Purpose of the Grants
The RNRF Grant Program aims to fund initiatives that foster collaboration and bridge the gap between research, evidence-based practices, and implementation. Our goal is to support projects that engage community partners and stakeholders, and contribute to the interconnected environmental, social, and economic systems. By providing these grants, we hope to advance the mission of RNRF and its member organizations, ensuring sustainable and impactful outcomes.
See Request for Proposals for complete details.
Key Dates
Applications open: Late July
Applications due: September 30, 2025
Announcement Date: estimated December 2025
All grant funded activities must begin between: 1/1/2026 – 3/1/2026
Focus Areas – Eligible projects must address at least one of the following focus areas:
- Air Quality & Atmospheric Sciences
- Ecosystem and Biodiversity Conservation
- Ecosystem, Soil, and Land Remediation
- Recycling, Circular Materials and Waste Systems
- Regenerative Agriculture and Soil Health
- Renewable Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure
- Water Quantity and Quality
Grant Opportunities
RNRF offers three grant opportunities. All applications are due September 30, 2025
- Rapid Response Grants – Up to $50,000
Rapid Response Grants offer short-term funding to organizations that have lost federal funding. These grants are intended to support projects directly impacted by the termination of federal funding. Grant funding may be used to fill critical gaps, complete essential components, or responsibly close out federally supported work.
- Planning and Small Grants – Up to $50,000
Planning grants are available to support potential collaborators to carry out the initial discussion and investigation to conceptualize a collaborative project and the methods needed to implement the project. Small grants support targeted projects that are limited in scope and budget and suitable for pilot projects, community initiatives, or proof-of-concept efforts. These grants have a shorter duration and simplified application and reporting requirements.
- Implementation/Collaboration Grants
Implementation/Collaboration Grants provide up to $200,000 for projects lasting 12 months or more. These grants support the implementation of research and evidence-based practices and encourage collaboration.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for an RNRF grant, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- The lead applicant must be from a 501c3 organization incorporated in the United States.
- Projects must demonstrate multidisciplinary collaboration. Collaborations must be multidisciplinary in nature, bringing together expertise from different fields to address challenges in natural renewable resources.
- Implementation/Collaboration Grants – Must include at least three multidisciplinary collaborators included in carrying out the project. At the time of the application, the prime applicant must identify at least one collaborating entity and include a statement of intent from the collaborating entity
- Rapid Response, Planning & Small Grants – A minimum of two collaborators need to be on the project, but do not need to be identified at the time of the application.
- The proposed project must align with the mission of RNRF and one or more RNRF Member organizations.
- The proposed project must align with one or more of the Guiding Principles and Focus areas.
- At least one collaborating partner must be a member of a RNRF Member organization. The individual must be the lead or a co-lead of the project.
- Duration: The proposed project should be completed within the grant period described for each grant type.
Guiding Principles
Our guiding principles serve as the foundational values that shape how funding decisions are made. These principles ensure that projects align with the program’s purpose, priorities, and ethical standards. The seven guiding principles are:
- Overall Impact in Supporting Renewable Natural Resources: Build collaborations across researchers and communities to extend the life of renewable resources, increase their use, enhance capacity for resource management, or implement monitoring and corrective actions as needed.
- Community Engagement: Eligible applicants will describe their methodology for engaging communities. The approach will ensure that sustainable natural resource management aligns with community input and is adaptable based on feedback.
Definitions of Community:
- Community – A group of people connected by geography, identity, profession, interest, or shared experience. Applicants must define the relevant community for their project.
- Community Partner – An organization or entity composed of members from the defined community that is formally involved in the planning, implementation, or oversight of the project.
- Community Input – Engagement strategies that involve gathering feedback or ideas from the defined community to shape how the project is conducted.
- Community Stewardship/Benefits: Projects must demonstrate how they will provide meaningful, lasting benefits to the impacted community, either directly or indirectly impacted. Unlike community engagement, which refers to participatory processes and relationship-building, community stewardship and benefits focus on outcomes.
A Community Beneficiary is defined as any group, population, or geographic community that experiences direct or indirect improvements as a result of the project, such as enhanced environmental conditions, access to knowledge, capacity-building, resource equity, improved health and safety, or improved quality of life indicators.
- Scientific Rigor/Evidence-based and Ethics: Eligible projects must be grounded in current scientific knowledge or established best practices, with a strong emphasis on translating research into meaningful action. Projects should demonstrate the ability to conduct thorough impact assessments, engage in community consultation, or implement effective mitigation strategies, all while integrating ethical standards throughout every phase of the project.
- Interconnectedness: Eligible applicants should be able to demonstrate or acknowledge how their project fits into the larger, complex, and interconnected system, recognizing the environmental, social, and economic relationships that exist within it.
- Advances the Understanding of Renewable Natural Resources: Projects funded through the RNRF Grant Program should contribute to deepening knowledge, awareness, or practical understanding of renewable natural resources.
- Adaptability, Usability, Scalability and/or Replicability – Projects that include the potential to be scaled, adapted, or replicated in other contexts are encouraged. This principle reflects the spirit of shared learning, innovation, and practical impact across communities.
We look forward to supporting your innovative and impactful projects through the RNRF Grant Program.
Questions?
If you have additional questions, please email [email protected] or call 847.375.4399.