Apply for Research Funding
We support research projects that produce rigorous, relevant, and impactful science, address global change, and actively involve citizen-scientist participants in the fieldwork. We are shifting to a rolling request for our initial concept notes and research proposals process, effective July 2026, and for projects to begin in 2028. We evaluate proposals based on scientific merit, appropriateness of citizen-scientist activities, expected project outcomes and impacts, safety, logistics, and financial sustainability.
Earthwatch funding is intended to be supplemental to other sources of funding. Annual budgets for projects range between US $20,000–$80,000, with most of that covering scientist and staff transportation and expenses while in the field. Funding will follow a "per-team field support" model, where research funding is generated through each expedition team and directly supports field execution and data collection. Research projects are tenable for three years, subject to annual performance review, and are most often eligible for renewal beyond that period. We pride ourselves on our capacity for long-term support of research projects, averaging around 12 years of support across the projects available for public recruitment.
Earthwatch takes the safety of all people involved in projects we support very seriously. Therefore, we are unable to support research projects in certain regions of the world due to safety concerns, with no exceptions.
We fund the following field expenses:
Field equipment and supplies
PI, co-PI and field staff transportation to the research location
Participant field transportation
Field technician stipdends
Support staff (including: cooks, logistics coordinators, wildlife guards, drivers, etc.
Note: Participant accommodations and food are now managed by Earthwatch Expeditions staff and are covered independently from the funding provided to the scientists.
We are not able to fund the following:
Scientist salaries
Student tuition
Institutional overhead
Capital equipment
Post-fielding data analysis
Submit a Concept Note
To submit a concept note for review, please visit our Submission Portal.
Request for Field Research Concept Notes:
Project Requirements
Funding Requirements
To fit our citizen-science model, unless otherwise stated in the request for concept notes and proposals, all proposed projects must:
Have quantifiable goals and measurable impacts of action taken by the project;
Have a 5-year or longer duration (longer-term research will receive priority support);
Incorporate field-based research and data collection, with participants sufficiently trained while in the field;
Have data gathered primarily by citizen-scientist participants recruited by Earthwatch;
Field between 6–10 research teams per year, with typically 8–15 participants per team as needed for data collection, and participants providing 2-5 days of research support/fieldwork per team;
Be run in English, with all communications by field staff and supporting documents in English;
Educate participants about the project’s science and its relevance to global priorities;
Prioritize sustainable local vendors and community partnerships;
Collaborate with local community stakeholders through engagement, outreach and contributions to conservation actions;
Maintain at least one other source of financial or institutional support.
PI Requirements
All pre-proposals must be submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI), who will be responsible for all scientific oversight of the proposed research and analyses. The lead PI, or at least one member of the research team must have a Ph.D. in the field of the proposed research and an affiliation with a university, government or tribal agency, or science-focused NGO, or collaborate with a co-investigator that meets those qualifications. Earthwatch encourages members of groups historically underrepresented in STEM, scientists local to the nation where the research takes place, and early career scientists, to apply. University labs (advisors + grad students) provide a strong and successful approach for our model. In that context, we encourage graduate student participation in projects as research technicians, and are able to include per diem stipends in the research budgets for these roles.
While in the field, Earthwatch participants must be led by scientifically qualified personnel. We encourage the presence of the PI in the field, though trained field staff may lead some of the specific fieldwork. The researcher leading Earthwatch participants must have experience leading groups afield. The leader must be fluent in English, familiar with Earthwatch safety protocols and guidelines, and certified in first aid. Additionally, that individual must be able to communicate about the research effectively with participants, respond to questions, and connect the research to a larger global context.
Research Ethics Standards
Supporting research conducted in an ethical manner is a priority at Earthwatch Expeditions by Nat Hab. Our research ethics standards are as follows:
Working with Animals
All projects must follow any existing institutional, national, and international standards for working with animals. We only support capture and handling of animals when it is justified and absolutely necessary to answer research questions and when data cannot be obtained in a more noninvasive manner. We are interested in supporting the development of novel noninvasive methods and technologies, including, but not limited to, eDNA sampling, camera traps, acoustical monitoring tools, etc., as long as participants are involved in their deployment, data collection, and some of the initial analyses as relevant.
Working with Human Subjects
All projects must follow any existing institutional, national, and international standards for working with people, and provide IRB “clearance” prior to fielding with Earthwatch participants. Participants are not to conduct social surveys or interviews in local communities independently or unsupervised, although they may assist the research staff in this when deemed appropriate.
Reducing Bias
All PIs and their staff must apply rigorous quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) measures, while at the same time engaging citizen scientist participants in as many aspects of the research as possible. We encourage PIs to assess and publish on the Earthwatch model of citizen science in the context of the PI’s focal research.
Improving Ecological Sustainability
Projects must be designed to minimize their carbon footprint and operate in as ecologically sustainable of a manner as possible. This includes transportation, accommodations and food, and interactions with local communities.