RFAs: Kleinhans Fellowship for Community Forestry Research

Deadline: 28-Feb-2027

The Kleinhans Fellowship Program supports graduate students and post-doctoral researchers conducting participatory research that addresses practical challenges faced by Community Forest Enterprises (CFEs) in Latin America. Fellows receive US$20,000 per year for two years, with research focused on markets for lesser-known species and non-timber forest products, biodiversity management, social organization and governance, or multi-community forest enterprises. What Is the Kleinhans Fellowship Program? The Kleinhans Fellowship Program funds research designed to solve real-world problems identified by Community Forest Enterprises (CFEs). The programme emphasizes participatory research, meaning communities should be involved in research planning, implementation and dissemination. The objective is to ensure that research produces practical findings that communities can use in their own action plans and decision-making. The fellowship supports research that can strengthen: Applicants must develop research addressing one of the programme’s four principal areas. Markets for Lesser-Known Species and Non-Timber Forest Products The programme supports research into markets for lesser-known timber species and non-timber forest products (NTFPs). Limited markets for these products can reduce the economic viability of community forest enterprises and create barriers to sustainable forest management. Feasibility of implementing conservation measures through CFEs. Research should consider both environmental and economic dimensions. For example, a project could investigate whether a particular biodiversity-management practice can be implemented at community scale without undermining the financial sustainability of a forest enterprise. Social Organization and Governance The third research area focuses on how CFEs organize themselves and make decisions. Graduate-level study or relevant equivalent experience. A research focus relevant to community forestry. A project addressing one of the four priority research areas. Research implementation in Latin America. A participatory approach involving Community Forest Enterprises. A clear practical benefit for participating communities. Why It Matters Community Forest Enterprises can play an important role in connecting forest conservation, local livelihoods and sustainable economic development. However, CFEs may face challenges such as weak markets, governance problems, limited financing, biodiversity-management costs and difficulties working collectively across communities. The Kleinhans Fellowship addresses these challenges by supporting research that is designed around community-identified problems rather than purely academic questions. Its approach can help bridge the gap between: Research → community knowledge → practical solutions → sustainable forest management → stronger forest enterprises. Avoid combining unrelated topics unless they are clearly connected to one central research problem.

Step 2: Identify a Real CFE Problem

Start with a specific challenge faced by a Community Forest Enterprise.

For example:

A lack of markets for an underused forest product. Difficulty financing biodiversity conservation. Unequal participation in enterprise decision-making. Challenges in creating a multi-community supply chain.

Step 3: Involve the Community From the Beginning

Explain how CFEs will participate in:

Research design. Data collection. Analysis. Validation. Dissemination. The proposal should demonstrate genuine community participation rather than treating communities simply as research subjects.

Step 4: Explain the Practical Solution

Clearly identify what the research is expected to produce.

Possible outputs include:

Market strategies. Governance models. Biodiversity-management guidelines. Business models. Financing recommendations. Replicable enterprise approaches. Community action plans.

Step 5: Demonstrate Replicability

Explain whether the solution could potentially be adapted by other CFEs facing similar challenges. This is particularly important for governance, biodiversity management and multi-community enterprise research.

Step 6: Connect Research With CFE Viability

Where relevant, explain how the proposed research could improve both: Environmental sustainability. Economic viability. A strong proposal should show how conservation and community enterprise objectives can reinforce each other. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

Proposing research unrelated to Community Forest Enterprises. Conducting research outside Latin America. Failing to involve communities meaningfully. Presenting a purely academic research question without a practical application. Trying to cover all four research areas in one unfocused project. Ignoring the economic implications of proposed conservation measures. Failing to explain how findings will be used by participating communities. Requesting funding for tuition or unnecessary equipment. Treating dissemination as an academic publication only. Frequently Asked Questions How much funding does the Kleinhans Fellowship provide? The fellowship provides US$20,000 per year for two years, for a potential total of US$40,000. Where must the research be conducted? The research must be conducted in Latin America. Applicants themselves can be of any nationality or residence. Who is the fellowship intended for? The programme is intended for researchers working toward graduate degrees in fields such as forestry, ecology, botany and environmental science. Doctoral candidates and post-doctoral researchers are preferred. Can researchers from any country apply? Yes. There is no stated nationality or residence restriction, provided the proposed research is conducted in Latin America and meets the programme’s other requirements. What are the main research themes? The four priority areas are markets for lesser-known species and NTFPs, biodiversity management practices, social organization and governance, and multi-comm