Supplemental Funding for Walder Foundation Biota Awards Network

Student Research Experiences 2026

Walder Foundation is inviting members of the Biota Awardee Network to apply for supplemental awards of up to $20,000 to support student research experiences and internships over the coming year. Funding will be granted to Illinois institutions (“Grantee Organizations”) rather than individual researchers.

As disruption and uncertainty in the scientific funding landscape continues, this funding will prioritize support for students that may be impacted by funding disruptions and may have otherwise missed out on important research experiences and training opportunities.

Up to $200,000 is being made available through this opportunity which is part of Walder Foundation’s continued efforts to respond to this unique moment. This supplemental funding is not anticipated to become an ongoing part of the Biota Awards program.

Proposals (to be submitted via a letter of intent form in akoya GO, as described below) are due by March 16, 2026. The Foundation will aim to notify applicants of funding decisions by April 2026.

    • Current and former Biota Awardees who are currently based in Illinois are eligible to apply for this funding on behalf of a Grantee Organization.

    • Biota Awardees that are independent investigators may apply for up to $20,000.

    • Biota Awardees that are postdoctoral researchers may apply for up to $5,000.

    • Biota Awardee must hold a full-time research position at the Grantee Organization, which must be an academic, nonprofit, or government research institution located in Illinois that is a governmental unit or a registered Section 501(c)3, 509(a)(1), or 509(a)(2) public charity, or is working with a fiscal sponsor that meets this requirement.

    • Biota Awardees may collaborate as co-principal investigators (PI) on a single proposal, with a total funding request equivalent to the sum of individual limits stated above. In each case, only one individual will be able to access the online letter of intent form. For example:

      • If two independent investigators collaborate on a proposal, they may apply for a total of up to $40,000.

      • If two postdoctoral researchers collaborate on a proposal, they may apply for a total of up to $10,000.

      • If two or more Biota Awardees from different institutions collaborate on a single proposal, they must select a single organization to serve as the Grantee Organization, and the Grantee Organization must complete the online letter of intent form.

    • Biota Awardees that are postdoctoral researchers will need a faculty member or research advisor to be listed as the PI on the grant, if it is required by the Grantee Organization. Please email biotaawards@walderfoundation.org to confirm if this is the case.

  • BUDGET GUIDELINES TEMPLATE

    • The proposal budget can include support for high school, undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and graduate students. Students must be working on topics related to the understanding, protection, conservation, and restoration of biodiversity.

    • Budget line items may include expenses such as student stipends, housing, travel, research, and field work costs. If there are other costs you would like to include, please email biotaawards@walderfoundation.org for prior approval.

    • Indirect costs of up to 15% are allowable but may not be applied to participant support costs (e.g. stipends, travel, housing), as per standard NSF guidelines.

    1. Name of lead researcher

    2. Project title

    3. Amount requested

    4. One paragraph Executive Summary of the request

    5. Brief summary of the need, context, and description of what this grant would support and the expected impact (one page or less)


      The following information should be included as a supplemental 2–3-page document uploaded to your letter of intent form.

    6. Faculty Advisor (for postdoctoral researchers if required by your institution)

    7. Number and type of students to be supported

    8. Funding status and needs: Are there ongoing impacts to your research and/or institution caused by changes in federal science policy and funding? What are the potential impacts of these changes on your ability to provide research experiences, training, and/or mentorship for students?

    9. Program Summary: Brief description of proposed research experience and how this will advance your Biota project or other related research, including 1) a brief description of the knowledge, skills, and experiences that students will gain and 2) a brief description of recruitment plans.

    10. Budget: Please complete a simple line-item budget using this template. Please provide a brief narrative outlining the use of funds

HOW TO APPLY

You will need to create an account in akoyaGO, Walder Foundation’s grants management system. To create an account, you will need your organization’s Employee Identification Number (EIN). If you already have an account, proceed to “Begin your Proposal” below.  

  1. Click on the link below to access the grantee portal:  

    Walder Foundation Grantee Portal

    If the link is not working, please copy/paste this text into your preferred web browser: “https://goapply2.akoyago.com/walderfoundation/Identity/Account/Login?ReturnUrl=%2Fwalderfoundation%2Fapplication%2F2026ENVStudentRE"

    Choose “Or create a new account” (or sign in if you already have an account): 

2. Select “Organization”

3. Choose your region – “United States” or “Canada” – and search for your organization using the Tax ID number. If your organization is outside of the United States or Canada, click on the link that says “Skip, manually enter” and input your organization’s information.

4. You will see a list of organizations matching that Tax ID number. It is possible that you see more than one entry for your organization, and it may have a staff member’s name following the organization name, for example, “Walder Foundation – Monica Chavez”. Click “Select” next to the entry for your organization that does not have a staff person’s name next to it.

5. If your organization is new to our database and does not show up on the list, choose the “Skip, manually enter” option.  

6. A screen will appear with fields you may fill out to create your new account.  

7. Once you have completed the registration form and submitted it, your registration request will be reviewed. You will receive an email confirmation after it has been accepted, and you are free to access the grant portal. Please note that the process is typically quick but may take up to two business days.  

Begin your Proposal 

Once your user account has been accepted, use the link below to login and begin working on your proposal:  

2026 Student Research Experiences Proposal Form
If the link is not working, please copy/paste this text you’re your preferred web browser: “https://goapply2.akoyago.com/walderfoundation/Identity/Account/Login?ReturnUrl=%2Fwalderfoundation%2Fapplication%2F2026ENVStudentRE”  

You can log in any time (up until the deadline) to work on your proposal and save your progress. We recommend creating your account early to familiarize yourself with the system and the letter of intent form.

>> VIEW A SAMPLE PROPOSAL FORM FOR COMPLETE REQUIREMENTS 

An automated email confirmation is generated upon submission of the letter of intent form. If you do not receive a confirmation within 24 hours of submitting your letter of intent form, please check your spam folder and then contact: grants@walderfoundation.org.   

CONTACT INFORMATION

For clarification about research priorities, eligibility, or scientific requirements, please contact biotaawards@walderfoundation.org.

For inquiries about the online application, please contact grants@walderfoundation.org.