The NW CASC invites applications for its 2026-2027 Research Fellowship Program from graduate students at University of Washington (UW), Boise State University (BSU), Oregon State University (OSU), Portland State University (PSU) University of Montana (UM), Washington State University (WSU) and Western Washington University (WWU) and from postdoctoral scholars at BSU, OSU, PSU, UM, WSU and WWU (this fellowship cannot provide funding for postdocs at UW).
Funding will be available to support research performed during the 2026-2027 academic year. The funding period is from the beginning of the fall 2026 term through July 31, 2027, with potential for funding to begin as early as the beginning of the fellow’s summer 2026 term and for extension to the end of summer 2027 term.
Eligibility
Q: Does this program fund projects related to greenhouse gas emissions and/or capture?
A: No, this program does not fund research related to climate mitigation. Work must have a clear link to climate impacts and/or adaptation.
Q: Does this program fund climate modeling projects?
A: No, this program does not fund work related to climate modeling. Work must have a clear link to climate impacts and/or adaptation and explicit and specific resource management applications.
Q: Do you ever fund projects outside of your geographic footprint?
A: No, we cannot fund projects that fall outside of our geographic footprint.
Q: For “Management Goal 1.3.2: Determine the effects of sea level rise on estuarine fish habitat,” can the definition of “fish” include shellfish?
A: Yes, shellfish count as fish.
Q: I am currently an undeclared graduate student and will be transitioning into a full-time masters or PhD program in the fall. Am I eligible to apply during this cycle?
A: Yes, as long as you’ve been accepted into a graduate program at a NW CASC consortium school, you’re eligible to apply.
Q: Could I apply for the funding first, then enroll in graduate school by fall 2025, if offered funding by the program?
A: No, you must already be accepted into a graduate or postdoctoral program at a NW CASC consortium school by the application deadline in order to be eligible for this fellowship.
Q: I’m currently a graduate student at a consortium university and expect to transition into a postdoc role by the fall term. Do I need to be an official employee of a consortium university at the time I apply?
A: At the time of your application, you’ll need to be able to show us that your employment as a postdoc at a NW CASC consortium university is confirmed. This does not have to be official paperwork from the university, but can be in the form of a signed letter from your advisor.
Q: I’m a former NW CASC Research Fellow. May I apply again?
A: No, students who have previously received funding through the NW CASC Research Fellowship Program are not eligible for additional funding.
Q: Does this fellowship program support work at a school that is not part of the current consortium?
A: No, the NW CASC Fellowship Program supports graduate students at University of Washington, Boise State University, Portland State University, Oregon State University, University of Montana, Washington State University and Western Washington University and postdoctoral scholars at Boise State University, Portland State University, Oregon State University, University of Montana, Washington State University and Western Washington University (this fellowship cannot provide funding for postdocs at UW).
However, USGS-directed research funding can be awarded from the NW CASC to other USGS science centers and used to support students or post-docs, either within USGS or at non-consortium universities. (see “Learn More about NW CASC” below for more information about the differences between University Consortium-Directed Research Funding and USGS-Directed Research Funding).
Q: If my research question changes after I submitted my application, can I still be awarded if selected as a fellow?
A: We do expect some changes to methods, etc., but the overall research question should remain similar. If there are significant changes, they will need to be discussed and approved. This is especially true if changes to the budget are required.
Partners & Letters of Support
Q: What types of interest holder partners are you looking for?
A: Natural resource managers or decision-makers from any DOI bureau, Tribe or Tribal organization, or state natural resource management agency are appropriate partners for this project. We want fellows to work with the decision-makers who will ultimately put the science produced by their projects to work to inform natural resource management. If you need help identifying a partner, please contact us.
Q: Does this fellowship support partnerships with NGOs, such as non-profit land managers like the Nature Conservancy?
A: We certainly welcome additional partners and letters of support from NGOs and other entities, but they don’t qualify as a primary management partner. Your letter of support must come from a DOI bureau, Tribe or Tribal organization, or state natural resource management agency.
Q: I’m working on a project with my State Parks and Recreation Department. Is this agency eligible as my external project partner?
A: Yes, a State Parks Recreation Department can qualify as the external partner for a NW CASC Research Fellowship. However, the work we fund through this fellowship needs to be focused on natural resources, as outlined in the NW CASC Science Agenda, so if your research is more geared towards protecting park infrastructure rather than habitat, it may not be the best fit. If your project addresses both habitat and infrastructure, we would be interested in potentially funding the aspect of your project related to habitat, as long as there’s a clear climate link.
Q: Can I submit letters of support from multiple faculty advisors? What if one of my advisors is associated with a government agency rather than my university?
A: Yes, you can submit letters of support from multiple faculty advisors, including those associated with government agencies. Be sure to also include a letter of support from an appropriate external partner (DOI bureau, Tribe or Tribal organization, or state natural resource management agency).
Q: Is there a maximum number of letters of support applicants are allowed to submit?
A: There is no limit to the number of letters you can submit. We just ask that you focus on quality over quantity to be respectful of the reviewers’ time.
