Division of Environmental Biology
Last verified by NonDilute: 2026-06-08. Official notice and agency instructions control.
If you're running basic research on how species, ecosystems, or evolutionary forces work, NSF's Environmental Biology division has $5K–$5M to fund your fieldwork, modeling, or synthesis—but you'll need an institution backing.
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What this is
The Division of Environmental Biology funds fundamental research on evolution, ecology, and biodiversity at scales ranging from individual populations to global biogeographic patterns. Projects can use field observations, laboratory experiments, computational modeling, or synthesis of existing data. Research must address core questions in evolutionary biology, population dynamics, community ecology, or systematic/biodiversity science. Marine ecology and oceanography projects should apply through the Biological Oceanography program instead.
Who can apply
Primarily academic and research institutions; eligibility varies by specific cluster program. Solo entrepreneurs and commercial startups are unlikely to qualify unless embedded in an eligible research institution. Non-profits, universities, and federally funded research centers are strongly preferred.
Eligible applicant types
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Full description — from the agency
The Division of Environmental Biology (DEB) Coresupports research and training on evolutionary and ecological processes acting at the level of populations, species, communities, ecosystems, macrosystems, and biogeographic extents. DEB encourages research that elucidates fundamental principles that identify and explain the unity and diversity of life and its interactions with the environment over space and time. Research may incorporate field, laboratory, or collection-based approaches; observational or manipulative studies; synthesis activities; phylogenetic discovery projects; or theoretical approaches involving analytical, statistical, or computational modeling. Proposals should be submitted to the core clusters (Ecosystem Science, Evolutionary Processes, Population and Community Ecology, and Systematics and Biodiversity Science). DEB also encourages interdisciplinary proposals that cross conceptual boundaries and integrate over levels of biological organization or across multiple spatial and temporal scales.Research addressing ecology and ecosystem science in the marine biome should be directed to the Biological Oceanography Program in the Division of Ocean Sciences; research addressing evolution and systematics in the marine biome should be directed to the Evolutionary Processes or Systematics and Biodiversity Science programs in DEB.
Topics: environmental biology research · evolutionary processes · ecological systems · biodiversity science · population ecology · computational biology
Public-source funding discovery only. This summary is generated from public agency data and may be incomplete or stale. NonDilute is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any government agency. Official notices and agency instructions control. NonDilute does not determine eligibility, provide grant-writing advice, or guarantee funding.