IDRC John G. Bene Fellowship 2026 (up to $30,000 CAD)

Deadline: November 30, 2026

Applications are open for the IDRC John G. Bene Fellowship 2026. The Bene fellowship, a bequest from the estate of John G. Bene, is offered to Canadians and permanent residents of Canada pursuing master’s or doctoral studies at a Canadian university. Candidates should have an academic background that combines an interest in forests (landscape and forest management and restoration, forestry, agroforestry), environment, ecology and food systems, with a social sciences lens (gender and inclusion, Indigenous knowledge and science, biodiversity conservation, governance of nature).

This fellowship aims to facilitate practical field research on gender-responsive integrated forest, landscape and food systems restoration and management including within fire prone, degraded or disputed landscapes. Linking the broader climate-food-inclusivity nexus, it emphasizes nature-based solutions and approaches that have the potential to drive transformative change for smallholder farmers, including youth, women, and Indigenous communities in developing countries.

The successful candidate will propose research that benefits less privileged people in developing countries aiming to increase the resilience of individuals and forest/agroforest communities facing difficult contexts and challenges. Note that work focused on genomics and/or genetic modification is not eligible.

Grant

Up to ten awards of a maximum of CA$30,000

Eligibility

You must be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada;

You must be enrolled at a Canadian university at the master’s or doctoral level (you must have completed several courses of the program, but not necessarily all courses, when you submit your application);

You must have an academic background that combines an interest in forest, climate resilience, biodiversity or food systems. Applicants from interdisciplinary programs are eligible, provided their programs contain the specified elements;

Your research proposal must be approved by your thesis supervisor and you must provide proof;

Your proposed field of research must be conducted for a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation and must take place in one or more developing countries;

You must provide evidence of affiliation with an institution or organization in the developing region(s) in which the research will take place;

Doctoral students must have completed coursework and passed comprehensive exams before taking up the award; and

You may not be in receipt of two or more active IDRC awards at the same time, which includes the IDRC Research Awards. No time overlaps will be permitted. If you are in receipt of IDRC funds from another source (e.g. a Queen Elizabeth Advanced Scholars award or through a professor’s IDRC research grant) for activities that will still be active when and if you take up the John G. Bene Fellowship, you will be asked to demonstrate how funds from each are not being used towards the same objective.

Application

Click here to apply

For more information, visit IDRC John G. Bene Fellowship.

You must be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada; You must be enrolled at a Canadian university at the master’s or doctoral level (you must have completed several courses of the program, but not necessarily all courses, when you submit your application); You must have an academic background that combines an interest in forest, climate resilience, biodiversity or food systems. Applicants from interdisciplinary programs are eligible, provided their programs contain the specified elements; Your research proposal must be approved by your thesis supervisor and you must provide proof; Your proposed field of research must be conducted for a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation and must take place in one or more developing countries; You must provide evidence of affiliation with an institution or organization in the developing region(s) in which the research will take place; Doctoral students must have completed coursework and passed comprehensive exams before taking up the award; and You may not be in receipt of two or more active IDRC awards at the same time, which includes the IDRC Research Awards. No time overlaps will be permitted. If you are in receipt of IDRC funds from another source (e.g. a Queen Elizabeth Advanced Scholars award or through a professor’s IDRC research grant) for activities that will still be active when and if you take up the John G. Bene Fellowship, you will be asked to demonstrate how funds from each are not being used towards the same objective.

Click here to apply

For more information, visit IDRC John G. Bene Fellowship.