Student Mini-Grant: $500 To Kickstart Your Ocean Project

We set aside small grants to help students turn a clear idea into real work. The Student Mini-Grant is a $500 award for projects that make a dent in ocean and reef challenges, whether that is careful data collection, a simple tool, or an outreach piece that helps your community understand the problem.

What we fund

• Research supplies and small equipment needed to collect or analyze data

• Field or local travel tied directly to the project

• Printing and materials for education exhibits or outreach events

• Modest software or cloud costs that support your work

What we do not fund

• Tuition, general stipends, or salaries

• Laptops, phones, or high-end cameras

• Projects without a clear safety plan or measurable outcome

Who can apply

• Undergrads or grads from any major

• Individuals or small teams

• You do not need to be part of our Coralite Internship to apply, and being a Coralite does not guarantee funding

What your proposal should include

Keep it simple and concrete.

• A 300–500 word summary of your project and why it matters

• A one-page timeline with key steps and dates

• A simple, itemized budget up to $500

• A brief safety plan for any lab or field work

• If relevant, a short note of support from a mentor or supervisor

How to apply

Email us to request the mini-grant application and submit your materials.

• To request the application: write to projectanchordown@gmail.com with the subject Mini-Grant Request + Your Name

• Attach your CV or resume and include 2–3 sentences about your idea

• We review on a rolling basis alongside quarterly cycles

How we choose

We look for:

• Merit and impact

• Feasibility within the budget and timeline

• Safety and ethics

• Clear community benefit

• Clean, focused budgets

What you deliver

• A finished, useful product: a small dataset, tool, exhibit, or outreach piece

• A short write-up or poster that others can learn from

• A few photos, figures, or screenshots that show what you built

Examples we love

• A low-cost sensor and short guide to log water temperature for a campus reef tank

• A simple map of storm-drain litter hotspots that informs a cleanup plan

• A classroom kit and mini-lesson that explains coral bleaching in plain language

• A tidy dataset on seagrass health with a one-page methods sheet

Questions or ready to request the application? Email projectanchordown@gmail.com. Tell us what you want to build and why it matters. We will point you to the right next step.