Climate Research Innovation Seed Program Announces 2024 Request for Proposals

This year’s Research Awards will focus on Climate and Community Resilience and Ideation Awards will address multiple topics

The Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability invites all Duke faculty and research staff to submit proposals for the 2024 round of Climate Research Innovation Seed Program (CRISP) grants.

Returning for a second year and open to all Duke faculty and research staff, the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability is now accepting proposals for the 2024 round of Climate Research Innovation Seed Program (CRISP) grants. 

During the 2024 funding round, Research Awards (up to $100,000) will support projects addressing Climate and Community Resilience, which is one of the four Duke Climate Commitment areas of focus. 

Ideation Awards (up to $20,000) will support projects addressing any of the four areas of focus: Energy Transformation, Climate and Community Resilience, Environmental and Climate Justice and Data-Driven Climate Solutions. 

“Climate change is not just a future-tense problem -- it’s already having significant and often devastating impacts around the world,” said Brian Murray, interim director of the Nicholas Institute. “The Research Awards in this funding round will accelerate Duke scholars’ work to help people and ecosystems contend with climate change’s impacts now, and to build resilience in anticipation of future challenges.”

Supported by funding from the Office of Climate & Sustainability, the anticipated total of awards during the 2024 funding round is $600,000. 

A virtual information session will be held on Dec. 12 for anyone interested in learning more about CRISP and the application process. The Nicholas Institute invites all Duke faculty and research staff to submit grant proposals by Feb. 26, 2024.

The 2024 CRISP grant recipients will be notified and announced in April.  An initial round of CRISP grants in 2023 funded 12 teams of scholars from across eight Duke schools to investigate wide-ranging topics including lower-cost, higher-efficiency solar cells; subsidies for energy-saving home renovations; the environmental, health and justice impacts of mining critical raw materials; and pastoral care for climate change. Last year, 41 project teams applied for a total of $1.5 million in possible grants.