Apply Now for the Kurt Gottschalk Science Fund

Grants of up to $5,000 are available. Read on to learn the intent of the grant, how to apply, and examples of previous grants. The deadline to apply for a KGSF grant is March 15. Apply now at bit.ly/ApplyKGSF.

KGSF Goals

  • Conduct and/or support continuing education activities and the transfer of knowledge
  • Promote collaboration and relationships among SAF entities and with external groups
  • Recruit and engage diverse leadership in forestry and natural resource professions
  • Conduct and/or support applied forestry research that has potential to inform management practice

    Available Grants
  • Regular Grants (up to $2,500) to support projects that meet at least two of the goals of the fund.
  • Special Grants (up to $5,000) for demonstrably outstanding projects that achieve at least three of the goals of the fund or that actively span across two or more SAF Working Groups (WG) or WGs and State Societies, or WGs of multiple professional societies.


    • Project Proposal Requirements

  • Complete applications include an information form, proposal, and budget form.
  • Letter(s) of support from a SAF Working Group Chair, a State Society Science/Technology Chair, or a Forest Science and Technology Board (FSTB) Subject Area Representative. Proposals will not be considered unless there is at least one letter of support. The letter must include a discussion of the expected benefits of doing the project.

    Eligibility
  • Any SAF member, representing either an SAF unit or an external entity, who is the designated project manager is eligible to submit a proposal.
  • A grant secured in the first year of a multi-year project is not a guarantee of future grants from the fund in later years of the same project.
  • Projects that have already been completed are not eligible.
  • Proposals received after a review period deadline will be eligible for consideration in the next cycle.

    Grant Completion
    Projects should be completed within 1, and where appropriate, up to 2 years of the application date. The Forest Science and Technology Board may elect to approve funding for multiple years when needed. A report summarizing the project results (or progress) and how grant funds were used is due upon project completion. Unused funds must be returned to SAF when the project is completed or if the project is not completed.

    Proposal Review
    Grant proposals will be evaluated against a variety of criteria, including:
  • How well the project meets the fund goals
  • Completion of application and narrative includes adequate context
  • Budget is appropriate and leveraged support is clearly identified
  • Project engages partnerships, collaborations, or diverse audiencesProject outcomes are achievable within the timeline identified

    Use of Funding
    Proposals must meet two or more of the Fund's goals and can include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • Continuing education activities including conferences, panels at convention, field tours, and workshops
  • Collaborative efforts such as joint conferences, applied research cooperation between groups and agencies, and interdisciplinary collaboration conference sessions or articles in SAF publications
  • Activities that foster leadership and/or broaden SAF's membership base and/or audience/image
  • Applied forestry research that has potential to inform management practice, literature reviews, and/or seed money for collecting preliminary data to develop a larger proposal or complete or enhance prior research efforts

    Science Fund is not designed to fund
  • Professional salaries
  • Office supplies or overheadFund will support up to 50% of the cost for technical/analytical equipment (e.g., computers, field equipment, software)

    Decisions and Fund Dispersal
    Grant funds must be received and managed by an appropriate entity – e.g., a university/department grants office, State Society treasurer, or agency fiscal office. Requests for exceptions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Approved grant funds will generally be made available within 60 days of notification that the proposal has been accepted and funds awarded.

    Proposal Elements
    Proposals must include full explanations of the following:
    Summary of Project - A brief project summary that captures the goals, methods, and final products of the project.
    Objectives - A clear statement of the specific objectives of the project and how they meet the goals of the Kurt Gottschalk Science Fund.
    Methods - A detailed description of the specific steps that will be used to accomplish the stated objectives.
    Products - A clear statement of the anticipated final product(s) of the project.
    Recognition - A description of how SAF will be credited for funding the project.
    Budget - Provide an overall project budget and detailed list of items or services for which the requested funds will be spent. Project collaborators or in-kind support should be listed.
    Project Duration - Project completion dates should typically be within 1 to 2 years of the date of the grant application.

    Deadlines
    Proposals are due March 15. Apply now. 

    How to Submit Your Proposal
    The proposal and associated forms should be submitted to Amy Juliana, the SAF Science and Technology Manager at [email protected].

    This article was originally published in the August 2022 issue of The Forestry Source and is shared here to illustrate examples of previously awarded KGSF grants.

    SAF’s Kurt Gottschalk Science Fund Supports Five Science Projects

    The science-based management of forests has long been valued by SAF and its members. The Kurt Gottschalk Science Fund (KGSF) supports projects that develop and disseminate scientific findings for foresters and natural resources professionals.

    Each year, SAF receives applications for KGSF funds that are evaluated through a subcommittee of the Forest Science and Technology Board (FS&TB). The FS&TB also uses KGSF funds for the best student presentation and poster awards at the SAF Convention.

    • This spring, just over $10,000 was awarded through the KGSF to support five different research and science projects by SAF members. These projects will help to support research by graduate students, educational programs that showcase the latest forestry research, and an SAF Convention session.

    One graduate student’s project was funded for Alexis Martin, a graduate student at the University of Georgia. This project will research the use of biochar to improve urban tree health and reduce watershed contamination.

    The KGSF will also support the Michigan Private Forests Summit, a statewide summit that will bring together diverse groups to discuss the challenges and opportunities of privately owned forests in Michigan.

    Members of the Agroforestry Working Group received funds to support the 2022 Northeast Silvopasture tour, a tour that illustrates how silvopasture can be implemented in many farm settings. The tour will occur in the southern Finger Lakes region in New York this Fall and a number of online videos will be created that highlight the field visits from the tour.

    The 2022 Alaska SAF Annual Meeting (in hybrid format) was also supported through the KGSF program and focused on wildfires and fuel management.

    Finally, the International Forestry and Forest Health and Genetics Working Groups received funds to support the session “Global Forest Health-Connecting Plants and People” to be held at the SAF Convention in Baltimore this September. This two-part session will bring together international experts that will discuss the human, biological, and economic dimensions of forest health at the international level.