Budget & Leveraged Support
Q: What is “leveraged support”? Are you looking for matched funds or simply other forms of funding that I have already secured for my research?
A: We’re not looking for formal matching funds; we simply want to know that there are other sources of funding helping to support your work. Please provide a brief description of the support other organization(s) are putting toward your research, including work/lab space, collaborator/advisor review, materials, etc.
Q: Where and how do I describe leveraged support?
A: In the online submission form, under “Leveraged Support,” briefly describe any other funding or resources (e.g., support for salary, materials, travel, etc.) that will contribute to your proposed research, beyond what is provided in your proposed budget. Include the source of this support and how it will contribute to your proposed research. Dollar amounts are not required.
Q: How do I budget for summer field work?
A: Our funding period for the NW CASC is August 1 through July 31 each year. If you are awarded a fellowship with us, we expect to be able to provide funding (contingent on continued DOI funding of the NW CASC) for the period August 1, 2025 through July 31, 2026. Beyond that, it is our intent to keep funding your project through the end of the summer field season, if desired, subject to your continued progress and the availability of funding and continuation of the program.
Our project years don’t always line up with academic years and summer field work, so we work with fellows to flex their project dates as much as possible. To budget for summer field work that falls after July 31, 2026, be sure to:
- Clearly separate the two project periods. We want to see a budget covering August 1, 2025 – July 31, 2026, and then a separate budget for the rest of your field work, for example, August 1, 2026 – September 15, 2026. On the budget template (available above), you’ll see a Period 1 section at the top for 8/1/2025-7/31/2026, and a Period 2 section at the bottom for 8/1/2026-end of summer term. Over on the right side of the sheet you will see a summary showing the funds requested for each period as well as a total.
- In your application, clearly explain your plan of work, again broken down by timeframe, so we can see what you will accomplish in each period.
Q: Would it be possible to use NW CASC Fellowship funds for my research activities in the summer of 2025?
A: Yes, beginning funding in the summer of 2025 could be arranged. Ideally, funding would begin after July 31, but we can discuss options if you’re awarded a fellowship.
Q: I currently have funding support as a graduate student/postdoc. If I apply for NW CASC funding, would I be able to defer using those other funds so I can use the NW CASC funding in the near term?
A: If the other funding support allows you to schedule it for use at another time, then yes. So for example, if you have 3 quarters of funding on another grant, and you had intended to use that funding during the fall 2025-spring 2026 quarters, but now you’re applying for NW CASC funding during that timeframe, and if that other grant is open through the end of 2027, then you could schedule the 3 quarters of CASC support first [fall 2025-spring 2026], and defer tapping into that other grant support until later [such as fall 2026-spring 2027].
Q: What is the current overhead rate for the University of Washington?
A: The current University of Washington “overhead” (Facilities and Administration) rate is 55.5%. UW benefits rates (proposed rates) starting 7/1/2021 are here: https://finance.uw.edu/fr/fringe-benefit-load-rate. For rates at other consortium universities, please contact your university’s grants office.
Q: What is the typical range of funding awarded through this fellowship?
A: Previous awards have averaged around $30,000, with a range of $8,000 to $65,000. Awards at the higher range are typically reserved for postdoctoral scholars. Because of UW matching funds, total allowed award costs from UW fellows are calculated excluding tuition and indirect costs.
Q: Can this fellowship funding be used towards tuition and living expenses?
A: This fellowship funding can be used towards both tuition and salary.
Application Format & Timeline
Q: Is there any flexibility to the deliverables timeline?
A: Yes, but please contact us to discuss your specific situation. We would still require progress reports at designated intervals and any funding extension would be contingent on continued DOI funding of the NW CASC itself and satisfactory progress by the Fellow.
Q: When are applicants notified if they do or do not receive a NW CASC fellowship?
A: We’ll be notifying NW CASC fellowship applicants – both those awarded and not awarded – in early May.
Learn More About NW CASC
Q: Will the NW CASC Fellowship RFP Question & Answer Session be recorded?
A: Yes. The recording is available on this page.
Q: What’s the difference between University Consortium-Directed Research Funding and USGS-Directed Research Funding?
A: University Consortium-Directed Research Funding (the NW CASC Research Fellowship Program), administered by the Consortium side of the NW CASC, is a yearlong program for graduate students and postdocs from our Consortium. This program provides climate adaptation research funding for one year, as well as training in producing decision-relevant science. The training elements include monthly calls with the other fellows in the cohort (we fund 10-13 fellows each year) focused on different topics, a required winter seminar course on linking knowledge with action, and opportunities to participate in the Northwest Climate Conference and NW CASC’s annual Deep Dive workshop.
USGS-Directed Research Funding, administered by the federal side of the NW CASC, is available periodically and supports climate adaptation research projects across the region. PhD researchers from USGS and NW CASC’s university consortium can apply for this funding. The funding may be longer than one year and does not include training.
Q: I’m not planning to apply for the fellowship, but I’d like to learn more. How can I get involved?
A: Consider signing up for our newsletter here. Check out our Actionable Science Webinars, which describe the type of collaborative research that we do and include case studies on specific projects.
