Looking for funding to use your geoscience skills to make the world a better place? GWB applications are accepted twice each year: 15 January and 15 July. These are our most frequently asked questions about the process.
***I am confused about the deadline for Phase I proposal. The online submission form on the SEG website states “Geoscientists *without* Borders® applications are accepted twice each year. For First and Second Quarter, LOIs (Phase I applications) are due 15 January at 11:45 p.m. CST (Houston); however, the materials being sent out via email imply that the Phase I deadline is in July. Would you please explain when the Phase I deadline is and if they are accepted in January?***
GWB accepts applications twice every year for funding. The two deadlines each year are 15 January for Q1Q2 cycle of funding and 15 July for Q3Q4 cycle of funding.
***I am working on preparing a Letter of Intent (LoI) ahead of the 15 July deadline, and I just wanted to confirm that a detailed budget is not needed for this initial phase.***
A detailed budget is not needed at the Phase I Letter of Intent (LoI) stage. However, it is required for those later invited to submit a Phase II application, which is by invitation only.
***Can someone submit/be involved in more than one proposal considering different research teams, not being the leader of these research teams? (although I am the one actively working at the writing)***
It is possible for one person to be on multiple proposals and also multiple proposals from the same institution. It’s up to the GWB committee to ultimately select the most competitive project out of all the submitted applications in that call for proposals. It also does not matter how many projects the writer is involved in. Each project will be evaluated based on the project lead, co-lead, and participants’ and/or team’s competency, along with other criteria.
***When submitting a research proposal with a specific team/research institute, will I need to be employed by the research team/institution actually signing off on the proposal or can I be external to them? (e.g. freelance researcher, or anyway belonging to another institution not involved in the proposal?***
In the case that you are the Project Lead (PI) or Co-Project Lead (Co-PI) for the project, then you will have to be employed by the lead organization/institution. GWB projects require a dedicated technical manager, who is overall responsible for the entire project management. If you are that person, then yes, you will have to be employed full time by the lead organization/specific team/research institution. If you are one of the project participants/team members, then you can be a contractor or freelance researcher.
***What are some of the grounds for the rejection of a Letter of Intent (LoI) in Phase I?***
There can be several reasons for a LoI to be deemed ineligible. A few of them, including but not limited to, are:
– Lack of geoscientific/geophysical techniques’ application
– No direct humanitarian benefit to a local at-risk community
– No focus on making it clear what is exactly proposed and how it will benefit communities
– Purely research based proposals with explanation of problem but no connection to long term geosciences application
– No (especially in-country/local) students’ involvement
– Reliance entirely on external partners for the long-term sustainability of the project
– No knowledge transfer details during the course of a project
– Missing details on the lead organization (no online presence, no website, no physical address etc.)
– Details missing on the project lead such as relevant past experiences, project management competencies, among others.
Interested in receiving GWB news as it happens? Please visit the [SEG Communications Center](https://seg.org/communications-center), and opt-in to “Geoscientists Without Borders®.”