GSA announces a new funding opportunity for members. 

In the ever-evolving landscape of scientific research, access to funding is often a significant hurdle for scientists and researchers. Recognizing our membership’s potential to create change and the need for funding, GSA has developed a new initiative: the Starter Culture Microgrant Program.

Use funds to design your own project

This new initiative funds up to $2000 for a single project that will benefit the genetics community and gives GSA members of any career stage the opportunity to:

  • Respond to your community’s needs by providing small starter funding for localized projects.
  • Benefit students and faculty with projects that are organized by and/or target scientists in need of funding.
  • Have broad and far-reaching intellectual, practical, and geographic impacts which are not limited to institutional events in a single location.

The project idea

GSA wants to provide funding opportunities to our members for projects that benefit the community. Proposed initiatives can include any type of event or project that responds to the needs of scientists at any career stage.

Projects you might consider include: 

  • Organizing a workshop within a local primary school 
  • Contributing to an extant program in your local community
  • 3D printing equipment for labs that otherwise don’t have funding 
  • Reaching out to underrepresented international communities in low or middle income countries
  • Creating scientific programs for a summer camp

All applications should include details about the need for the proposed initiative, potential benefits to your research community, equity and inclusion considerations in organizing and offering the program to your local community, and the anticipated geographic reach and the career stage of participants. 

Application

Starter Culture Microgrant Program applications will remain open year round. The Microgrant Review Committee will meet once every quarter to determine the awardees, and up to $2,500 will be funded per quarter across successful projects. Awardees will be announced each quarter, and GSA will market supported initiatives year-round. The principal applicant or at least one corresponding applicant must be a current GSA member at the time of application submission.

Start planning now! 

The Starter Culture Microgrant Program launches today! The Microgrant Review Committee has developed an application checklist to help you develop a successful application. If you have questions about the program, a potential proposed activity, or the application, please reach out to engagement@genetics-gsa.org. 

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