Lenfest Ocean Program projects begin with developing an understanding of how the proposed research will inform a stakeholder’s question or support a decision-making process. The program funds research in two broad policy portfolios: wildlife and ecosystems; and climate impacts on oceans. Projects may address issues at a regional, national, or international scale. 

Project selection

Program officers evaluate each project’s fit with the Lenfest Ocean Program’s mission of supporting usable science as well as scientific approach and methods. Successful projects feature clear links between challenges facing stakeholders and decision-makers and the research questions and approaches needed to address them. The program encourages potential grantees to demonstrate how collaboration and partnership with interested communities have framed the project or shaped the research questions.

Among the criteria used to assess a project’s fit with the program’s mission are:

• How does the proposed research address an existing challenge or fill a knowledge gap?
• Have stakeholders or decision-makers participated in the development of the project or research questions?
• Has the research team demonstrated productive relationships with proposed stakeholder partners, decision-makers, industries, or communities, or is there a plan to develop them?
• Will the proposed research generate information that the intended audiences can use at appropriate geographic and governance scales?
• Can new information be provided in time for a discussion or decision-making deadline?
• Have challenges to bringing new information into the decision-making landscape been identified?
• Are the research questions focused and appropriate for the scale of the project?
• Is the research approach appropriate to answer the identified research questions?

Contact the program officers below for more information:

• Wildlife and Ecosystems – Jason Landrum
• Climate Impacts on Oceans – Sarah Close