Research Challenges

Pursue a scientific research question for the crowd with a prize for the project with the most backers.

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.

Current Challenge Grant

Wildlife Health and Disease Challenge Grant

On September 21, 2020, the project with the most backers will receive a $1,500 grant.

View 8 Projects

Conservation Technology

$10,000

Dec 21, 2020

Conservation technology broadly encompasses the emerging tools, techniques, and platforms being used to understand and protect the natural world. This Challenge Grant aims to support the design, implementation, or study of important new conservation technology applications.

Environmental Citizen Science

$10,000

Nov 13, 2020

Citizen science has emerged as a powerful tool for understanding our world. New tools and evolving expertise are helping to gather more data and engage communities in meaningful ways. We are running the Environmental Citizen Science Challenge Grant to support this important work.

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
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
Trash, Sustainability, and the Environment	8 projects	January 2017
Poverty and Development	7 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?

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