Common Waters: Community-based Coastal and Riverine Stewardship

Enriched private-foundation · Found: 2026-04-20 20:41

NGS and Lindblad Expeditions seek projects that strengthen community-based stewardship of coastal and riverine ecosystems. Includes conservation, climate adaptation, sustainable fishing. Deadline May 31, 2026.

Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/society/grants-and-investments/rfp-common-waters/

Funding Details

Funder

National Geographic Society

Funding Goal

Support community-based stewardship and conservation projects in coastal and riverine ecosystems globally. Eligible project types include: local conservation and ecosystem restoration, climate change adaptation and resilience, sustainable fishing and agricultural practices, and stewardship driven by Indigenous and descendant communities. Projects must be designed in response to community needs and incorporate ongoing community collaboration.

Funding Amount

Level I: up to $20,000 (for earlier-career applicants, first-time NGS grantees). Level II: up to $75,000 (for established practitioners or prior NGS grantees). (up to 75.000 €)

Deadline

2026-05-31 (Fixed)

How to Apply

Apply through the National Geographic Society funding portal (funding.nationalgeographic.org) — select 'Science' as primary discipline. Three informational webinars: April 30 (9:30-10:30 AM ET, English), May 12 (10-11 AM ET, Spanish), May 12 (5:30-6:30 PM ET, English). Awards announced early December 2026. Project start no earlier than February 1, 2027. Level I: completed within 1 year of funding. Level II: completed within 2 years.

Target Region

Arctic, Asia, Baja California, Costa Rica and Panama, Europe and the Mediterranean, Patagonia, Peruvian Amazon, Pacific Northwest, Southeast Alaska and British Columbia, South Pacific, United Kingdom and Ireland

Contact

funding@ngs.org; support via online FAQ document

Last Checked

2026-04-21 02:25

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Applicant must be an individual (not an institution or NGO) with strong community connection

Project Scope

• Project must primarily focus on stewardship of coastal or riverine ecosystems
• Project must be located in a NG-LEX voyage destination region (Arctic, Europe/Mediterranean, Asia, etc.)
• Level I: up to $20,000 — for earlier-career applicants; Level II: up to $75,000 — for established practitioners

Required Documents

• Must select 'Science' as primary discipline in the application portal
• Application must be submitted in English via online portal by May 31, 2026 (June 1 UTC)
• Budget must comply with National Geographic Society budget guidelines

Constraints

• Level I projects must be completed within 1 year; Level II within 2 years
• Must be willing to share project information with Lindblad vessel travelers
• Project start no earlier than February 1, 2027

Summary

Common Waters: Strengthening Community-based Coastal and Riverine Stewardship is a Request for Proposals issued jointly by the National Geographic Society and Lindblad Expeditions. The program funds individual project leaders conducting conservation and stewardship work in coastal and riverine ecosystems, with a strong emphasis on community-led and community-responsive projects. The program's thematic scope is explicitly focused on coastal and riverine ecosystems under threat from climate change, unsustainable fishing and agricultural practices, and extreme weather. Eligible project types include local conservation and ecosystem restoration, climate change adaptation and resilience, sustainable fishing and agricultural practices, and stewardship by Indigenous and descendant communities. Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) integration is encouraged. Projects must be designed in response to community needs with ongoing local community collaboration throughout. Geographically, the program prioritizes regions visited by the Lindblad Expeditions fleet, including the Arctic, Asia (broadly), Baja California, Costa Rica and Panama, Europe and the Mediterranean, Patagonia, Peruvian Amazon, Pacific Northwest, Southeast Alaska and British Columbia, South Pacific, and the United Kingdom and Ireland. Europe and the Mediterranean includes potential relevance for Baltic, North Sea, and Nordic coastal contexts. Applicants must be individuals — there is no pathway for institutional or organisational applications. The project leader must demonstrate a strong personal connection to and/or track record of work in the target community. No minimum academic degree is required, but relevant professional background in conservation or research is expected. The individual must be willing to share project information with Lindblad vessel passengers and may be invited to speak aboard ships. Two funding levels exist: Level I (up to $20,000) for earlier-career applicants or first-time NGS grantees, completable within 1 year; Level II (up to $75,000) for established practitioners or prior NGS grantees, completable within 2 years. Applications close May 31, 2026 (June 1 UTC). Awards announced early December 2026; project start no earlier than February 2027. All applications must be submitted in English via the NGS online portal.

Historical Context

Funded by the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic (LEX-NG) Fund, a partnership between Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic Society. The LEX-NG Fund mission is to support projects to understand and protect oceans, restore critical marine and coastal habitats, and foster environmental stewardship in regions visited by the Lindblad fleet.

Why it was added

discovered from funder #272: National Geographic Society

Sources

• https://www.nationalgeographic.org/society/grants-and-investments/rfp-common-waters/

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