NGS+TNC Seed Project Funding Application

You did it! You completed the Freshwater & Community Conservation Remote Externship with National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy, you built your resume, you gained new skills, new peers, friends, and mentors. Now, what comes next?

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Externs who completed the program with Successful or Outstanding completion are invited to submit an application for Seed Project Funding from National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy!

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National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy have been inspired by the research, passion and creativity of the Summer 2025 externs. So many of you have developed big, bold ideas, and demonstrated a real passion to make an impact within your community.

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We would like to support your community conservation project ideas through seed funding, intended to help you take action within your community. Funds of up to $2,000 per project will be awarded to externs in November 2025. We aim to fund a range of projects focused on a variety of geographic locations, perspectives, and approaches to community conservation with a geospatial lens. Projects should be focused on raising awareness and implementation initiatives that are feasible within a 6-month timeframe rather than large-scale infrastructure projects. This funding opportunity is designed to get you started and serve as a stepping stone for larger projects in the future. Please see below for a detailed timeline. We look forward to reading your proposals, and thank you for your time and commitment to conservation!

You can expect to follow this timeline:

Application process

Applications go live on September 2, 2025

Application closes September 21, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET

Application review until October 20, 2025

Applications for the seed funding project program will be reviewed from September 21 - October 20

Project BEGINS

Fund distribution in November

Students selected to receive seed funding will be announced by late October. Funds will be distributed to selected students in November 2025.

Post funding check-ins

There will be a kick-off call in November, a first check-in call in January, a second check-in call in March, and final presentations in May. Projects and initiatives must show significant progress (not necessary to be completed) by May 31, 2026.

Remote Externships Currently Available With The Following Partner Companies

‍We will evaluate your proposal based on the following criteria:

Strength of your StoryMap in communicating a conservation issue and highlighting proposed solutions.
Potential for impact of your project on local communities and/or the environment.
Detail of your project scope and plan for the 6-month period (and beyond).
Achievable outcomes in a short timeframe and with the available funds (don’t try to take on too much! You can always continue your initiative after the initial project wraps up).

Project Recommendations:

Feasibility: Your project should be realistic and achievable within a six-month timeframe and with the available funding of up to $2,000. We encourage initiatives that can be easily managed and have a clear, tangible impact.
Community Involvement: Successful projects will actively involve community members, local organizations, and other stakeholders. Demonstrating strong local support and partnerships will strengthen your application.

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Examples of Past Projects:

Coral Reef Health Assessment in Bali, Indonesia: A project using hydrophones to collect and analyze coral sounds across five different sites, aiding in the restoration and conservation efforts. The seed funding facilitated in-depth research and inspired further grants, including one to create a film about divers in Indonesia.
Beach Clean-Up Initiative in Sri Lanka: A project that has mobilized a community group of over 75 members and organized two monthly clean-ups collecting over 175 kg of trash. It also included a campaign that raised awareness about plastic pollution and plans to launch an Instagram account to promote eco-friendly lifestyles.
Marine Protected Area (MPA) Conservation in Trinidad and Tobago: Collaboration with park and government officials led to the installation of a dumpster and signage outlining MPA rules at Bon Accord Lagoon. A website was also created to provide more information about the park.
Aquaponics Implementation in Kigali, Rwanda: Aimed at halting the decline in fish populations by testing aquaponics in a controlled environment. The project successfully set up remote pumps and sensors and expanded the area covered with free land provided by the African Leadership University.

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Project Seed Funding Application

Your Information*

Education Information*

Externship Information*

Please ensure both your Storymap link and your video links are set on appropriate share settings (Viewable by everyone with link).*

Seed Project Funding Information*

Give your project a name. (i.e. Socializing Issues of Overfishing in Phuket).*

Describe in detail (include a plan, process, framework and/or strategy) how you would use the seed funding for a new project or initiative and what the outcomes you hope to achieve by the end of your project (500 words or less).*

How does the project or initiative mentioned above connect with your Storymap?*

Who are the stakeholders who would be impacted most by your project and how will they be impacted? (A stakeholder can be any individual or group of people who has an interest in the outcome of your project. Example: The goal of the program is to restore mangroves in Recife, Brazil, which was once a success story in the community and would impact 200 children and generate direct income for 5 families.)*

Who will you collaborate with to achieve the goals of your project? (To collaborate is to work jointly on your project with another individual, group or organization, especially to help produce or create your desired outcome. Example: “I will use the seed project funding to create a series of videos detailing individual coral disease conditions, coral predators such as Crown-of-thorns starfish (COT), and invasive algae such as Ramicrusta in partnership with Eyes of the Reef (EOR) and possibly the Department of Aquatic Resources (DAR) in Hawaii.”)*

Include a budget for your project or initiative. If applicable, costs for language translation should be included. Duplicate the example document and insert a link with the appropriate share/view settings below.*

How will you measure the success of your project? What metrics or indicators will you use to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of your project?*

Is there anything else you would like to share about your project?*

Location of Project (City, State, Country)*

Why did you select this particular community for your project, and what is your connection to them?*

Data & Privacy*

If selected to receive seed funding would you be able to carry out your project or initiative prior to May 2026?*

I grant permission to Extern to share this application data with the National Geographic Society (NGS) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC). I'd like to receive information and updates about NGS and TNC's nonprofit mission and youth engagement initiatives. To update my preferences for NGS and/or TNC youth engagement information and updates, I understand I need to email gengeo@geo.nationalgeographic.org and/or naturelab@tnc.org.*

Thank you! We'll get back to you soon.

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