for and receive continued project support for a maximum of three years per research project.Applications for new projects from Fellows who have previously been awarded the Weston Family Boreal Research Fellowship will be considered. For example, a student that received a Fellowship award for Master's research may apply to support subsequent PhD research.Eligible Expenses - The following expenses are considered eligible for Fellowship support:Lab fees and other analytical costsResearch equipment, material, and suppliesTravel to, from, and around research sitesTravel in support of collaborative activities with partners and attending and presenting at conferencesShipping and postage costsStipends and salary costs for hiring field assistance & supportExpenses that support knowledge co-creation with Indigenous communities, including honoraria, consulting with the community before the research begins, and returning the results to the community in ways that are meaningful (e.g., translation, plain-language materials, photos, video, and other visuals)Training that supports cross-cultural competency before engaging with Indigenous communitiesCosts associated with the publication of research results in open-access journalsOther costs related to the needs of the research project or that have the potential to expand the impact of the research project

Ineligibility

Stipends for graduate students are not eligible for Fellowship support.