The Kleinhans Fellowship supports research focused on solving challenges in community forestry, offering a two-year stipend of $20,000 per year. It prioritizes research with practical value for community forest enterprises (CFEs) and addresses topics like markets for lesser-known species, biodiversity management, social organization, governance, and multi-community enterprises. Applicants need a master’s degree in a relevant field, with doctoral candidates or post-doctoral researchers preferred.
The Kleinhans Fellowship for Community Forestry Research 2027 provides funding for scientific inquiry aimed at guiding technical assistance for local development. The fellowship supports research that seeks solutions to problems faced by the community forestry model, emphasizing practical applications as defined by community forest enterprises (CFEs). Research topics include developing markets for lesser-known species and non-timber forest products, exploring biodiversity management practices at the community level, investigating modes of social organization and governance within CFEs, and examining multi-community enterprises. The goal is to identify innovative and replicable solutions that enhance the economic viability and sustainability of CFEs. Planning, implementation, and dissemination of research results are expected to be carried out in a participatory manner. This ensures that the research has tangible value for communities and directly informs their action plans, fostering a collaborative approach to problem-solving. The fellowship offers a grant of $20,000 per year for two years. This funding is intended to support the research directly, but it will not cover academic tuition or fees, nor will it subsidize unnecessary equipment or transport vehicles.
Applicants must possess a master’s degree in forestry, ecology, botany, environmental science, or a closely related field. Doctoral candidates or post-doctoral researchers are preferred. Relevant experience may be considered as a substitute for higher-level degrees.