Funding Opportunities & Awards

There are opportunities for funding for community-engaged education projects.In addition to funding, some organizations offer recognition to scientists who show excellence in community engagement and science communications.

Funding

The SAPIENS Public Fellowship program places one recent PhD, in anthropology or a closely aligned discipline, in a two-year term fellowship at SAPIENS, the Wenner-Gren Foundation’s online magazine. The Fellow gains experience in the work of the magazine, expands their professional networks, and receives professional mentoring. Wenner Gren’s Global Initiatives Grant program funds a small number of one-time projects designed to meet needs not addressed by their other programs. They fund innovative, collaborative initiatives that build capacity in anthropology. They look for projects in which a small amount of money can have a wide and lasting impact in creating the conditions that allow the discipline to survive and thrive.
The European Society for Evolutionary Biology welcomes applications to the ESEB Outreach Initiative Fund for projects that promote evolution-related activities. The goal of this initiative is to improve public knowledge about evolution globally. Applications for funding will be accepted for educational initiatives that promote evolution, translation of evolutionary material (books, films, and websites) intended for a general audience, public outreach seminars, public exhibitions, etc.
The Society for the Study of Evolution awards small grants that provide support for local and regional educational outreach activities. It is their hope that these projects will lead to ongoing outreach collaboration in future years. Preference will be given to new collaborations, but extensions of previous projects that have evidence of success are allowed. Examples of past outreach activities have included public lectures, exhibits, student competitions, and professional development events for teachers. Applicants must be members of SSE, and are advised to join SSE, if not already members, as soon as possible to facilitate their applications.
The Society for Vertebrate Paleontology Outreach Fund supports engaging, creative, and impactful educational programming and community engagement. You must be a SVP member to apply for this fund.
NSF Advancing Informal Science Learning (AISL) grants advance new approaches to and evidence-based understanding of the design and development of STEM learning opportunities for the public in informal environments; provide multiple pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences; advance innovative research on and assessment of STEM learning in informal environments; and engage the public of all ages in learning STEM in informal environments.
National Geographic Society offers grants to individuals working on projects in science, conservation, storytelling, education, and technology that align with one or more of their focus areas: ocean, land, wildlife, human history and cultures, and human ingenuity.
500 Women Scientists offers a Fellowship for the Future to recognize and amplify the crucial role of women of color in science, technology, engineering, math and medicine (STEMM) by supporting women of color who are leading community-based STEMM projects that align with the mission of 500 Women Scientists and are focused on increasing equity, inclusion, and/or social justice in STEMM.
AAAS’s L’Oréal USA For Women in Science program awards five women postdoctoral scientists annually with grants of $60,000 each for their contributions in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields and commitment to serving as role models for younger generations. in science grants to advance their research and careers and Changing the Face of Stem Mentoring Grants, designed to support former FWIS fellows to mentor the next generation of women and girls in STEM fields. These are $2,500 grants awarded to FWIS alumni to develop STEM education outreach initiatives.

Awards and Recognition

The AABA and Leakey Foundation Communication & Outreach Award in Honor of Camilla Smith is awarded annually in recognition of outstanding public communication and educational outreach efforts in the field of biological anthropology.
The AAAS Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science recognizes early-career scientists and engineers who demonstrate excellence in their contribution to public engagement with science activities.