YPS Grant Program (Exploration Grants)

YPS Grant Program (Exploration Grants) is sponsored by Yale Planetary Solutions. Exploration Grants lay the groundwork for implementation by conducting proof-of-concept studies, gathering preliminary data, and practicing team science to solve planetary challenges. This track helps bridge the gap between ideas and practical, scalable solutions.

YPS Grant Program | Yale Planetary Solutions Funding impact-focused research through competitive grants. YPS awards grants to support novel and impactful projects that solve planetary challenges. Since 2022, the grant program has awarded over $7 million to interdisciplinary projects at Yale.

Up to $25,000 to spark new ideas and a 12-month timeline Lay the groundwork for implementation with up to $100,000 and an 18-month timeline Transform knowledge into action with up to $250,000 to and a 24-month timeline Commercialization support, milestone-based funding, and expert mentorship Applications for the 2026-27 grant cycle are now closed. You can read about the 19 projects that received funding this year on YaleNews.

We seek project proposals that align with the YPS mission, and particularly with one or more of our primary lenses: climate change; biodiversity and ecosystems; and communities and society. Our structure aligns with our theory of change for transforming knowledge and innovation into action and impact, which can be conceptualized in three tracks: Initiation, Exploration, and Constellation.

We look forward to supporting teams from different disciplines, schools, and academic domains. As part of a 2022 YPS grant-funded project in Chad, students accompany a field team from the Smithsonian in collecting patient history and physical exam data for a restrained cow. Photo by Mikaillah Moussa.

Yale School of Architecture students interact with a prototype they built out of experimental, lower-carbon hybrid-earth “bricks” as part of a YPS grant-funded project. All proposals will be reviewed by committees of faculty and staff from a wide range of disciplines; commercialization-related Constellation proposals will also be reviewed by an external advisory board of industry experts and investors.

As part of the decision-making process, Constellation applicants may be invited for presentations to an ad-hoc committee in early April.

Applicants will be notified of funding decisions in late April Funds will be made available on June 15, 2026 Project periods will begin on July 1, 2026 Three Distinct Grant Tracks Initiation Grants spark new ideas that are either inquiry-based or user-inspired, foster interdisciplinary collaborations, and chart novel research directions.

Initiation Grant activities may include, but are not limited to, workshops, conferences, book projects, art installations, and curricular improvements. Initiation grants can have budgets up to $25,000 and a 12-month timeline.

Exploration Grants lay the groundwork for implementation by conducting proof-of-concept studies, gathering preliminary data, and practicing team science—a collaborative model that leverages the strengths of multidisciplinary teams. This track helps bridge the gap between ideas and practical, scalable solutions. Exploration Grants can have a budget up to $100,000 and an 18-month timeline.

Constellation Grants turn i nsight into progress, innovation into solutions, and knowledge into impact through collaborative action with partners within and beyond the Yale community.

Recipients of Constellation Grants related to commercialization are also invited to participate in the new Planetary Solutions Impact Accelerator , where they will receive expert mentorship, commercialization support, access to a global network of investors and partners, and support from student fellows.

This track is aimed at turning research theory into practice and realizing real-world benefits by influencing policy, informing practices, and fostering innovation. Constellation Grants can have budgets up to $250,000 and a 24-month timeline; the second year of funding will be milestone-based. Frequently Asked Questions Answers to common questions about PI eligibility, submitting proposals, budget, award selection process, and more.

YPS grants are funded through generous gifts and partnerships. Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture Office of International Affairs The YPS Grant Program is funded with longstanding generous support from the Three Cairns Climate Impact Innovation Fund.

The Office of the Provost AI Initiatives, Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture, Tobin Center for Economic Policy, and the Office of International Affairs are co-funding select awards this year.

Additional support for these grants comes from the Natural Carbon Solutions Fund, the Simon Bates Catalyst Fund, the Gordon Data and Environmental Sciences Research Grants, the Birnbaum-Harford Planetary Solutions Translation Fund, and Eleanor and Chad Laurans.

Biodiversity Loss Climate Consumption Energy Food Governance Conflict & Migration Health & Wellbeing Land Poverty, Disparity & Injustice Transportation Urban Systems Water Ecosystems A Global, High-Resolution, Integrated Model of the Economy, Climate, and Weather This model will integrate a spatial model of the economic impacts of climate change with the Norwegian Earth System Model.

A Novel Species-selective Rodenticide: a Humane, Environmentally Safe Solution to Protect Biodiversity and Agriculture Traditional rodenticides have caused raptor decline and endangered species loss leading to proposed legislation banning their use.

Activating Tenants to Advocate for Energy Justice: Barriers and Solutions There is an urgent need to identify strategies to overcome barriers to low-income rental housing energy efficiency… Connecting Climate Change and Pregnancy Outcomes | 2023 YPS Grant Project Insight Translating rigorous epidemiological evidence into meaningful clinical and public health action.

The Future of Food in Clues from the Past: 2023 YPS Grant Project Insight Ancient crop varieties offer a surprising path forward for the future of wheat stability. Seeing the Forest for the Microbes: 2022 YPS Grant Project Insight Most people have heard about the human microbiome, but what about the microbiomes of trees?