Research Grants

Grant Process

• Proposals are typically generated in one of two ways:
  • National Park Service (NPS) official determines a need for research and finds a principal investigator (PI).
  • Researcher contacts the park with an idea for research.
• Submissions must be completed electronically through the WNP web portal from October 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024, end of day. The full RFP, including guidelines and application samples, are available above.
• WNP Research Committee evaluates submitted grant proposals and makes decisions regarding funding awards.
• Parks and the primary PI will be notified by email of funding decisions the week of February 10, 2025.
• Those approved for funding will receive an electronic copy of the 2025 WNP Grant Awardee Handbook.
  • This document includes the grant agreement, which requires electronic signatures of the benefiting/host park superintendent, chief of interpretation, and primary PI as the final step in the grant approval process.
  • The handbook will be routed for signatures through DocuSign.
  • Once fully executed by all parties, a final copy will be delivered to all signers automatically by DocuSign.

Funding Criteria

Where We Fund

Grant projects must originate in a WNP-affiliated park in Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.

What We Fund

WNP supports a wide range of scholarly research across various disciplines, including but not limited to anthropology, archaeology, botany, citizen science, ecology, geology, history, natural history, social science, and zoology. Proposals that contribute to the understanding and preservation of natural and cultural resources within our national parks are particularly encouraged.

Who May Apply

• Consideration will also be given to proposals submitted by active NPS employees.
• Graduate students may not serve as primary project PIs but may be listed as a co-PI if the primary PI is the academic supervisor.
• A single park may submit no more than two proposals every year.
• Superintendents submitting more than one proposal in a year must rank each proposal in terms of its priority for park needs.

How Much We Fund

The funding limit for research grants is $20,000 for one-year projects; $40,000 for two-year projects; and $60,000 for three-year projects. For information regarding multiyear funding, refer to the section titled Guidelines.

Guidelines

Research Project Start Date

Proposals must reflect a start date no earlier than March 15, 2025, and no later than September 30, 2025.

Budget

• Travel, equipment, and supplies required by a PI to conduct their research must appear on the budget form and be explained in detail.
• All requests for salaries, stipends, or payment for any individual must indicate what work is to be done to merit the payment and rate of pay for reimbursement. Graduate student stipends will be supported but not tuition payments.
• An itemized list of equipment purchases exceeding $100 is required on the budget form. The purchased items become the property of the NPS when the project is completed unless other arrangements have been made with WNP.
• Any supporting documentation resulting from WNP-funded research, such as oral history tapes, photographs, collections, and specimens, becomes the property of the NPS; the PI and park superintendent are responsible for following current NPS policies and procedures involving disposition of such documents or items.

Non-Qualified Expenses: WNP will not provide monies for the following and may deny funding if such are included:

• Publication costs.
• Active NPS employee salaries and/or benefits.
• Administrative or overhead costs of other organizations and institutions.
• Augmenting the salary of faculty members at institutions of higher education during the period covered by the term of faculty appointment or to reimburse faculty members for consulting if they receive a regular full institutional salary covering the same period of employment as the research project. WNP regards research as one of the normal functions of faculty members at institutions of higher education.

Multiyear Projects

Under special circumstances, multiyear proposals, up to three years, will be considered, based on the following conditions:

• Initial proposal states the proper project duration and project completion date.
• Project objectives, methods, participants for each year are clearly outlined, and estimated budget (with justification) is explicitly detailed.
• Submission of adequate and timely annual reporting for the duration of the project as required by WNP.
• A park may have only one ongoing, multiyear project under way at any given time.
• The funding limit for multiyear projects is $40,000 for a two-year project and $60,000 for a three-year project.

Failure to submit adequate and timely annual reporting for the duration of the project, as required by WNP, may result in the forfeiture of unpaid funds.

Submission Instructions

Online Grant Proposal

All proposals must be approved and submitted by the benefiting/host park superintendent online through the WNP web portal. Links to the applications are located at the top of this page along with an option to download the complete RFP.

Deadline for Submission

To be considered for fiscal year 2025 funding, all proposals must be submitted through the WNP web portal between October 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024.

WNP Contact Information

After reading all the provided materials, should you have questions or need assistance, contact us.

Research Proposal Examples

For your reference, below are past research proposals deemed outstanding by the WNP Research Committee.

FY 2020 Proposals

Saving Cultural Resources from National Resources: Salvage Archaeology in a Pinniped Rookery

Unveiling a potential new species of California Jewelflower endemic to Pinnacles National Park

Understanding a Decade of Dietary Competition in Two Endemic Island Carnivores: Implications for Conservation, Resilience, and Persistence

FY 2019 Proposals

FY 2018 Proposals

General Tips for Completing Your Proposal

• Interpretation Focus: 
  WNP prioritizes the effective interpretation of research findings. Proposals that include a plan for accessible, inclusive, and engaging interpretation-related products, which impact visitor experiences directly, are looked upon favorably. Consider including products that authentically represent diverse perspectives or reflect civic engagement within the parks.
• Distinctive Factors: 
  Emphasize specifics that differentiate the proposal, such as citizen science initiatives, public involvement, innovative tools (e.g., interactive brochures or visitor center videos), bilingual materials, research on understudied topics, media outreach, or critical research opportunities.
• Funding Relationships: 
  If requesting seed money to justify proposing a larger project or augmenting an existing project funded by another source, clearly explain the relationship and how the WNP grant will contribute to the overall project.
• Matching Contributions: 
  Proposals with matching cash or in-kind contributions will be given priority. It is important to clearly note any such contributions in the budget.

The following documents may assist in crafting your proposal:

Past Funded Research Projects Searchable database of WNP-funded research final reports.

Supporting WNP’s mission and goals while promoting your research.

Examples of compelling research projects supported by WNP’s research grant program.

Examples and strategies for effectively sharing your research project.

Pointers for Using the Online Application Forms

Save and forward the form to someone for review and/or signature

• Save the Form
  • After filling out the form, click the “Save” button.
  • You will receive an email with a link to the saved form.
• Open the Email
  • Go to your email inbox and find the message from JotForm with the subject “Continue Filling Out this Form.”
• Forward the Form
  • Open the email and click the “Forward” button in your email client.
  • Enter the email address of the person who needs to review and/or sign the form.
  • Include a message letting them know they can click the link in the email to access and complete their portion of the form.
• Sign and Submit
  • The recipient can click the link, review the form, sign, and submit it.

Print the form

• Locate the Print Button
  • Scroll to the bottom of the form where you’ll find the “Print” button.
• Click the Print Button
  • Click on the “Print” button to open your device’s print dialog.
• Choose Print Options
  • Select your printer to print a physical copy, or choose “Save as PDF” if you want to save it as a digital file.
• Print or Save
  • Complete the printing process if you are printing a hard copy, or save the file as a PDF to your computer.

Save your progress while completing the form

• At the End of Each Page
  • After filling out each page of the form, click the “Save” button at the bottom before moving on to the next page.
• Resume Later
  • When you click “Save”, you’ll receive an email with a link to continue where you left off. You can use this link to come back to the form at any time.
• Continue Filing Out the Form
  • When you’re ready to return, click the link in the email to pick-up right where you left off, with all your previous responses saved.