Funding Opportunities for Paleontology Research & Education

Delaware Valley Paleontological Society

The DVPS offers the Paul Bond Scholarship.  The $1,500 grant is available to any graduate student in the tri-State Philadelphia Region studying paleontology and may be used for any education or research-related expenses.  Applications are generally due around March 1st.  More details and application instructions can be found HERE.

The DVPS also provides grants on an occasional basis for paleontology-related projects of all stripes. The granted projects are not restricted to the Philadelphia region. Click HERE for more details.

National Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation offers numerous funding opportunities for students and researchers in a wide variety of earth science and paleontology-related fields. Check the Find Funding page of the website often for details.

• Graduate Research Fellowship Program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported STEM disciplines who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees at accredited US institutions. The five-year fellowship includes three years of financial support including an annual stipend of $34,000 and a cost of education allowance of $12,000 to the institution.

Association of APPLIED paleontological Sciences

The Association of Applied Paleontological Sciences offers the A. Allen Graffham Research Grant. This is a $1,000 grant for research on specimens collected by or in collaboration with AAPS members.  

Evolving Earth Foundation

The Evolving Earth Foundation offers up to 10 grants each year, for up to $3,000 each, to support research in the earth sciences.  These grants are restricted to undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students and projects that relate to the mission and priorities of the foundation.

Dinosaur Research Institute

The Dinosaur Research Institute has several great grant opportunities, including:

• the DRI Student Grants, which supports several graduate student projects each year for up to $3,000

• field work in Alberta, Canada

• the Rene Vandervelde Travel Grant to support attendance at the SVP Annual Meeting

• Scholarship Supporting Neoceratopsian Research, which supports any aspect of neoceratopsian dinosaur research and/or publications and presentations.

CLEVELAND Museum of Natural History

The Department of Paleobotany & Paleoecology at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History is offering the John H. Hoskins Grant-In-Aid program.

• The program awards four grants for up to $1,000 for research to be conducted on the paleobotany collection.

• Grants are for visiting researchers who wish to visit the collections. Funds may be used for transportation and housing expenses.

• Priority is given to graduate students or early career scientists (within 5 years of their Ph.D.) and international scholars without ready access to research funds.

Geological Society of America

GSA hosts numerous funding opportunities for students, early-career researchers, those studying in developing countries, and much more.

• Travel Grants: Financial assistance is offered to undergraduate and graduate students who are members of GSA for travel to both the GSA Geographic Section meetings and the national GSA Annual Meeting.

• Graduate Student Research Grants: The primary role of the GSA research grants program is to provide partial support of master's and doctoral thesis research in the geological sciences for graduate students enrolled in universities in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Central America. 

• ZEISS-GSA Geoscience Research Grant: Together, GSA and ZEISS are offering GSA members a new research grant of up to $10,000 to be used for innovative microscopy in geoscience projects. ZEISS will also provide access to technology and expertise with the instrumentation.

• On To the Future: supports students from diverse communities to attend the Annual Meeting by offering partial travel funding, full meeting registration, one-year membership, mentorship, and special sessions with leadership while at the meeting.

• Expanding Representation in Geosciences (ERG) Scholarship: Undergraduate students from groups who are underrepresented in the geosciences are encouraged to apply or be nominated for a scholarship. In addition, students will also receive complimentary GSA student membership and meeting registration for this year’s GSA Annual Meeting & Exposition, where a student awards reception will be held.

• Undergraduate and Graduate Student Research Grants: Questions about these grants should be directed to the contact person listed on each Section's grants information page.

• History and Philosophy of Geology Student Award: This GSA division now offers four (4) separate awards. See the website for details.

Society of Vertebrate Paleontology

SVP offers numerous awards and grants, all of which are presented at the annual meeting. These are available to students, researchers, paleoartists, etc.

• Cohen Award for Student Research: To foster excellent student research in the study of vertebrate paleontology.

• Colbert Prize: Best student poster.

• Dawson Grant: To promote professional careers in vertebrate paleontology.

• Estes Memorial Grant: Graduate research in non-mammalian paleontology.

• Gregory Award: Outstanding service to the welfare of the Society.

• Hix Preparators' Grant: To advance preparation and preparators.

• Honorary Membership Award: Distinguished contribution to the field of vertebrate paleontology.

