Kleinhans Fellowship for Community Forestry Research 2027 (up to $20,000)

Applications are open for the Kleinhans Fellowship for Community Forestry Research 2027. Recognizing that sound scientific inquiry can help to guide technical assistance for local development, the Kleinhans Fellowship supports research that seeks solutions to the challenges faced by the community forestry model.

The fellowship provides funds for research that is oriented toward solving real-world problems as defined by community forest enterprises (CFEs). Moreover, the planning, implementation and dissemination of research results will be carried out in a participatory manner to ensure that it has practical value for communities and helps to inform their action plans.

Research topics supported include:

- Markets for lesser-known species and non-timber forest products (NTFPs): Systematically documenting and analyzing the creation and maintenance of domestic markets for diversified forest products, determining success drivers, and recommending future actions.

- Biodiversity management practices: Exploring the feasibility of implementing conservation practices (such as High Conservation Value Forests and riparian buffers) at the community level and their effects on CFE economic viability.

- Social organization and governance: Investigating modes of social organization and highlighting problems and innovative, replicable solutions for CFE governance, equitable participation, transparency, human resource management, and legal status.

- Multi-community enterprises: Examining multi-community enterprises, documenting successes and failures, and making recommendations for future investment in such ventures.

The fellowship provides a two-year stipend of US$20,000 per year. Note that the fellowship will not subsidize academic tuition or fees, nor will it cover the cost of purchasing transport vehicles or equipment that is unnecessary or unreasonable.