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About Thriving Earth Exchange

Overview

Our work focuses on local challenges related to natural hazards, natural resources, and climate change. Projects must utilize earth and space scientific knowledge or methods to collect data, apply scientific knowledge or processes, or make results of scientific research accessible. Thriving Earth Exchange is a virtual community science program is a steppingstone to achieving a larger goal and the focus is on developing and obtaining scientific data that can result in a larger project in the future. 

General Details for Conducting a Project

The program is free of charge for communities, and projects do not need to join the program with external funding. Projects are designed to make an impact through creative problem-solving and in-kind support. Projects are supported by volunteer Community Science Fellows – project managers we train and match with you. These project managers will work with you to define the priorities of your project and to secure volunteer scientists or technical experts to achieve your community-led solutions. Typical project outputs can include – but are not limited to – developing reports, webinars, podcasts, data, maps, exhibits, grant proposals, applications of technology, or interviews.  

Role of a Community Lead

A community leader can be anyone who is passionate about addressing local environmental issues and has the ability to engage their community. This could include local government officials, nonprofit leaders, educators, business leaders, and community activists. Each project requires two Community Leads, which bring the community context, knowledge, insights and connections. Community Leads understand that this program is completely virtual and a reliable internet connection, ability to communicate virtually/familiarity with video conferencing software along with good communication skills and a co-community leader/team to support are crucial for your role. Being a community lead requires approximately 3-4 hours a week of your time. Projects last 12-18 months.

What types of projects does Thriving Earth Exchange support?

As a geoscience organization, our work focuses on local challenges related to natural hazards, natural resources, and climate change. Projects must utilize earth and space scientific knowledge or methods to collect data, apply scientific knowledge or processes, or make results of scientific research accessible. Some examples of projects we have supported are: collecting air, water or soil samples to examine them for pollutants; using existing GIS data to create an interactive map so communities can determine their relative environmental hazard risks; helping determine the cause of an environmental issue; creating green space or gardens; and creating a plan to protect a natural resource. However, we are unable to support projects that collect personal health information or human biomedical specimens such as saliva, urine, blood, psychological data, etc.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

A community leader can be anyone who is passionate about addressing local environmental issues and has the ability to engage their community. This could include local government officials, nonprofit leaders, educators, business leaders, and community activists. Community Leads may be paid employees of a community-based non-profit, city staff, or grassroots organizers. Each project requires two Community Leads, who bring the community context, knowledge, insights and connections.

Our work focuses on local challenges related to natural hazards, natural resources, and climate change. Projects must utilize earth and space scientific knowledge or methods to collect data, apply scientific knowledge or processes, or make results of scientific research accessible. This includes approaches that utilize “Western science” data or methods to support or weave together with Indigenous science, perspectives, and values. Some examples of projects we have supported are: collecting air, water or soil samples to examine them for pollutants; using existing GIS data to create an interactive map so communities can determine their relative environmental hazard risks; helping determine the cause of an environmental issue; creating green space or gardens; and creating a plan to protect a natural resource. Please note that projects should be narrowly focused. Having a successful project with our program does not mean your community issue is solved, but that it is a milestone to achieving a larger goal.

The core component of a project should be the use, application, discovery of or broadening access to knowledge about Earth and space science. AGU is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit that cannot support partisan activities, political campaign activities, or lobbying. We are unable to support projects that collect personal health information or human biomedical specimens such as saliva, urine, blood, psychological data, etc. Please also keep in mind that project participants including the Community Leads, Community Science Fellows, and Volunteer Scientists are volunteers and projects have limited funding and should conclude within 18 months.

Projects last 12-18 months. Depending on your community and project’s experience, the project could finish earlier or at the 18-month mark. A project may not have accomplished all of its goals, but it’s come to a logical conclusion and the fellow and scientist have wrapped up their roles. Thriving Earth Exchange is a steppingstone to achieving a larger goal and the focus is on developing and obtaining scientific data that can result in a larger project in the future.

Each project requires two Community Leads, who bring the community context, knowledge, insights and connections. You represent and speak on behalf of your community. You engage widely within the community and ensure that the project is responsive to your community priorities and that it is relevant and impactful in the community. Being a community lead requires approximately 3-4 hours a week of your time. However, this estimated time can fluctuate throughout the duration of your project depending on where you are and what may be needed from you to develop the tool/solution. You work with your project team (Co-Community Leader, Community Science Fellow and Scientist/Expert) throughout the course of your project and communicate effectively and professionally amongst each other.

As a Community Lead, a reliable internet connection, ability to communicate virtually/familiarity with video conferencing software (i.e., Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype, etc.) along with good communication skills and a co-community leader/team to support are crucial for your role. This virtual Community Science program is designed to function completely online and it’s essential that you communicate with your project team effectively and efficiently throughout each phase of your project.

Your Community Science Fellow acts as the project manager. They will coordinate with you to: schedule calls to learn more about your project; draft up a project description based on your conversations (though it will need your input to finalize!); search, vet and recommend scientists/technical experts; and coordinate communications and project plans, to name a few. It is important that your fellow helps you narrow your project to something achievable with pro bono support for 18 months. Your Community Scientist will work with you to develop a tool/solution that you outline together. *Remember the community science fellow and scientist are not working for you, but with you and your community as volunteers. It is crucial to remember that you are all members of the same team.

We have a limited amount of mini-grant funding available to projects and projects can also seek external funding for their work. You may apply for funding to support the activities of your community science project. Your Community Science Fellow will provide more information when your project has started.

Reports, webinars, application of technology, conference or community gathering/forum, proposal, exhibition, interview, communication materials, maps, podcast and more. Additionally, your project can result in greater community understanding of an issue, a new community resource, data and analysis for a larger initiative and improved health and access, and/or reduced environmental harms.

 

Upcoming Project Launches

Projects typically launch two times a year. If your community is interested in being a part of our community science program and would like to submit an application, please ensure your priority issue or project idea is science-based such as natural hazards, environment health, pollution, natural resources, sustainability, water resiliency, or climate change. Please note that projects should be narrowly focused and can result in a phase two or larger project in the future.  

To apply as a Community Leader, see the cohort launch schedule below and fill out the short application form that follows. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter so you can learn about future deadlines.

 

2025 Cohort Dates and Application Deadline

Cohort Date Location  Application Deadline 
October 20th, 2025OnlineAugust 21st, 2025

 

 

Application

Use the form below to apply! Form not loading? Click here to open in a new window. If your community is Spanish-speaking, please apply using the Spanish version of the application here.  Questions? Email our program at [email protected] 

 

Note: Prior to engaging with Thriving Earth Exchange, all communities are asked to read and consent to Thriving Earth Exchange’s Statement on Integrity in Community Science. Please contact [email protected] with any questions.