Research to support the NPS mission, whether to gain understanding of resources or to develop management approaches, may be funded by cooperating nonprofit associations (found in many parks), outside organizations, or through interagency cooperative efforts. It may be carried out by NPS employees or by researchers and students from academic institutions (including land grant and private institutions), research organizations, or other government agencies. It is our hope that the importance of parks as sites for research in increasingly critical areas such as ecology, biological diversity, climate change, aquatic systems, and other resource-related areas will grow and bring enhanced opportunities for funding. The following organizations have recently supported research in Grand Canyon through their grant programs, or have indicated interest in doing so.
National Parks Foundation Competitive Grants
In 1967 Congress established the National Park Foundation (NPF) to provide an official, nonprofit partner empowered to obtain private sector support (money and other assets) for the National Park Service. This action created a direct support link between the public and the parks. The Foundation actively seeks money from individuals, foundations and corporations, and distributes it to the parks, often through a competitive grant process. For more information, access their web site at:
The National Parks Ecological Research Fellowship
The goal of the National Parks Ecological Research Fellowship Program is to encourage and support outstanding post-doctoral research in basic ecological sciences related to the flora of the national parks. The National Parks Ecological Research Fellowship Program is a partnership program of the National Park Foundation (the official non-profit partner of the National Park Service), the National Park Service, and the Ecological Society of America, and is funded through a generous grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
- National Park Foundation
The National Park Ecological Research Fellowship Program
1101 17th Street NW, Suite 1102
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 530-1482
U.S. Department of Interior Canon National Parks Science Scholars Program
The Canon National Parks Science Scholars Program is a collaboration among Canon U.S.A., Inc., the National Park Service, the National Park Foundation, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The Program awards graduate student scholarships in several disciplines to support student research in the national parks. Competition is focused on research topics important to the management of the National Park System. For more information,
Grand Canyon National Park Small Grants Research Fund
During 2015-16, funding is not available for this grants program.
In prior years, projects funded through the Annual Grants Program, (the Research Office's Small Grants Research Fund) have supported the park's efforts to facilitate a wide array of small research projects needed to provide information on park resources and visitor experiences.
This project helps attract new and well-known researchers by partially supporting new research thrusts and helping to cover the costs of outfitting studies in remote areas of the park. It also partially supports monthly research seminars at Grand Canyon National Park, and provides opportunities for park staff from all divisions to collaborate in fieldwork on topics of mutual interest. These grants are normally limited to a maximum of $5,000 per project, with matching contributions (monetary or in-kind) being one of several selection factors.
During a year when funding is available, researchers are encouraged to apply for these grants by submitting a pre-proposal and budget describing their project. Applicants with pre-proposals identified as high-priority projects will be invited to submit a full proposal and research permit application following established NPS research proposal formats.
During 2015-16, funding is not available for this grants program.
or more information about this inactive program:
Research Coordinator
Grand Canyon National Park, Research Office
1824 S. Thompson St., Suite 200
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Phone: 928-638-7447
Fax: (928) 638-7492
Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center
For more information, access their web site at: www.gcmrc.gov/
Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit
For more information, access their web site at: www.cesu.org/cesu/currentcesus/coloradoplateau/introduction.html
National Interagency Fire Center
For more information, access their web site at: jfsp.nifc.gov/
National Science Foundation
For more information, access their web site at: www.nsf.gov/
National Geographic Society
For more information, access their web site at: www.nationalgeographic.com/research/grant/rg1.html
Research Program Earthwatch Institute
For more information, access their web site at: www.earthwatch.org/research/
US Global Change Research Program
For more information, access their web site at: www.usgcrp.gov
The Geological Society of America
For more information, access their web site at: www.geosociety.org/profdev/grants/index.htm
Arizona Water Protection Fund
For more information, access their web site at: www.awpf.state.az.us/
Arizona Game & Fish Heritage Fund
For more information, access their web site at:
Cooperative Research Projects
Several research projects in Grand Canyon have also been supported through agreements between the National Park Service and other federal, state, and tribal organizations.
- Cooperative Agreements
A cooperative agreement is a written legal agreement between the NPS and a state, local government, tribal government, or other recipient. It involves the transfer of money, goods, services, or anything of value for the principal purpose of support or stimulation of a public purpose as authorized by a law of the United States. It has a partnership arrangement, whereby all decisions are made jointly and all activities are jointly performed.
Interagency and Intra-agency Agreements
These are agreements between two or more Federal agencies in which one Federal agency (the servicing agency) provides supplies or services for the other (the requesting agency). Such agreements are typically entered into under the authority of the Economy Act. Intra-agency agreements are between NPS and other Interior agencies, while interagency agreements are with Federal agencies outside the Department of the Interior. These agreements may or may not involve the transfer of funds.
