We’re pleased to open the 2026 cycle of our small grant program, supporting research that advances ocean governance through the use of publicly available data on human activity at sea. The program aims to enhance our network of research partners by inviting researchers worldwide to strengthen core technologies, expand datasets and apply them to real-world ocean governance challenges.
New for 2026: A letter of intent (LOI) stage has been introduced to streamline the application process. This initial step allows Global Fishing Watch to assess alignment, confirm eligibility and provide early guidance while reducing the burden of submitting a full proposal on applicants. Only selected applicants at the LOI stage will be invited to submit a full proposal.
