Research Challenges

Prizes and competitions to help science funding go further.

A new initiative to stir the pot for research ideas.

Make more science happen

Answer The Challenge

Anyone can create a project in response to a challenge. Projects must be submitted before the launch deadline to be eligible. Winners will be chosen when all of the eligible campaigns end.

Peer-Reviewed Proposals

Each project will be reviewed and approved by a panel of science and topic experts. All review comments are transparent and open to the public.

Crowd Leverage

Three is a party, but three hundred is a crowd. By backing a project, backers will receive lab note updates and scientific results from project researchers. This is science by the people, for the people.

Biosurveillance

$5,000

Apr 15, 2021

Effective biosurveillance can give us new insights into our health and our world. The tools for monitoring have become more effective and affordable. We need more examples of how to best apply this exciting new technology for a healthier planet.

Kelp

$5,000

Apr 01, 2021

Kelp forests are exceptionally diverse marine ecosystems, and the brown macroalgae play an important role in various cultures and industries. More research is needed to understand how to best utilize kelp and protect (and restore) kelp forests in a fast-changing world.

Wildlife Health and Disease Challenge Grant

$2,000

May 09, 2021

While diseases among wildlife are anything but new, they continue to evolve and require close monitoring to protect stable ecosystems, and ensure vulnerable species that have been already pushed to the brink of extinction due to human activities are not lost.

Want to create your own sponsored research grant?

Submit Your Grant Idea

Past Challenges

These challenge grants have ended and the grant prizes awarded.

Grant	Projects	Launched
Conservation Technology	13 projects	January 2021
Environmental Citizen Science	10 projects	November 2020
Wildlife Health and Disease Challenge Grant	13 projects	August 2020
Wildlife Health and Disease Challenge Grant	15 projects	June 2019
iGEM 2019 Challenge	8 projects	April 2019
BBPI Paleontology Grant Challenge	4 projects	March 2019
Association of Zoos and Aquariums Grant Challenge	7 projects	February 2019
Entomological Society of America Grant Challenge	6 projects	February 2019
2018 iGEM Research Challenge	5 projects	October 2018
Wildlife Disease Association Challenge Grant	17 projects	August 2018
Horse Nation Equine Research Challenge	8 projects	May 2018
Cartography and Mapping	13 projects	January 2017
Mental Health	15 projects	January 2017
Poverty and Development	7 projects	January 2017
Trash, Sustainability, and the Environment	8 projects	January 2017
Political Science	6 projects	January 2017
Public Health	18 projects	January 2017
Evolution	8 projects	January 2017
Cities & Transportation	13 projects	December 2016
Benthic Ecology	6 projects	December 2016
Exercise Research	7 projects	November 2016
Adolescence	13 projects	November 2016
Bees	13 projects	November 2016
Groundwater and Caves	12 projects	November 2016
Zoos	13 projects	November 2016
Ornithology	27 projects	October 2016
Freshwater Science	10 projects	October 2016
Archaeology	11 projects	October 2016
Fungi	8 projects	October 2016
Arachnids	9 projects	October 2016
Botany	9 projects	September 2016
Herpetology	11 projects	September 2016
Wildlife Diseases	12 projects	September 2016
Coral Reefs	13 projects	August 2016
Weather and Atmospheric Science	6 projects	August 2016
iGEM Synthetic Biology	14 projects	July 2016
Seabirds	16 projects	July 2016
Sharks, Skates, and Rays	16 projects	June 2016
Sleep	10 projects	May 2016
Cats	21 projects	May 2016
Paleontology Challenge	12 projects	April 2016
Fish Challenge	11 projects	April 2016
Animal Superpower Challenge	20 projects	March 2016
Zika Virus	13 projects	March 2016
Insects Challenge	15 projects	March 2016
Liberal Arts College	18 projects	March 2016
Marine Mammals	14 projects	February 2016

What will you look for?

Start A Project