Social Science & Ecological Forecasting Projects RFP | Ecological Forecasting Initiative

Here is a short 3-minute summary of the seed funding.

As identified in EFI’s Strategic Plan, a high-level objective of the Ecological Forecasting Initiative is to improve environmental decision making, which can be achieved in part by increasing the number of social scientists actively engaged in EFI (see Tier 2, point 12 of the Strategic Plan).

Social science is an important component in ecological forecasting, or the specific, quantitative prediction about a future ecological state, preferably including an uncertainty estimate, in that it increases the predictive power of models and ensures societal benefits from science (Bodner et al. 2021). Social scientists bolster model accuracy through the inclusion of human behavior, e.g. by integrating management impacts that may otherwise be omitted from the modeled coupled human-natural system (Dietze et al., 2018). In terms of model use, social scientists are crucial for estimating the potential value of a prediction to end users and for enumerating the translation needs of end users to increase the understandability and usefulness of the forecasts, especially in the face of statistical uncertainty (Dietze et al., 2018). Social science includes a range of human-focused disciplines, including, but not limited to, decision science, geography, economics, and public health.

Based on the need to develop interdisciplinary ecological forecasting projects with social scientists, EFI is supporting seed grants for $1,000 each to support five Project Groups. Each Project Group will either
1) develop a proposal for an external funding opportunity the group has previously identified or
2) convene a group to explore ideas and potential funding sources.
The Project Group activities should advance the use of social science in ecological forecasting and address ethical, methodological, or empirical gaps and advancements required for the ecological forecasting field.

Proposals are due August 26, 2024. Awards will be announced by September 16, 2024.

The award will be issued directly to the lead of the Project Group, who must have a social science background. The funds can be used for any kind of support necessary for proposal development. For example, the funds can be used for research to support a proof of concept, student support, convening the group, data processing or purchasing expenses, journal publication fees, conference fees, a salary supplement, or other research-related expenses. These examples are meant to be illustrative rather than restrictive.

Project Groups will be featured on the EFI website and through the EFI network to highlight the activities and scientific leadership of the groups and provide an opportunity for collaboration for groups interested in collaborating with others in the EFI community. You can also explore the EFI membership for potential collaborators.

The requirements for the Social Science & Ecological Forecasting Project application are to:

have a clear focus on advancing the incorporation of social science into ecological forecasting to support environmental decision making (in the spirit of the guidelines presented by Bodner et al 2021).
be led by a social scientist from a human-focused discipline, including, but not limited to, decision science, geography, economics, and public health
involve researchers from at least two or preferably more different disciplines
Project Groups can identify as one of the following:
- Actively Recruiting Collaborators (the project group is in the early stages of formation and actively recruiting collaborators beyond the two-plus applicants)
- Open to New Collaborators (the core project group is formed and is open to accepting new collaborators)
- Closed Group (the project group is formed and not open to additional collaborators at this time)

For groups who are Actively Recruiting or Open to New Collaborators, the EFI Translation working group can help the group make potential connections across the EFI community.

Application Materials will include

List of Project Group members including Project Group lead and Group members, institutions, and disciplines (graduate students and postdocs can be group leads, see the FAQ section for more details)
A brief description and short CV from the Project Group lead highlighting their social science experience
Identify if the Project Group will
1. develop a proposal for an identified external funding opportunity to advance the use of social science in ecological forecasting or
2. convene a group to explore ideas and funding sources to advance the use of social science in ecological forecasting
Identify if the Project Group is actively recruiting collaborators, open to new collaborators, or is closed to collaboration at this time
Describe the high-level activities and plans for the Project Group (~75 words) – this will be included on an EFI webpage listing the projects and participants
Describe, in more detail, the Project Group activities that demonstrate a clear focus on advancing the incorporation of social science into ecological forecasting to support environmental decision making including the methodology to convene the Project Group and activities to develop the topic and/or draft the proposal to an external funder (~300 words)
Provide a diversity statement on how the Project Group is encouraging involvement from a diverse range of scholars. Preference will be given to Project Groups that engage students and early career researchers as well as those led by or involving researchers from historically underrepresented groups (~150 words)
Acknowledge any conflict of interest with the reviewers (see the FAQ section for more details)

Disbursement of Funds and Deliverables

Funds will be distributed as two payments with the first $500 provided at the beginning of the project in recognition for the application and the second $500 provided at the end of the project in recognition of the submission and approval of a one- to two-page summary.

For groups that have identified a proposal to apply for, the summary will include an overview of the proposal and research plan. For example, this could be the summary or cover page used for a proposal the project group submits. For groups that are using the funds to explore research ideas, the summary will provide the research topics and potential funding opportunities identified. The summaries will include a timeline and any additional tasks the group will follow up on.

Funding Source
The Social Science & Ecological Forecasting Research Project Groups are funded by a philanthropic gift to be used for Ecological Forecasting Initiative activities.

Apply to the RFP Here

Below you will find information needed for the Application Form, FAQs, and the Evaluation Criteria the Review Committee will use to assess applications.

Social Science & Ecological Forecasting Projects RFP Application Form Information

The following is the information needed to fill out the application form.

