Funded by the Waitt Foundation, the NGS/Waitt Grants Program targets projects around the world in the cultural and social sciences at the cutting edge of technology and exploratory research. The program helps qualified individuals launch what is often the most difficult stage of a project to secure funding—the search—and awards grants for exploratory fieldwork with the potential for new breakthroughs.NGS/Waitt Grants place a special emphasis on expedited award processing and is able to fund “proof of concept” research for applicants at an earlier stage in their careers.
Administered by National Geographic Mission Programs, the NGS/Waitt Grants Program makes grants between $5,000 and $15,000. Proposals are considered as they are received then those meeting the guidelines are evaluated by a committee that convenes monthly. Generally, awards are made within 8 to 12 weeks of application submission. To date, the program has granted nearly $3.5 million and has funded close to 300 field projects in sciences such as anthropology, archaeology, nautical archaeology, biology, geography, geology, oceanography and paleontology.
Proposals for grants will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Applicants are not required to have advanced degrees to be eligible for funding, though they will be required to show a commensurate level of expertise and experience. Applicants must have an affiliation with an educational organization or other institution.
National Geographic Society/Waitt grants are awarded on a rolling basis and range from U.S. $5,000-$15,000. There is no set quantity of grants awarded, but budget constraints keep the number to approximately a hundred per year.