The Plant Biology program aims to support researchers working to unravel the mysteries of plant life. Plants play a crucial role in our ecosystems, and advancing our understanding of their biology can lead to important discoveries in agriculture, conservation, climate resilience, and more. 

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Total Funding

$50,000

Submission Deadline

Nov 30, 2024

About This Grant

This Plant Biology microgrant program seeks to empower early-stage research projects that offer new insights into plant physiology, genetics, ecology, adaptation, and more. We're interested in supporting a wide range of projects, from understanding how plants respond to environmental stress to exploring innovative cultivation techniques, genetic studies, or even novel uses of plants in technology and medicine.

We encourage proposals that:

  • Present a unique research question or approach within plant biology.
  • Demonstrate clear potential for scientific advancement or practical application.
  • Can benefit from quick, catalytic funding to get started or to achieve a specific research milestone.
  • Directly increase access to open-source, high-quality educational materials for students, particularly in the “global south,” to inspire and empower the next generation of plant biologists in a meaningful and impactful way.
  • Drastically reduce the barrier to entry for plant biology research through the design and construction of open-source tools, with a focus on globally accessible materials and methods.

Applications from academic researchers, independent scientists, citizen scientists, and small research teams are all welcome. We particularly encourage cross-disciplinary projects that bring new perspectives to plant biology.

Grant Officers


How It Works

ROLLING SUBMISSIONS:  The goal of this small, fast grant program is to get these projects off the ground quickly. If selected, the grant (up to $10,000 with the average Science Engine grant being $4,000) towards an ongoing or new Experiment.com project. Project leads are encouraged to try to raise additional support from the crowdfunding process, as granted amounts may only cover part of the project funds. The sooner you fill out a project application the better (use the "start a project" link below). In addition to funding, we hope to stay engaged with the projects as mentors and supporters, helping to make the experiments a success.