Common Waters: Strengthening Community-based Coastal and Riverine Stewardship

Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic share a commitment to advancing conservation, research, and exploration, and inspiring people to learn about, care for, and protect our world. In support of this commitment, the mission of the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic (LEX-NG) Fund is to support projects to understand and protect our world’s oceans, restore critical marine and coastal habitats, and foster environmental stewardship in the regions visited by the fleet, and beyond. The Fund supports inspirational, passionate project leaders who are committed to illuminating and protecting the wonder of our world.  National Geographic Society and Lindblad Expeditions are in search of innovative projects that strengthen community-based stewardship and conservation of coastal and riverine ecosystems.

These ecosystems support biodiversity and provide important services to the communities that rely on them, but are increasingly impacted by climate change, unsustainable fishing and agricultural practices, extreme weather, and various other stressors. The long term sustainability and health of these ecosystems requires the active participation and leadership of communities that live within them and near them in their stewardship. These communities are not only at the frontlines of protecting ecosystems, but also have important, in-depth, and localized traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) of past and present climate and ecosystem change, and consequently, the capacity to determine resilience solutions that meet current and future ecological and community needs.

Opportunity Overview

Projects supported by this RFP must be community-based stewardship initiatives (including but not limited to stewardship driven by Indigenous and descendant communities); they should be led by an individual with a strong connection to and/or an existing track record of work in the community(ies) where the project will take place, or by a member of the community themselves, and be designed in response to community needs. Projects can focus on a wide range of specific issues, including (but not limited to) local conservation and ecosystem restoration, climate change adaptation and resilience, or sustainable fishing/agriculture. The RFP will prioritize projects in National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions destinations, including the Arctic, Asia, Baja California, Costa Rica and Panama, Europe and the Mediterranean, Patagonia, the Peruvian Amazon, the Pacific Northwest, Southeast Alaska and British Columbia, the South Pacific, and the United Kingdom and Ireland. For more detailed information on targeted areas within these regions, please refer to the targeted areas document.

Who Should Apply

We are looking for applicants from a wide range of professional backgrounds and encourage you to design your project proposal around your expertise and passion; our model of funding is intended to drive innovation and invite fresh perspectives. For this reason, there are no minimum academic requirements – we only expect that you are passionate and knowledgeable about your project’s subject matter. This RFP is intended to support projects that are led by an individual with a strong connection to and/or an existing track record of work in the community where the project will take place (including a member of the community themselves). For more about what makes an Explorer, please refer to our website.

Project Eligibility

• Project must primarily focus on stewardship of coastal and riverine ecosystems.
• Candidate must demonstrate a strong connection to and/or an existing track of work in the community(ies) where the project will take place; project should be designed in response to community needs and include ongoing collaboration with the local community(ies) throughout the project.
• Candidate must select “Science” as the project’s primary discipline. This designation includes conservation and stewardship projects.
• Candidate must have a relevant academic and/or professional background in conservation or research related to the ecosystem targeted by the project. There is no minimum degree requirement.
• Projects should be based in locations that overlap with NG-LEX voyages, including the Arctic, Asia, Baja California, Costa Rica and Panama, Europe and the Mediterranean, Patagonia, the Peruvian Amazon, the Pacific Northwest, Southeast Alaska and British Columbia, the South Pacific, and the United Kingdom and Ireland. For more detailed information on targeted areas within these regions, please refer to the targeted areas document.
• Candidate must be willing to provide basic project information (including but not limited to a description of project activities, goals, or impact) that can be shared with travelers aboard NG-LEX vessels.
• Candidate must be over the age of 18.
• The individual responsible for carrying out the project should be listed as the project leader.
• Most projects will be awarded as Level I grants. Level I project budgets may not exceed US$20,000.  Level II project budgets may not exceed US$75,000.
  • Level I: If you are working to establish yourself in your field, hope to gain experience leading projects, are interested in joining the National Geographic Explorer community, and have not yet received a grant from the National Geographic Society, you may apply for a Level I Grant. This opportunity is designed for individuals who may be earlier in their career.
  • Level II: If you are more established in your field, have previously received a grant from the National Geographic Society, or are seeking a higher level of funding, you may apply for a Level II Grant. You are not required to have previously received a grant from the National Geographic Society to apply for this opportunity.
• Level I projects must be completed within one (1) year of receipt of funding and Level II projects must be completed within two (2) years of receipt of funding (extensions may be granted due to extenuating circumstances, on a case by case basis).
• Project start date should be no earlier than February 1, 2027.
• Application must be completed in English.
• Application materials must be complete enough to be able to assess candidate’s skills and experience, as well as the project idea.
• Project budget must align with National Geographic Society budget guidelines.

Competitive Proposals Should:

• Include best practices when working with Indigenous Peoples and local communities, including engagement before settling on any fixed plans for the project and respect for the prior experiences and right to autonomy of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
• Respond to explicit community needs and include ongoing collaboration with the local community(ies) throughout the project.
• Include clear articulation of impact goals and description of how impact will be measured, with the understanding that impact varies with cultural and community context.
• Include a sufficiently detailed description of scientific methodology appropriate for review by a subject matter expert, where applicable and appropriate.
• Include a detailed project timeline and budget justification.
• Incorporate Traditional Ecological Knowledge systems, where applicable and appropriate.