Spatial Thinking: Inspiring Action through Place- Based Solutions Grant Program

This funding opportunity supports projects that identify a challenge related to a specific place and its unique conditions and leverages an educational solution using spatial thinking to enable people to act on behalf of the planet and its people.

Spatial thinking is a powerful tool for understanding and telling stories of the past and present of a place and its inhabitants. It can help to understand a place’s unique conditions, how people and the planet relate to those conditions, and create and implement solutions needed to address challenges of a place.

Focus Areas

• Ocean: The Ocean work aims to explore, understand, and conserve marine and coastal systems and empower people across the globe to better understand and protect the world’s ocean.
• Land: The land work aims to explore, understand, and conserve terrestrial and freshwater systems around the world and empower others to better understand and protect the lands, lakes, and rivers.
• Wildlife: The Wildlife work covers projects informed by science that inspire and empower local and global audiences to better understand and protect wildlife, including animals, plants, and fungi. Projects may examine single species or groups of species, and species-habitat relationships in the wild.
• Human History & Cultures: The Human Histories and Cultures work covers projects that aim to preserve cultural knowledge and/or better understand human histories, cultures, practices, diversity, and evolution–past and present; and projects that center communities and inform and inspire global audiences with stories or lessons about humanity.
• Planetary Health: The work in Planetary Health covers projects that explore the relationships and interdependencies between human health and the environment.
• Space: The work in Space encompasses projects dedicated to exploring and understanding the universe and supporting National Geographic Explorers who examine and illuminate the world and what lies beyond it.

Grant Categories

• Level I Grants 
  • If you are working to establish yourself in your field, hope to gain experience leading projects, are interested in joining the National Geographic Explorer community, and have not yet received a grant from the National Geographic Society, you may apply for a Level I Grant for one-year long projects.
• Level II Grants
  • If you are more established in your field, have previously received a grant from the National Geographic Society, or are seeking a higher level of funding, you may apply for a Level II Grant. You are not required to have previously received a grant from the National Geographic Society to apply for this opportunity. These grants are highly competitive and reserved for select projects that push boundaries to achieve significant and tangible impact in your field. Projects can be up to two years long.

Funding Information

• Level I Grants: Funding requests at this level can be up to USD $20,000
• Level II Grants: Funding requests at this level can be up to USD $100,000

Project Types

• Conservation
  • These grants aim to achieve quantifiable outcomes as a result of evidence-based and scientifically-informed actions. There must be a demonstrated need and urgency for conservation, as well as a clear method to evaluate the success or failure of the project. Applicants must propose projects that result in or inform tangible solutions that contribute to the conservation of natural resources or the long-term survival of cultural resources.
• Education
  • These grants support projects that use educational resources, methodologies, and/or strategies to inspire learners of all ages, in any educational setting, to learn about, care for, and protect the world. Projects may build capacity in a community to support solutions to protect the world. Projects may also advance knowledge through educational research or innovative tools. Applicants should propose projects that either introduce innovative ideas or take proven ideas and scale or replicate them for larger audiences and/or different geographical areas.
• Research 
  • These grants support high-quality scientific projects that aim to answer clear questions with measurable outcomes that advance a particular field of knowledge. Established projects should be driven by testable hypotheses. Exploratory projects to pilot new methods or gather important data baselines are also encouraged. Research grants primarily support fieldwork expenses; however, they will also consider laboratory and technology costs as part of the overall project budget (in addition to a stipend, where applicable).
• Storytelling 
  • These grants support projects that use techniques like photography, filmmaking, and journalism to demonstrate the power of science and exploration to change the world. Applicants should show a record of successful media projects, and must submit a portfolio. Projects may stand alone or be distinct components of larger efforts. Awarded funds may support field expenses, equipment, and stipends for freelancers. Approval of a storytelling grant does not guarantee publication by National Geographic media.
• Technology 
  • These grants support the development of new technologies and methods or the innovative application of existing technologies that can improve the ability to explore, protect, and tell the story of the world and its inhabitants. Awarded funds support materials, fabrication, and other development costs. Applicants must secure the proper permits for any tests described in the project proposals, and are highly encouraged to conduct proof-of-concept field trials.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be 18 or older at the time they submit their application.
• Project start dates should be a minimum of six months after the submission deadline to ensure any awarded funds are received in time.
• If you are working on a project outside your home country or community, or with datasets coming from outside your home country or community, you must include at least one collaborator local to the project’s country and/or community on your team who is significantly involved in the project.
• You may submit a proposal as the project leader for only one National Geographic Society grant at a time.
• Level I Grants: Although applicants must be 18 or older at the time they submit their application, there are no other restrictions related to age or years of experience in their discipline. However, applicants will be expected to explain why they believe a new or stronger connection to the National Geographic Society could enhance their career.
• Level II Grants: Anyone can apply for this grant, including National Geographic Explorers as well as those new to the community. Although applicants must be 18 or older at the time they submit their application, there are no restrictions related to minimum years of experience in their discipline.
• The application must be submitted in English, although English does not have to be your primary language.

For more information, visit National Geographic Society.