Eligibility
Any QANR graduate student performing relevant research on rangelands is eligible to apply. Students may receive a maximum of $11,000 in QANR research funding (including student stipends and project-related costs) during their graduate degree program.
What the Fund Will Support
The fund will provide up to $11,000, with $7,800 directed toward student stipends and $3,200 for project-related costs including travel, equipment, and/or materials.
Project Duration
Projects are expected to last a year.
Deadlines
The deadline for proposal submission is January 15, 2026. Expect the committee to require multiple revisions of your proposal before an award is made. You will be given 48 hours to submit any required revisions.
Proposal Guidelines
The application will be uploaded as a single .pdf file.
A complete application must include:
Cover Page
- A title (maximum 100 characters)
- An abstract (maximum of 250 words)
- Name, A-number, major, and signature of student
- Proposed project start and end dates
- Identification of name, title, and department of faculty advisor
Section 1: Project Narrative
The narrative section has an absolute limit of 2 single-spaced pages (excluding Literature Cited). This section must have 1-inch margins on all sides and use a minimum of 11-point font. Include:
- Introduction: Provide the rationale or justification for the proposed research, including citations to relevant previous work.
- Objectives, Hypothesis, or Study Questions: These should follow logically from your Introduction and lead into your Methods. This section should be very succinct (perhaps a single sentence or set of bullets).
- Methods: Describe your methods of data collection (if applicable) and data analysis. The phases described must align with those in the Time Line (e.g., literature review, development of research protocols, site selection, sample collections, data analysis, final report writing, etc.).
- Time Line: Specify when you will be conducting various phases of your research. Include an estimate of the average hours per week you expect to devote to each phase.
- Personal Statement (not more than 250 words): Describe how the proposed research experience will further your future professional goals.
- Literature Cited: Include citations to support your project narrative using a consistent citation style matching that of any scientific journal. This section may appear on a third page.
Section 2: Budget Justification
Provide a budget detailing the anticipated costs of the research and the amount by category (e.g., travel, supplies, laboratory analyses, etc.). Any item with a value of $50 or more should be individually identified in the budget.
Following the budget sheet, include a Budget Justification section (one page or less) that clearly justifies each line item.
Section 3: Letter of Support
The graduate student advisor must provide a letter which:
- Supports the research described in your application
- Confirms that he/she will be supervising your research activities
- Documents the assistance the faculty advisor will provide (e.g., use of laboratory space, matching funds, use of a field vehicle, assistance with data analysis and interpretation, etc.)
The faculty mentor must also work with you to prepare this grant request, providing guidance and feedback on early drafts.
Application Process
Submit your complete application as a single PDF to juan.villalba@usu.edu by January 15, 2026 at 5:00 PM MT.
Use the following subject line in your email:
[Your Name]_Application GJES_Graduate Research Fund
Evaluation of Proposals
Proposals will be evaluated by a committee of QANR faculty and industry professionals based on the following criteria:
- Preference will be given to research projects that address pressing natural-resource issues at landscape scales and use emerging technologies to improve rangeland management
- The logic behind the proposal
- How well the study is justified and explained
- Whether the methods are feasible within the time frame and will lead to an answer to the proposed questions
- Evidence of strong support from the faculty advisor
Award Administration & Reporting Requirements
Pre-Project Requirements
Students who receive funding must:
- Report to the QANR Business Service Center to review procedures for expenditures (e.g., P-card authorization, handling receipts, travel authorization).
- Submit a photo and project description summary for posting on the QANR website. The summary must consist of two brief paragraphs — one providing an overview of the research and one discussing broader implications. Submit to Associate Dean Juan Villalba at juan.villalba@usu.edu.
Final Report
A final report is required within one year of project funding and must be reviewed by the faculty advisor prior to submission. The report must include:
- A one-page report describing what was accomplished, how it corresponds to the proposed work, the significance of the results, and recommendations for further study.
- A figure or other visual depiction of the research findings.
- A photo from the project (e.g., of the student engaged in research activities).
- Copies of any products (e.g., PDF of a research poster), including a list of paper and/or poster presentations to conferences.
- A single-page itemized budget report including the amount spent on each item, total expenditures (must be equal to or less than the proposed budget), and verification that all receipts have been submitted to the QANR Business Service Center.
- A short, layman's-style paragraph describing the project written for an undergraduate student audience, with a title and relevant photograph, for posting on the QANR Research website.
- A thank you letter to Gregg and Julie Erickson Simonds.
All reports should be submitted to Associate Dean Juan Villalba (juan.villalba@usu.edu) in electronic format, copied to the faculty mentor.