Morpho Initiative
Collaborative data science in service of environmental management
The Morpho 2025 Call for Proposals is now open!
This year we are soliciting in three separate focus areas:
2025 Annual call - Any synthesis idea focused on management-relevant environmental science.
2025 Special AI for the Planet call: AI for climate change
2025 Special Global joint international synthesis center call: Interactions between biodiversity and climate change
See below for more details and to apply.
The Morpho Initiative is an applied environmental science initiative that convenes scientific working groups consisting of researchers and practitioners across government agencies, NGOs, tribes, academia, and the private sector to develop and accelerate management-relevant “science in-service-of solutions.” These teams are supported and enhanced by hands-on training in data science, science communication, and team science facilitation and management skills that are most relevant to each working group’s near- and long-term needs.
Morpho accelerates science and builds capacity in the service of management solutions by:
- Engaging a range of relevant researcher and practitioner expertise in synthesis groups
- Providing tailored and targeted trainings in reproducible open data science, team science, data management and storage, facilitation, and communication
- Funding 2-3 working groups annually with ~$75,000-125,000
The Morpho Initiative’s Annual Request for Proposals asks potential team leaders to articulate and propose a research opportunity for transdisciplinary collaboration and innovation to influence management action or practice. Each funded project will bring together a working group of 12-16 experts for 3-4 in-person collaborative sessions over the course of 24 months. The working group will conceive new approaches to its respective problem area, synthesize data relevant to the work, and develop science in service of relevant solutions. Between sessions, members will collaborate remotely, participate in Morpho-provided trainings, explore emerging research outcomes, identify practical opportunities to enhance management activities, and publish research and results. Over time, ideas and relationships fostered within Morpho teams may influence management policy or practice at local, state, national or international levels and initiate related cross-sectoral action.
This year we have three separate thematic areas open for proposals. See the Call for Proposals for full details:
- 2025 Annual call
- 2025 Special AI for the Planet call: AI for climate change
- 2025 Special Global joint international synthesis center call: Interactions between biodiversity and climate change
Ready to apply? Read our full 2025 Call for Proposals and complete the following:
- Download and fill in our Budget Template
- Download and fill in our Proposal Template
- Fill out our Call for Proposals Google form
- Email application materials to morpho@nceas.ucsb.edu
Whether this is your first Morpho proposal or you are resubmitting an idea, you may have questions about the process. We are here to answer them! Join us at this informational webinar, where we will review what NCEAS does, how working groups work, and tips for strong applications.
You can find a recording of the 2025 webinar on our YouTube channel, here.
Want to submit a proposal but not sure if the idea is the right fit? Or maybe you need help strengthening a previous proposal? For these and any other lingering questions, sign up for a one-on-one office hours appointment with NCEAS staff. Please include topics of potential discussion in the notes box so we can best prepare for our meetings
Proposal Planning Guide
A working group is so much more than a collection of individuals working on a problem. We compiled best practices for team science, from germinating an idea to facilitating meetings. This guidance document is a great place to start!
Read the Proposal Planning Guide >>
Working Group Resources
If you are considering applying, or have already done so, this page offers a wide range of resources and relevant information to help you navigate the full working group process.
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2022 Funded Proposals
Read more about the first two funded Morpho Initiative working groups, covering prescribed burn practices in the West and the decline of grassland bird species.
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2023 Funded Proposals
Read more about the second cohort of projects funded through the Morpho Initiative - three projects addressing kelp, pollinators, and fire.
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2024 Funded Proposals
Read more about the third cohort - two groups address global shark meat trade and sustainable fisheries, and aquatic thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiencies.