Cal Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs Foundation

08/25/2026

🌲Forest restoration that benefits wildlife can be challenging, but Cal Poly Humboldt researchers are helping bridge the gap. New research by Drs. Nicholas and Lucy Kerhoulas found that the Klamath River separates Sonoma and red tree voles into distinct species, with no evidence of interbreeding. The team also discovered that while Sonoma tree voles are most abundant in old-growth forests, simple nest platforms can encourage them to use second-growth forests. Together, these findings provide practical tools for restoring forests while supporting the long-term conservation of these unique canopy specialists. Watch a short video of photos collected here.

Funding for this project was provided by the Save the Redwoods League.

08/05/2026

New research is shedding light on an often-overlooked native species in the Eel River!

Dr. Andre Buchheister, Dr. Nick Som, and new graduate student Marisa McGrew have received funding from CalTrout to study Pacific lamprey in the Eel River before planned dam removals begin.

Although often overshadowed by salmon, Pacific lamprey are an ecologically and culturally important species that provide food for wildlife and Tribal communities while contributing to healthy river ecosystems. The project will examine lamprey migration, habitat use, and seasonal movement to better understand the species before dam removal begins.

Findings will help inform restoration planning, improve conservation efforts, and support future management of the Eel River ecosystem.

07/28/2026

🌊🐟 New tribal research partnerships are advancing fisheries stewardship in Northern California!

Dr. Jose Marin Jarrin and Michelle Schuiteman, faculty and research associate in the Department of Fisheries Biology, have received funding from California Sea Grant to study the status and vulnerability of four culturally important coastal fish species in partnership with Trinidad Rancheria, Pulikla Tribe of Yurok People, Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation, and Blue Lake Rancheria.

The project will help fill important knowledge gaps for fisheries that lack formal assessments, supporting long-term stewardship and climate resilience. It will also provide professional development opportunities for tribal staff, researchers, a graduate student, and a student intern.

📸: Photo of Knowledge Exchange Event participants held during a prior project that included students, staff, and faculty from Tolowa dee-ni' Nation, Pulikla Tribe of Yurok People, The Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria, Blue Lake Rancheria and Cal Poly Humboldt.

07/27/2026

🏔️🌱The Klamath Mountains host a famous amount of botanical diversity, yet many plant communities remain poorly documented. Working with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the California Native Plant Society, Cal Poly Humboldt researchers completed more than 2,100 vegetation surveys across three field seasons. The project documented rare plants, identified potential range extensions, added over 1,000 specimens to regional plant collections, and will ultimately produce seven Master’s theses. These findings will strengthen conservation planning, support land management decisions, and provide a lasting public resource for understanding the Klamath Mountains’ remarkable botanical diversity. Read theses here:

07/22/2026

🌲🍃Forest restoration that benefits wildlife can be challenging, but Cal Poly Humboldt researchers are helping bridge the gap. New research by Drs. Nicholas and Lucy Kerhoulas found that the Klamath River separates Sonoma and red tree voles into distinct species, with no evidence of interbreeding. The team also discovered that while Sonoma tree voles are most abundant in old-growth forests, simple nest platforms can encourage them to use second-growth forests. Together, these findings provide practical tools for restoring forests while supporting the long-term conservation of these unique canopy specialists. Watch a short video of photos collected here

A compilation of trail camera photos of an artificial nest platform...

07/08/2026

💡Pro tip: Contacting a grant program officer can be one of the most valuable steps in proposal preparation - but do your homework first.

Before reaching out:

✔ Read the solicitation and agency guidelines thoroughly
✔ Understand the funder's mission, priorities, and review criteria
✔ Prepare a concise 1-page summary of your project, including the research question, goals, and approach
✔ Develop specific questions about project fit, program priorities, or ways to strengthen alignment

Avoid asking questions that are already answered in the solicitation or broad questions that suggest you're still working out the basics. Program officers are most helpful when you've done your homework and are seeking strategic guidance.

Many faculty don't realize they're allowed, and often encouraged, to contact program officers. This is true for many federal programs, but not all, so check the solicitation first.

One of the biggest benefits? Program officers often share insights in conversation that never appear in the written guidance.

Reach out early enough to incorporate feedback. A well-prepared conversation can strengthen your proposal before you even start writing.

06/30/2026

🌾☀️ How will California’s rangelands respond to more frequent and severe droughts?

Dr. Kerry Byrne has received funding to study how extreme drought affects forage quality and productivity in California rangelands. Working as part of a collaboration spanning four California Universities, Byrne and her students established experimental drought plots in Humboldt County and will assess how drought influences plant communities, forage production, and soil conditions.

The project will help ranchers and other land managers better understand how drought affects the quantity and quality of forage available for livestock while identifying strategies for restoring and managing drought-resilient rangelands. Cal Poly Humboldt will lead the assessment of drought impacts on roots, which are an important contributor to soil carbon.

Funding comes as a sub-award from CSU Chico, with primary funding from the CSU Agricultural Research Institute.

📸: Cal Poly Humboldt students collect data on forage on a rainy June day beneath a drought shelter.

06/22/2026

💡Pro tip: Before you start writing a proposal, make sure you understand what the funder is trying to accomplish.

Read the funding announcement carefully and look for clues about the organization's priorities, desired outcomes, and funding interests. The strongest proposals don't just describe a great project; they clearly explain why that project matters to the funder.

Take it a step further and explore the organization's mission, vision, and strategic plans. Use the funder's own language when appropriate to demonstrate alignment.

When in doubt, ask yourself: "Why would this funder want to support this work?"

Funders don't necessarily fund the best ideas; they fund the ideas that best help them achieve their goals.

06/18/2026

🐦🌿 A new partnership is strengthening bird research on the North Coast!

Dr. Matt Johnson has received funding to support long-term bird monitoring and help launch the Humboldt Ornithology Collective (HOC), a partnership involving Cal Poly Humboldt, the Humboldt Area Foundation, the Integral Ecology Research Center, and the Klamath Bird Observatory.

The project will sustain bird banding operations at the Wright Refuge in Eureka, combining long-term ornithological research with hands-on training opportunities for undergraduate students with little or no prior experience. The effort will also help revive the Humboldt Bay Bird Observatory near Lanphere Dunes, a long-running bird monitoring station on Humboldt Bay.
Funding comes from the Humboldt Area Foundation.

06/11/2026

🐟🌿 Researchers are studying how copper in waterways may affect a critical salmon habitat in Northern California.

Drs. Darren Ward, Allison Bronson, and Matthew Hurst have received funding to study how copper from fungicides used in lily bulb farming near the Smith River may run off into waterways and affect salmon and other aquatic species.

The Smith River watershed is home to Chinook and coho salmon, steelhead trout, and coastal cutthroat trout, making it one of California’s most ecologically important salmon habitats. The project will examine whether dissolved copper affects salmon behavior, sensory function, and tissue health through water quality monitoring, laboratory testing, and fish behavior studies.

The findings will help improve tools used to predict pollution impacts and support the protection of salmon habitat in the Smith River watershed.

Funding comes from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.