YPS Grant Program

At a Glance

YPS awards grants to support novel and impactful projects that solve planetary challenges. Since 2022, the grant program has awarded over $7 million to interdisciplinary projects at Yale.

Initiation

Up to $25,000 to spark new ideas and a 12-month timeline
Exploration

Lay the groundwork for implementation with up to $100,000 and an 18-month timeline
Constellation

Transform knowledge into action with up to $250,000 to and a 24-month timeline
Impact Accelerator

Commercialization support, milestone-based funding, and expert mentorship

Request for Proposals

Applications for the 2026-27 grant cycle are now closed. You can read about the 19 projects that received funding this year on YaleNews.

We seek project proposals that align with the YPS mission, and particularly with one or more of our primary lenses: climate change; biodiversity and ecosystems; and communities and society.

Our structure aligns with our theory of change for transforming knowledge and innovation into action and impact, which can be conceptualized in three tracks: Initiation, Exploration, and Constellation.

We look forward to supporting teams from different disciplines, schools, and academic domains.

Read the 2026 RFP

2022 Grant Project in Chad, examining a cow — As part of a 2022 YPS grant-funded project in Chad, students accompany a field team from the Smithsonian in collecting patient history and physical exam data for a restrained cow. Photo by Mikaillah Moussa.

School of Architecture students experience a wood and earth prototype — Yale School of Architecture students interact with a prototype they built out of experimental, lower-carbon hybrid-earth “bricks” as part of a YPS grant-funded project.

Timeline

All proposals will be reviewed by committees of faculty and staff from a wide range of disciplines; commercialization-related Constellation proposals will also be reviewed by an external advisory board of industry experts and investors.

As part of the decision-making process, Constellation applicants may be invited for presentations to an ad-hoc committee in early April.

Applicants will be notified of funding decisions in late April
Funds will be made available on June 15, 2026
Project periods will begin on July 1, 2026

Three Distinct Grant Tracks

Initiation Grants spark new ideas that are either inquiry-based or user-inspired, foster interdisciplinary collaborations, and chart novel research directions. Initiation Grant activities may include, but are not limited to, workshops, conferences, book projects, art installations, and curricular improvements. Initiation grants can have budgets up to $25,000 and a 12-month timeline.

Exploration Grants lay the groundwork for implementation by conducting proof-of-concept studies, gathering preliminary data, and practicing team science—a collaborative model that leverages the strengths of multidisciplinary teams. This track helps bridge the gap between ideas and practical, scalable solutions. Exploration Grants can have a budget up to $100,000 and an 18-month timeline.

Constellation Grants turn insight into progress, innovation into solutions, and knowledge into impact through collaborative action with partners within and beyond the Yale community.

Recipients of Constellation Grants related to commercialization are also invited to participate in the new Planetary Solutions Impact Accelerator, where they will receive expert mentorship, commercialization support, access to a global network of investors and partners, and support from student fellows.

This track is aimed at turning research theory into practice and realizing real-world benefits by influencing policy, informing practices, and fostering innovation. Constellation Grants can have budgets up to $250,000 and a 24-month timeline; the second year of funding will be milestone-based.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about PI eligibility, submitting proposals, budget, award selection process, and more.

Explore the FAQs

Partners

YPS grants are funded through generous gifts and partnerships.

The YPS Grant Program is funded with longstanding generous support from the Three Cairns Climate Impact Innovation Fund. The Office of the Provost AI Initiatives, Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture, Tobin Center for Economic Policy, and the Office of International Affairs are co-funding select awards this year. Additional support for these grants comes from the Natural Carbon Solutions Fund, the Simon Bates Catalyst Fund, the Gordon Data and Environmental Sciences Research Grants, the Birnbaum-Harford Planetary Solutions Translation Fund, and Eleanor and Chad Laurans.