Small Grants

Our Primary Purpose

PBR funds individuals with grants up to $1500 (prior to 2018, our limit was $1000) in our competitive annual Small Grants Program. We support the study of any species in U.S. prairies and savannas. Over 18 years PBR has funded 331 grants totaling $346,081 to researchers in 40 states. More than half of these grants supported graduate students. What makes this activity so urgent is that these habitats and the species that live there are vanishing. We are gathering information that may slow this terrible erosion of our natural heritage, while fostering the development of these researchers, thereby sustaining our cultural heritage. We can be only as successful in this effort as we are in raising the money that we give away.

Distribution of Grants - 18 Years - 331 Grants - $346,081

BY RESEARCH SUBJECT

SUBJECT
GRANTS
DOLLARS
 
 
 
 
Insects
142
$147,628
147628
Vascular Plants
46
$51,380
51380
Mammals
28
$27,682
27682
Reptiles
27
$28,747
28747
Amphibians
12
$12,540
12540
Birds
11
$11,035
11035
Soil Ecology
11
$11,440
11440
Spiders
10
$8,917
8917
Reptiles & Amphibians
9
$9,257
9257
Plant & Fungus
4
$3,970
3970
Fishes
3
$3,470
3470
Algae
2
$2,000
2000
Aquatic Macroinvertebrates
2
$2,200
2200
Biocrusts
2
$2,400
2400
Birds & Mammals
2
$2,000
2000
Insects & Rhizobia
2
$2,000
2000
Pollen
2
$3,000
3000
Snails
2
$1,750
1750
Ants & Mites
1
$1,000
1000
Birds & Butterflies
1
$1,500
1500
Branchiopods
1
$1,000
1000
Cryptogams
1
$950
950
Cyanobacteria
1
$1,000
1000
Earthworms
1
$960
960
Ecology
1
$1,000
1000
Human Dimensions
1
$1,000
1000
Insects & Spiders
1
$1,000
1000
Leeches
1
$830
830
Lichens
1
$1,500
1500
Mammals & Reptiles
1
$1,500
1500
Mites
1
$925
925
Slime Molds
1
$500
500
 
 
Total:
331
$346,081
 
 

BY STATE - UNRESTRICTED

STATE
GRANTS
DOLLARS
 
 
 
 
IL
37
$39,097
39097
KS
25
$25,117
25117
CO
17
$15,831
15831
MO
15
$15,335
15335
NE
13
$14,000
14000
TX
13
$15,531
15531
MN
11
$13,962
13962
MT
8
$9,000
9000
OH
8
$8,000
8000
IN
8
$7,860
7860
IA
8
$7,125
7125
WY
7
$7,940
7940
CA
6
$6,760
6760
OK
6
$7,120
7120
SD
5
$5,748
5748
WA
4
$4,000
4000
WI
4
$4,220
4220
OR
4
$4,450
4450
FL
4
$4,500
4500
AR
3
$2,500
2500
LA
3
$2,700
2700
MI
3
$3,000
3000
NM
3
$2,878
2878
NC
3
$3,500
3500
ND
3
$2,330
2330
MS
2
$2,000
2000
NJ
2
$2,000
2000
VA
2
$1,750
1750
AL
2
$2,430
2430
MA
2
$2,500
2500
ID
2
$2,500
2500
AZ
1
$1,000
1000
CA/SC
1
$860
860
GA
1
$1,500
1500
GA/MS
1
$450
450
VA/AL
1
$1,000
1000
UT
1
$1,000
1000
NV
1
$1,000
1000
NY
1
$900
900
NH
1
$1,400
1400
 
 
Total:
242
$254,794
 
 

BY STATE - RESTRICTED

STATE
GRANTS
DOLLARS
 
 
 
 
IA
36
$36,998
36998
WI
31
$32,637
32637
IL
7
$6,652
6652
MI
5
$5,000
5000
SD
4
$4,000
4000
MN
3
$3,000
3000
ND
2
$2,000
2000
MO
1
$1,000
1000
 
 
Total:
89
$91,287
 
 

Process and Values

How we make decisions

We support basic field biological research on all taxa in U.S. prairies and savannas, but we are especially eager to support research on taxa for which funding is scarce, such as insects, fungi, reptiles, spiders, etc. We don't fund many bird projects, in part because there are generally more funds available for the study of birds.

How Can I Help?

Your tax-deductible contribution is needed

Prairie Biotic Research, Inc. has benefitted from generous gifts of various foundations, and both non-profit and for-profit businesses. These are augmented by gifts from individuals concerned with our prairies. Indeed, we can only offer small grants with continued financial support. Please consider joining these enterprises as a donor to Prairie Biotic Research.