KNPS Grant Programs

Jump to Application

Beginning in 2012, the Kentucky Native Plant Society has been awarding annual grants to undergraduate and graduate students that are researching native plants and plant communities in Kentucky. Since 2012 we have awarded over $9,000 in grants. In 2019, the research grant program expanded to offer additional grants outside of students to work on native plant inventory and restoration. In 2023, the KNPS grant program was expanded again to include grants for the development of pollinator gardens.

  1. The Student Research Grant program is a funding source to support botanical knowledge and understanding in Kentucky. Each year the Society offers awards of $1,000 for graduate student projects, and $500 for undergraduate projects. Awards are given for field-based botanical projects that contribute to the knowledge of Kentucky’s flora or natural communities. We prefer that students submitting grant requests attend a Kentucky college or university, although this is not a requirement as long as the research is based in Kentucky. The grant may be used to purchase consumable supplies and materials such as herbarium paper, label stock, and topographic maps apps such as gaiagps. The grant may also be used to cover travel expenses, and lodging
  2. The Pollinator Garden Grant is a brand new (2024) grant program that will provide up to $500 to horticultural education organization across the state to provide funds and educational support for creating and maintaining pollinator gardens. We’re partnering with organizations with an education mission because generally the success rate of grant gardens is small. Each grantee will agree to a two-year minimum establishment period. With a two-year educational support commitment from our educational partners, we hope to improve the success rate. The pollinator garden will have public access, within reason, for continued educational opportunities.
  3. The Native Plant Inventory Grant program provides funding for native plant inventory and data collection in natural areas in Kentucky. This grant is intended to fund projects that work on floristic and natural community inventories within Kentucky’s Natural Areas. This program is open to anyone (student or not) working in the Commonwealth and will award $250 to the recipient. The grant may also be used to cover travel expenses
  4. The Rare Plant Restoration Grant program will provide up to $500 for the propagation and/or restoration of rare plants of Kentucky. The program is open to anyone, student or not, working in the area of rare plant conservation. We will give preference for anyone working on plants of greatest conservation need (SGCN), plants that are on the State wildlife action plants and/or listed as threatened or endangered on the Kentucky rare plant list and encourage them to work with the Kentucky Plant Conservation Alliance and  Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves (OKNP) on project selection .https://eec.ky.gov/Nature-Preserves/About_Us/news/Pages/Reports.aspx

Application Process

Grant applications are due in early April each year. Applications will be evaluated and recipients will notified within a month after the deadline. Funding amount may vary depending on the applicant pool (and may include no grants given). Proposals will be reviewed by the KNPS Grant Committee.

Applicants are encouraged to become members of the Kentucky Native Plant Society, but membership is not required to be awarded a grant. Grant recipients are required to provide the KNPS with a short summary of the funded research suitable for publishing in the Society’s newsletter, The Lady Slipper, within one year of receiving the grant. Grant recipients are also expected to present their work at the KNPS Fall or Spring meeting or the Kentucky Botanical Symposium, and we encourage recipients to present their work at the annual Kentucky Academy of Sciences meeting, natural areas association or other academic/professional meetings within one year of completion of the research.

All grant proposals will be submitted using the form at the bottom of this page.

Grant Requirements

Student Research Grants

Student research grant proposals must include:

  1. A current resume/curriculum vitae
  2. A proposal (not to exceed two single-spaced typed pages) identifying the research as either graduate or undergraduate, and describing the proposed research and the role the grant would play in the research. Awards are given for field-based botanical projects that contribute to the knowledge of Kentucky’s flora or natural communities
  3. An itemized budget
  4. One letter of recommendation from a faculty member, submitted separately by the faculty member

Submit electronic copies (as Word or PDF attachments) of items 1 through 3 listed above in the form at the bottom of this page . The letter of recommendation should be sent separately by a faculty member to grants@knps.org. Put “KNPS Student Research Grant” in the email subject line.

Pollinator Garden Grants

Each Pollinator Garden Grant project is a partnership with organizations with an educational mission. The partnership includes three parties:

  • The Kentucky Native Plant Society as grantor will provide funds for the purchase of native plants and seeds.
  • The grantee will be the owner or caretaker of the garden. The site should have education as part of its mission and offer public access, within reason.
  • An educational partner will provide education and continued support for at least two years. We can help you find an educational partner in your area.

Apply for a Pollinator Garden Grant using the form at the bottom of this page

Native Plant Inventory Grants

Native plant inventory grant proposals must include:

  1. A current resume/curriculum vitae
  2. A proposal (not to exceed two single-spaced typed pages) describing the proposed inventory and the role the grant would play in the inventory. This grant is intended to fund projects that work on floristic and natural community inventories within Kentucky’s Natural Areas.
  3. An itemized budget

Submit electronic copies (as Word or PDF attachments) of items 1 through three listed above in the form at the bottom of this page .

Rare Plant Restoration Grants

Kentucky Native Plant Society is an affiliate of the national organization Plant Conservation Alliance (https://www.plantconservationalliance.org/) and a key partner of the Kentucky Plant Conservation Alliance. The goal of the plant conservation alliance is to protect rare plants by ensuring that native plant populations and their communities are maintained, enhanced, and restored. To assist in the goal of our alliances, the rare plant restoration grant program was created and administered by the Kentucky Native Plant Society.  Specific requirements such as working on plants of greatest conservation need (SGCN) plants that are on the State wildlife action plants and/or listed as threatened or endangered on the Kentucky rare plant list and encourage them to work with the Kentucky Plant Conservation Alliance and Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves (OKNP) on project selection.  https://eec.ky.gov/Nature-Preserves/About_Us/news/Pages/Reports.aspx  ; If one is interested in applying for one of these grants, please send a query to grants@knps.org. Put “KNPS Rare Plant Restoration Grant” in the email subject line

Grant Application Form

Use this form to apply for any of the grants. Most of the grants require that the applicant upload a resume, proposal, and budget in MS Word or PDF format. Have those documents available before beginning the grant application process. The application form does have a save and continue later option that you can use if you have begun the application process but are unable to complete for any reason.