There are over 65 million refugees in the world today and millions more “environmental migrants” are expected over the coming decades. These migrations are challenging social bonds and resource allocations across the world, motivating political agendas and potential backlash, but also creating new and dynamic multicultural communities. The goal of this RFP is to support impactful projects that – through education or storytelling – seek to increase understanding of and acceptance of migrants and migrant communities. Types of human migrations include (but are not limited to) nomadic communities, refugees of all kinds, migrant labor, victims of human trafficking, and people exploring the planet and beyond.
Opportunity
Priority will be given to projects that aim to do one or more of the following through education or storytelling:
- Document the causes and effects of one or more examples of present-day human migration;
- Document the lives of present-day migrants, their journeys, and receiving communities.
- Develop and test out classroom resources, curricula, or public outreach materials that aim to increase understanding of the migrant experience and acceptance of migrant communities.
Eligibility
Please apply for a grant using the online application. We do not accept mailed applications. All application materials must be submitted in English. See the What We Fund page for deadlines. Standard Grant applications should be submitted at least six months in advance of the anticipated project start date. Early Career Grant All applications should be submitted at least six months in advance of the anticipated project start date.
We specifically encourage applicants from around the world. However, as a result of changes in Chinese law effective January 1, 2017, the National Geographic Society is unable to support new grantee work in mainland China. This applies to any projects conducted by mainland Chinese citizens anywhere and also applies to non-Chinese individuals or organizations proposing work in mainland China. We will still accept applications from residents of Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau as long as the proposed work is outside of mainland China.
You might be required to obtain an Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) license through the U.S. Treasury before the National Geographic Society will deliberate on your application if you are a resident/citizen of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, or the Crimea region in Ukraine, or if you propose to conduct a project in one of these areas. See further information about these restrictions on the OFAC website. Please work with legal counsel to determine what authorizations are required.
An organization may apply for a grant, but the person within the organization who will lead the project should be the applicant and will be expected to meet the requirements of the grant program. Also, a local collaborator is required for your project. If you are planning to work outside of your home country, you must include the name and contact information for at least one local collaborator as a project team member in the application. Please note that the National Geographic Society does not help with visas for work performed outside of your home country.
Funding Available
Typical proposal requests should be less than $30,000; applicants may request up to $70,000. Up to 20 percent of the total can be used as a stipend for the applicant or team members (please see the How to Apply page regarding stipend eligibility). All applications should explicitly state the plan for evaluating the impact of the work on particular audiences.
Full Details
- Full details regarding the call
- How to apply
Deadlines
| Internal Deadline for Review | Please contact Heloise Emdon |
| cuResearch Checklist Deadline | March 23, 2018 |
| Full Application Due | April 4, 2018 (11:59 p.m. ET) |
Submitting Your Application
- Applications will be submitted via cuResearch, through which Departmental and Associate Dean’s approval must be provided to complete the online application process.
- More information on cuResearch can be found here.
Internal Contacts
If you would like assistance with proposal development and/or a substantive review of your proposal, please contact Heloise Emdon.