Pest Management Foundation Announces 2025 Solicitation for Research Proposals

Deadline for Submissions: Friday, March 7, 2025 

The Pest Management Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission and purpose is to advance the pest management industry through education, research, and outreach. Each year, the Foundation aims to fund applied research that will advance the pest management industry. This year, the Foundation is pleased to announce the availability of up to $45,000 for pest management industry-related research. The Foundation may choose to fund one or more projects; however, the Foundation reserves the right to decline to fund any of the proposed submissions. 

Submission Requirements

Each submission should include a 1–2-page preliminary written proposal. Applicability to professional pest control and specific benefits to the pest management industry should be clearly articulated in the preliminary proposal. Formatting of the submission is flexible, except that submissions should not exceed 2 pages. 

Each preliminary proposal submission must include:

• The name and affiliation of the principal investigator.
• An executive summary, succinctly explaining the proposed project.
• A brief explanation of the problem, hypotheses, and description of methods and materials.
• A statement of the objectives/goals of the research.
• A brief timetable outlining project milestones. Proposed projects must reach completion within 18 months of being awarded the grant, although no-cost extensions may be available on a case-by-case basis.
• Total grant award requested. Note: 75% of the grant total will be dispersed at the onset of the project; the remaining 25% will be paid upon completion of the final research report to the Foundation.
• Note: Funds distributed by the Foundation will be allocated specifically for direct costs associated with conducting, analyzing, and reporting data and conclusions. Administrative fees proposed shall be used for direct administrative support on the project. Funding allocated for indirect costs such as non-project administrative fees or general university fees shall not exceed five percent (5%). All funding spent shall be subject to audit by the Foundation or assigned third parties. 

Proposals should be submitted to Mike Bentley via electronic mail: foundation@pestworld.org 

The deadline for submitting preliminary proposals is Friday, March 7, 2025.

Review of Submissions

Each submission will be reviewed and considered by the Pest Management Foundation’s Scientific Review Committee. The Foundation may, at its discretion, conduct interviews with applicants. 

In reviewing each submission, the Foundation will consider the:

• Merits and usefulness of the proposed project;
• Applicability to the pest management industry;
• Stated benefits that the pest management industry will reap from the research, such as measurable evidence of the effectiveness of the industry’s services, enhanced employee productivity, reduced operational costs, identification of new, profitable services, or insights into pest biology or behavior. 

Based on the review of the preliminary proposals, selected projects will be invited to submit additional comprehensive proposals, including detailed budget and methods descriptions. 

Additional Inquiries

If you have any inquiries regarding this document, please contact Mike Bentley, Executive Director, Pest Management Foundation, at mbentley@pestworld.org.