Partnership to Advance Conservation Science and Practice | 25 524

Opportunity Information: Apply for 25 524

The Partnership to Advance Conservation Science and Practice (PACSP) is a joint grant program run by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) in partnership with the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, aimed at strengthening biodiversity conservation in the United States by tightly linking scientific research with real-world conservation action. The program is designed for projects that do more than study conservation problems in theory; it prioritizes work that uses organismal biology, ecology, and/or evolution to produce evidence that directly informs, improves, and is tested through on-the-ground conservation activities or technology-enabled conservation solutions. A central expectation is that proposals clearly connect fundamental research questions to practical implementation steps, showing exactly how the science will be translated into concrete conservation outcomes.

A defining feature of PACSP is its emphasis on partnerships between academic researchers and conservation organizations, with implementation of conservation activities built into the project rather than treated as an afterthought. The strongest proposals are expected to include ongoing evaluation of biodiversity results, such as monitoring species or habitat responses over time, and using that information to adjust strategies as the project unfolds. This kind of adaptive management approach is encouraged because it creates a feedback loop where conservation actions generate data, data improves scientific understanding, and that improved understanding then refines future actions. The program is especially interested in proposals that take a convergent approach, meaning they integrate the realities of environmental change with conservation needs and with the health of ecosystems and the organisms living in them.

Beyond scientific and conservation deliverables, PACSP also expects applicants to frame outcomes in terms of broader societal impacts. Depending on the project, this can include meaningful collaboration with non-academic partners and stakeholders, and demonstrating how the work benefits communities, management decisions, education, or public understanding alongside biodiversity outcomes. For projects selected for funding, the financing is split by purpose: NSF supports the research portion of the work, while the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation supports the conservation implementation component, reinforcing the program’s core idea that strong science and practical conservation should move forward together.

Eligibility to submit proposals is limited to U.S.-based institutions and certain non-profit research-oriented organizations. Eligible applicants include accredited U.S. institutions of higher education (two- or four-year colleges and universities, including community colleges) submitting on behalf of faculty, as well as non-profit, non-academic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies that are directly tied to educational or research activities in the United States. If a proposal involves funding flowing to an international branch campus of a U.S. higher education institution, the application must explain the specific benefits of doing work at that branch campus and justify why the activities cannot be carried out at the U.S. campus instead.

Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity offered by NSF under the science and technology research and development category (CFDA 47.074). The funding opportunity number is 25-524, with an original closing date of March 17, 2025. NSF anticipates making about 16 awards, and the listing does not specify an award ceiling.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Partnership to Advance Conservation Science and Practice" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.074.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-12-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-03-17. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 16 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for 25 524

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