Living Systems (LS)
Forecasted
The Living Systems (LS) grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation funds research into the evolution, interactions, and ecological roles of organisms in diverse ecosystems.
Funder: U.S. National Science Foundation
Due Dates (Anticipated): August 2027 (Annual Living Systems program solicitation deadline, projected)
Funding Amounts: Typical postdoctoral fellowship: $220,000 total over 2 years; includes $85,000 annual stipend and $25,000 annual research allowance.
Summary: Supports foundational research on the evolution, interactions, and ecological roles of organisms in natural and managed systems.
Key Information: This is a forecasted opportunity; all dates are projected and subject to change.
Description
The Living Systems (LS) program, offered by the U.S. National Science Foundation's Directorate for Biological Sciences, funds fundamental research into how diverse organisms—both living and extinct—evolve and interact, and how these interactions shape the structure, function, and dynamics of natural and managed ecosystems. Research topics include, but are not limited to, evolution of genes and genomes, species interactions, biodiversity discovery, population and quantitative mechanisms, ecological consequences of biotic interactions, and ecosystem trajectories. The program encourages projects that develop new theories, analytical tools, conceptual frameworks, and experimental or modeling approaches to advance understanding of the complex processes underlying living systems.
