North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI), NC Sea Grant, and the William R. Kenan, Jr. Institute for Engineering, Technology and Science (KIETS) are accepting proposals for the Community Collaborative Research Grant (CCRG) program for projects to start in May 2025. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. on January 24, 2025.
“The CCRG is an innovative research opportunity, because each project requires a researcher to partner with a local knowledge expert.” says Kaitlin Tucker, WRRI’s coordinator for research and engagement.
While members of the public often have local knowledge of their own communities and environments, they sometimes do not have the scientific, technical, or policy expertise to craft science-based solutions. Conversely, scientific experts are knowledgeable about scientific principles and potential solutions required to mitigate problems, but often lack the social and historical perspective that will aid in crafting solutions to meet the expectations of community members. CCRG projects combine scientific research with local expertise in order to draw from the strengths of both parties.
“This type of collaborative research—requiring the linkage of local knowledge expertise with scientific researchers—has a proven track record in developing new tools and solutions in resource management,” shares Tucker.
New grants will range from $5,000 to $25,000 for one-year projects. Successful CCRG projects must justify how their work would be relevant to the missions and interests of NC Sea Grant, NC WRRI, or KIETS. Previously-funded CCRG projects have supported youth education, community science, tribal knowledge, air and water quality, human health, and more.
“CCRG projects are ideally suited to creating new partnerships and providing significant returns on investment,” shares John Fear.
Interested applicants can contact Kaitlin Tucker at ktucker@ncsu.edu with questions or to help identify potential research partners with relevant technical or local knowledge. All proposals must be submitted via the eSeaGrant online proposal management portal, no later than 5pm local time on January 24, 2025.
