Nature and Human Health Utah Pilot Grant Program is sponsored by Nature and Human Health Utah (with support from REI Cooperative Action Fund and anonymous donor). Seed‑funding interdisciplinary projects exploring connection between nature and human health in Utah, with focus on healthcare, clinical trials, or translational science, prioritizing underserved populations.

Pilot Grants | Discover Nature-Based Solutions — Nature and Human Health Utah Nature and Human Health Utah Nature and Human Health Utah Nature and Human Health UT’s pilot grant program has been funded through an anonymous donor. We are grateful for the support of this funding and the opportunity to award pilot grant research and programmatic efforts.

Nature and Human Health Utah is excited to announce we are now accepting grant applications for the 2026-2028 grant cycle! What is the pilot grant program? Launched in 2021, the Nature and Human Health Utah (NHH-UT) Pilot Grant Program supports innovative, interdisciplinary projects that explore and strengthen the connections between nature and human health.

Funded through an anonymous donor and the REI Cooperative Action Fund, the program provides seed funding for research and practice-based initiatives across Utah that align with NHH-UT’s mission to ensure equitable access to nature as a determinant of health and wellbeing. Grants are open to students, early- to late-career professionals, and community partners working collaboratively across sectors.

This year, projects must focus on healthcare , clinical trials , or translational science — while emphasizing practical applications, community impact, and sustainability. Each project must involve both a researcher and a practitioner, include measurable outcomes, and prioritize underserved populations with limited access to nature.

Details of the grant criteria, eligibility, and submission requirements can be found in the Request for Proposals (RFP) document. Grant applications are due by December 19th at 4:00pm MT via email to myra. gerst@utah.

edu. Can previous applicants or collaborators reapply? Yes.

Prior applicants and former awardees may reapply. Continued support is not guaranteed and proposals must present a new project with new partners or collaborators. Extensions or expansions of previously funded work are not eligible.

Are graduate students allowed in the project budget? Yes. Funds may support a graduate assistantship or fellowship.

However, grant funds cannot supplement or increase a student’s standard stipend. Graduate student costs should be listed under personnel and counted toward the 40% personnel cap. If you have specific questions about graduate students, please contact Myra at myra.

gerst@utah. edu. Do contracted services count toward the 40% personnel requirement?

No. The 40% limit applies only to staff time for individuals directly involved in the project. Contracted or vendor services such as coding, marketing, etc., should be listed as services or another non-personnel category. Are overhead or other indirect costs allowed?

No. Overhead or indirect costs are not permitted. All funds must be used for direct project expenses. What is the maximum budget?

Budgets cannot exceed $25,000. All expenses must be directly tied to project activities and justified in the project narrative. What counts as personnel expenses?

Personnel costs include staff time for team members contributing to project design, implementation, evaluation, or coordination. Staff time may not exceed 40% of the total budget. How should applicants select an application category?

Applicants should choose the category that best aligns with the project’s primary intent—Healthcare, Healthcare with Clinical Trial, or Translational Science. Projects involving clinical or behavioral health interventions must include a relevant medical, behavioral, or mental health practice partner. Specific questions can be directed to our Program Manager, Myra Gerst.

Can team members be based outside of Utah? Yes. Team members may be located outside the state, but all projects must occur in Utah and benefit Utah communities.

Are students allowed to serve as project leads? Yes. Students are eligible to apply as long as the full proposal requirements—including interdisciplinary collaboration and a clear sustainability plan—are met.

Are there any specific populations that will be priortized? Projects must prioritize underserved populations with limited access to nature. What are the expectations for sustainability?

Applicants must demonstrate a clear pathway for how the project will continue after the pilot grant. Reliance on NHH-UT for ongoing funding does not meet this requirement. Interested in learning about the projects we’ve funding in the past?

Check out the projects from our previous pilot grant cycles below. 2024 Pilot Grant Recipients Active People, Healthy Utah Partner Project West Valley City’s Neighborhood Services Department, is the principal investigator on this project.

Healthy West Valley will partner with Salt Lake County Parks and Rec and the Tracy Aviary Nature Center to provide signage around the Decker Lake loop to educate residents and trail users on the history of Decker Lake and the importance of this area for bird migration in Utah.

Bound for Nature: Fostering Mental Health Through College Student Nature Engagement This project is led by Carly Knudson, a master's student in the Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Department at the University of Utah.

This project aims to understand why college students do not regularly engage with nature-based experiences and identify barriers and facilitators that, if overcome and addressed, could improve their mental health by increasing the time they spend in nature. Breathe 4 Trees is an organization committed to achieving environmental sustainability through tree planting initiatives.

Our proposed project aims to expand our impact within the West Valley areas of the State of Utah by increasing tree planting and promoting diversity and inclusion in our programs, particularly communities of color. Camping in Color is a community-based project led by Hilary Lambert, PhD student in the University of Utah’s Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Department.

This project will work in collaboration with the Wasatch Mountain Institute to build on the Camping in Color’s pilot program's success and continue growing community impact, intergenerational sustainability, and programmatic development that will allow for similar program offerings to other diverse, underserved communities in the Salt Lake area.