Project Group Lead – Name, Title, Affiliation, Disciplinary Background, and Email: This person must be a social scientist. This can be in any human-focused field such as, but not limited to, decision science, geography, economics, and public health. This person will serve as the primary point of contact for the Project Group.
Social Science Expertise: Since there are many fields of social science and many ways to identify as a social scientist, this section will allow individuals to provide details about their experience. If their social science expertise is unclear from their CV, this section again provides a space to share those details.
CV: Upload a short CV
Project Group Members – List the Name, Title, Affiliation, and Disciplinary Background for Each Project Group Member: Project Group members including the Project lead must represent at least two or more different disciplines.
Project Group Title: This should be brief, clear, descriptive, and compelling.
High-level Description of the Project: Provide an ~75 word description of your Project Group activities and plans. This should be written in clear and accessible language. This will be shared on an EFI webpage dedicated to the Project information.
What are your Project goals: 1) Develop a proposal to submit to a known funding opportunity, or 2) Convene a group to explore potential projects and proposals
Which of the following best describes your proposed project group: 1) Actively recruiting (in early stages of formation and actively recruiting collaborators), 2) Open (the core Project Group is formed and is open to accepting new collaborators), 3 Closed (the Project Group is formed and not open to additional collaborators)
Would you like help finding potential collaborators from the EFI community: This question will show up if “Actively recruiting” or “Open” are selected for the proposed project group in question 8.
Description of Project Group Activities: Include a ~300 word description of the Project Group activities that will be used to develop a proposal for an external funder or activities to explore a potential project and identify funders with a clear focus on advancing the incorporation of social science into ecological forecasting to support environmental decision making
Diversity Statement: Please include a ~150 word statement that indicates how your Project Group is encouraging involvement from a diverse range of scholars. Preference will be given to Project Groups that engage students and early career researchers as well as those led by or involving researchers from historically underrepresented groups.
Conflict of Interest: Please note if you have an existing relationship with any of the reviewers. If there are no conflicts, please confirm.
Proposal reviewers include Alison Gerken (USDA), Charlotte Malmborg (Boston University), Jody Peters (University of Notre Dame), and Kira Sullivan-Wiley (The Pew Charitable Trusts). If there is a conflict of interest Christopher Brown (University of Maryland) is a backup reviewer. Additional reviewers will be identified by the EFI Translation Working Group if there are multiple conflicts of interest.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the review committee?
How did you hear about this seed funding opportunity?
If you are a graduate student or postdoc, list the name of the advisor who will send a letter of support. Please be sure to have the letter sent to info@ecoforecast.org

FAQs

What social science fields can Project Group leads apply from?

Our goal is to provide support for incorporating social science in ecological forecasting. There are many fields of social science and ways to identify as a social scientist. Some examples of human-focused fields include decision science, geography, economics, and public health. These are just examples. Any social science field that will incorporate human behavior into ecological forecasting will be considered. There is a section in the application to upload a short CV. If a person’s social science experience is unclear from the CV, there is a section where the Project Lead can provide an explanation.

Can we have co-leads for the Project Groups?

Absolutely! The form only has a space for one Project Group lead (as primary point of contact). You can certainly add a sentence or two into the “Project Group Members” entry to explain that you will have co-leads. Once Project Groups are selected for funding, we can ensure that co-leads are recognized on the EFI website as well. The payments, however, will only go to the Project Group lead who can then decide how to distribute them.

Is there a required minimum or maximum number of Project Group members?

The minimum number of Project Group members would be at least two (the Project lead from social science and at least one other group member from a separate discipline which could potentially be a different social science discipline or a non-social science discpline). There is no maximum number of disciplines that can be represented.

Are non-researchers allowed to join the Project Groups?

The Project Groups should be led by researchers, and research should remain core to the mission of the Project Group. However, practitioners, policymakers, journalists, and others are encouraged to join if it fits with the intent of your particular group.

Are researchers from outside the U.S. allowed to serve as the Project Group lead or members?

Yes. Researchers from any country where wire transfers from the U.S. are permitted are eligible and encouraged to serve as the lead or to join as members. Ecological forecasting is needed globally, as demonstrated by EFI’s international chapters. Therefore, applications from outside the U.S. are welcome. To receive the funds, U.S. Citizens will submit a W9 form and non-U.S. Citizens will submit a W-8 BEN form through a secure form to the administrator at Boston University who will issue the checks. Individuals will be responsible for any personal taxes.

Can a graduate student or a postdoctoral researcher serve as the Project Group lead?

Yes. The inclusion of emerging scholars is encouraged, both in terms of Project Group membership and leadership. However, any resulting proposal would have to be submitted in accordance with departmental and the funding program’s criteria. If a graduate student is in a leadership role, please provide a letter of support from the graduate advisor.

Can a researcher join more than one Project Group?

Yes. Researchers are allowed to join as many Project Groups as time and interests allow.

Do I have to be an EFI member to apply?

No you do not need to be an EFI member. Your membership in EFI has no bearing on whether you can apply to or receive the funds. EFI membership will not be considered in the evaluation process. However, EFI is always open to new members. By joining EFI, members affirm their commitment to EFI’s Shared Values and Operating Principles and Procedures and their interest in building the community of practice around ecological forecasts. There is no fee to become a member and new members have the option to receive an EFI mug.

If my Project Group is planning to pursue a research project, do I have to have IRB approval before I apply?

No, IRB approval is not required at the time of application. If your proposal includes research with human subjects, you should include your plan and timeline for getting IRB approval. It is expected that all researchers will follow the rules, regulations, norms, and expectations as established by their respective institutions and the requirements of the funding agency proposals developed by the Project Group will be submitted to.

What can I use the funds for?

The award can be used for any type of research-related support that the Project Group identifies as necessary. The award amount will be sent directly to the Project Group lead. The lead will be responsible for any personal tax implications of the award and for managing the distribution of the funds. The funds can be used for equipment, student support, data processing or purchasing expenses, journal publication fees, conference fees, salary supplement, or a range of other research-related expenses. These examples are meant to be illustrative rather than restrictive. We are not asking for a budget or budget justification.

Can the funds be used for expenses incurred outside the U.S.?

Yes. The Project Group lead will receive the funds and can use them as needed.

How will the funds be disbursed?

To receive the funds, U.S. Citizens will submit a W9 form and non-U.S. Citizens will submit a W-8 BEN form through a secure form to the administrator at Boston University who will issue the checks. Individuals will be responsible for any personal taxes.

Who is on the review committee and how will conflicts of interest be handled?

Alison Gerken (USDA), Charlotte Malmborg (Boston University), Jody Peters (University of Notre Dame), and Kira Sullivan-Wiley (The Pew Charitable Trusts) have volunteered their time to participate on the review committee. The application form has an entry where applicants can flag if they have an existing relationship with any of the reviewers. If there is a conflict of interest, the reviewer will recuse themselves and Christopher Brown (University of Maryland) will be the backup reviewer. Additional reviewers will be identified by the EFI Translation Working Group if there are multiple conflicts of interest.

If you have additional questions, send them to info@ecoforecast.org

Apply to the RFP Here

Evaluation Criteria

Review Process:

Below is the process that will be used to review proposals and determine final awards.

Every proposal will be evaluated by a minimum of four reviewers, including Alison Gerken (USDA), Charlotte Malmborg (Boston University), Jody Peters (University of Notre Dame), and Kira Sullivan-Wiley (The Pew Charitable Trusts). If there is a conflict of interest with any of the above four, Christopher Brown (University of Maryland) will be the backup reviewer. Additional reviewers will be identified by the EFI Translation Working Group if there are multiple conflicts of interest. All reviewers agree to comply with a Conflict of Interest policy.

Proposals will be reviewed, evaluated, and scored based on the extent to which they meet the criteria of the five categories below, which correspond to the proposal criteria. Reviewers consider the degree to which the proposals align with these criteria when determining the score for each category and provide written comments on their assessments. Each of the criteria will be evaluated on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1-2 is insufficient, 3-4 is significantly deficient, 5-6 is satisfactory, 7-8 is very good and 9-10 is excellent. It is important to note that a score of 1 or 2 for any individual criterion can result in a proposal being turned down for funding regardless of high scores in other categories.

Once all proposals are reviewed based on the extent to which they meet the five criteria, final funding decisions will be based on proposal scoring as well as additional factors applied to the overall slate of funded projects, which may include: geographic distribution of projects, variety of topical priorities addressed, representation of project type and applicant, and alignment with available funding.

Evaluation Criteria:

Proposals will be reviewed by a selection panel composed of four individuals. Proposals will be evaluated on the following criteria below, weighted by the percentages denoted in parentheses.

Relevance (30%): This criterion will be assessed on whether the proposal has a clear focus that will improve and advance the incorporation of social science into ecological forecasting to promote environmental decision making.

Feasibility (30%): Proposed activities will be assessed based on whether the methods, approaches, and/or planned activities are feasible, technically sound, and have clear goals that align with the intent of this RFP and can be realized by the work proposed.

Collaboration (15%): This criterion will be assessed based on whether the proposals have included appropriate and diverse collaborators whose engagement is necessary to meet the needs and intent of the project.

Project Team/Qualifications (15%): Supporting social science in ecological forecasting is a high priority for this funding opportunity. This criterion evaluates whether the project team has demonstrated the appropriate skill set(s) to conduct the proposed activities and to achieve all proposed project deliverables.

Commitment to inclusion (10%): The group includes and encourages involvement from a diverse range of scholars such as early career and historically underrepresented researchers.

Additional considerations:
In addition to the five primary evaluation criteria above, we will also consider the following areas when making the final award selections:

Balancing funded projects across geographies and topical areas
Avoiding duplication of similar efforts

Acknowledgments

The development of this RFP has been led by the EFI Translation Working Group. The RFP was inspired by similar activities set up by the Social Science Extreme Events Research (SSEER), a research community in CONVERGE which is based at the Natural Hazards Center. We appreciate the resources SSEER shared to help us create this RFP.

Apply to the RFP Here