• Institutional Membership Award: To provide access to online publications and news of SVP for institutions based in developing countries

• Jackson School of Geosciences Student Travel Grant: To encourage student participation in the SVP Annual Meeting.

• Jon C. Graff International Paleontology Award (formerly the SEDN Award): To enable scientists from economically developing nations to present research at the SVP Annual Meeting.

• Lanzendorf-National Geographic PaleoArt Prize: Outstanding achievement in paleontological illustration and art.

• Outreach and Education Grant: To provide support to SVP members for programs and activities focused on education and community engagementPatterson Memorial Grant
  Student fieldwork in vertebrate paleontology.

• Romer Prize: Best student presentation at the SVP Annual Meeting.

• Romer-Simpson Medal: Lifetime achievement in the field of vertebrate paleontology.

• Skinner Award: Contributions to science through supporting the collection of vertebrate fossils.

• SVP Futures Award: To support summer undergraduate research projects in vertebrate paleontology by students that identify as underrepresented ethnic minorities or people of color.

• Taylor & Francis Award: Best student article in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

• Wood Award: To support student research that involves museum and university vertebrate fossil and/or natural history collections.

The Palaeontographical Society (U.K.)

• The Edward Forbes Prize: The Edward Forbes Prize recognizes outstanding contributions by early career researchers in the field of taxonomic and systematic palaeontology. The Prize, which is to be awarded for publication excellence, comprises £250 and a one-year membership of the Society. The Prize will be awarded at the Society’s Annual General Meeting each year. Click the image for more details.

• The Richard Owen Research Fund: The Palaeontographical Society awards small financial Grants to assist palaeontological research (travel, visits to museums, fieldwork, etc.) within the Society’s remit of describing the fossil fauna and flora of the British Isles. Click the image above for more details.

• The Bulman Fund: The Bulman Fund exists to help in the preparation of illustrations for monographs of the Society that have been accepted and are in an advanced stage of preparation. Small grants of up to £300 are available to offset the costs of line drawings or other illustrations deemed essential for the monograph being prepared. Authors wishing to apply for this fund should contact the secretary. Click the image for more details.

Association for Women Geoscientists

The AWG Foundation funds projects that support the common goals of AWG and AWGF. Projects are funded for one year at a time; annual reports are required. Proposals should be submitted at least 45 days before the AWGF Annual Meeting, usually held the weekend before the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America.

The Linnean Society

The Linnean Society aims to promote the study of all aspects of the biological sciences. Through awarding medals and grants, the Society acknowledges and encourages excellence in all of these fields. Only the opportunities that are pertinent to the earth and paleontological sciences and education are listed here.

Awards, Medals, and Prizes

• The Linnean Medal awarded to a scientist for service to the natural sciences.

• The Bicentenary Medal awarded to a scientist under the age of 40 years in recognition of excellent research in the natural sciences.

• The Darwin-Wallace Medal awarded to a person or group who have made major advances in evolutionary science.

• The Irene Manton Prize £1000 to a PhD student for the best botany thesis in an academic year.

• The John C Marsden Medal £1000 and a medal awarded for the best doctoral thesis in biology.

• The John Spedan Lewis Medal awarded to an individual who is making a significant and innovative contribution to conservation. On hold for 2020, while under review by JSLF.

• The H H Bloomer Award awarded to an amateur naturalist for an important contribution to natural history knowledge.

• The Jill Smythies Award of £1000 to a botanical artist for outstanding illustrations.

Grants

• Percy Sladen Memorial Fund Grants of up to £1500 supporting field work abroad in the earth and life sciences.

• The Systematics Research Fund supports research in the field of systematics and taxonomy.

• The Appleyard Fund of up to £2,000 supporting research projects in botany or zoology, by Fellows or Associates of the Society.

• Our Local Nature Grants of up to £1,000 to increase youth engagement with local natural spaces and encourage a deeper appreciation and understanding of nature. [Closed 1st November 2020]

Positive Payload Program

Are there any paleo field crews that DON’T rely on a truck? If so, they’re probably doing it wrong!

The Positive Payload Program is designed to benefit non-profit charitable organizations who use and rely on pickup trucks to better their community. Anyone who works with or volunteers for a charity that uses Ford F-150s, Chevrolet Silverados, GMC Sierras, or Dodge Rams is welcome to apply for a $2,000 donation to the charity they are involved with. The person who nominates the selected charity will be awarded $200 (via mailed check) and an AmericanTrucks t-shirt.