Examining the Effect of Plants in the Classroom on College Student Mental Health and Academic Performance This project will be carried out by Sarah Herrmann, PhD, at Weber State University. This project aims to investigate the impact of indoor plants on college students’ mental health, perceptions of college, perceptions of their courses, and academic performance.

Outdoor-Based Programming for Women's Resource Center's First-Generation Scholars This project is led by Jenna Templeton, Assistant Director of the Center for Student Access and Resources at the University of Utah. This project aims to build community, belonging, and well-being practices among first generation scholars through engaging outdoor-based programming.

Setting the stage for an effective, equity-oriented nature-based intervention for youth with rheumatic diseases Hanna Saltzman, MD, is the principal investigator and a fellow in the University of Utah’s Pediatric Department. This pilot project seeks to understand how nature-based interventions may improve the health of youth with rheumatic diseases.

Results will inform the design of a nature-based health intervention to be evaluated in a future clinical trial. The Art of Nature Observation: Summer Camps for Incarcerated Youth This project is led by Laura George, STEMCAP’s (STEM Community Alliance Program), Associate Director.

This project will initiate science arts summer camp experiences for incarcerated youth which will include environmental education, artistic reflection, and hands-on experiential learning during a time of the year when programming is limited inside youth detention centers.

Women’s River School: Mental and Social Health Research and Programming The PI of this project is a PhD student in the PRT Department of the University of Utah, Paige Fery. The project will include research with program participants and other women anglers to explore the gender-based mental and social health outcomes associated with women and gender minority fly-fishing experiences.

This project will build capacity for outdoor recreation programs that provide an accessible and welcoming environment for women. 2022 Pilot Grant Recipients Homelessness, Health, and Nature: A Community-Based Research Partnership Homelessness, Health, and Nature Presentation Nature Rx Pilot: Identifying barriers and facilitators to implementing nature-based mental health interventions for older adults.

Nature Rx Pilot Powerpoint The effects of nature-immersive experiences on social, mental, and physical health in adults with mental illness or symptoms of mental illness. Peer Reviewed Publication: LoTemplio, S. , Bettmann, J.

E. , Scott, E. et al.

Do Mental Health Changes in Nature Co-occur with Changes in Heartrate Variability and Executive Functioning? A Systematic Review. Curr Envir Health Rpt (2023).

https://doi. org/10. 1007/s40572-023-00407-6 Given the global burden of mental health issues, new solutions are needed to promote mental health.

Nature exposure represents a promising option to promote mental health, but the mechanisms are poorly understood. Recent frameworks have argued that changes in mental health in nature are caused by activity changes in the vagus nerve, which connects the heart and the brain, and that these changes also improve executive functioning (EF) abilities.

This suggests that changes in mental health symptomology in nature should be accompanied by changes in vagus nerve activity, as well as changes in executive functioning. Yet, little work has systematically examined co-variation of these outcomes in empirical studies.

The present manuscript systematically examines whether changes in mental health in nature are accompanied by changes in vagus nerve activity (approximated by heartrate variability) and changes in executive functioning. Bettmann, E. J.

, Speelman, E. , Blumenthal, E. , Couch, S.

, Schmalz, D. (2024). Nature Exposure, Even as Little as 10 Minutes, is Likely to Yield Short-Term Benefits for Adults with Mental Illness: A Meta Analysis.

Ecopsychology. https://doi. org/10.

1089/eco. 2023. 0063 Existing research suggests that nature exposure positively affects mental health, but has not answered important questions about nature’s specific impact on adults with mental illness.

Intentional exposure to nature could be a means for mental illness symptom relief. The present study was a meta-analysis to answer the question: what are the effects of nature exposure on the social, mental, and physical health of adults with mental illness?

The present review included all studies relevant to the study research questions that collected quantitative data on nature exposure experiences using validated instruments for at least two time points on each participant and which were published between 1990 and 2020.

Analyses showed significant, moderate effect sizes for all studies and smaller, but significant, effect sizes for studies with control groups regarding the impact of nature exposure on adults with mental illness. Analyses also yielded important information regarding the effect size of the type of nature dosage, nature setting, nature-based activity, type of mental illness, and other variables.

Health care implications of the present study include the importance of prescribing nature exposure to adult populations. Nature exposure does not require the oversight of health care professionals, is accessible, and is affordable. Focusing on increasing humans’ exposure to nature has the potential to ease overstrained health care systems throughout the globe.

Bettmann, J. E. , Couch, S.

, Stagaman, E. , & Hanley, A. (2022, November).

The effects of nature-immersive experiences on adults with mental illness: A meta-analysis. Paper presented at the international conference of the Association for Experiential Education, Black Hills, NC. Bettmann, J.

E. , & Hanley, A. W.

(2022, October). The effects of nature-immersive experiences on social, mental, and physical health in adults with mental illness or symptoms of mental illness. SHIFT Summit, Fort Collins, CO.

A meta-analysis of nature exposure for adults with mental illness Powerpoint A Randomized Control Pilot Study of Nature Immersion for Veterans with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study of Nature CALM for Veterans with PTSD Powerpoint Nature and Human Health Utah 250 S 1850 E HPER-N Suite 23 SLC, UT 84112. Phone: 801-581-8542.