What is SNAPStart?

SNAPStart is a new mini-grant program organized by the Scientist Network for Advancing Policy (SNAP) designed to help new student science policy organizations build momentum and get off to a quick start! Each mini-grant provides a general-purpose fund of up to $1000 to support food at events, promotional materials, speaker honoraria, and other expenses needed to help your group build momentum and recruit new members.

Why SNAPStart?

Science policy student organizations are an essential part of the science policy ecosystem, training students who will become science policy fellows and professionals, as well as those who will remain in academia or industry and continue to contribute vital work to the science policy and communication space. Indeed, for many SNAP members, our first introduction to science policy came through science policy student groups at our own institutions.

However, the majority of universities around the United States currently do not have science policy student groups, and those that do tend to be wealthier institutions with more funding available to support them. SNAPStart aims to change that by providing a one-time start-up fund that new and revived groups can use as they're getting underway, with the hope that the initial events supported by the grant can be used to apply for more stable funding in future years.

Round 1 (Fall 2026) Awardees

Coalition of Athens Scientists (COAS)

We are a group of students, scientists, and science supporters. Our goal is to foster a culture of civic engagement in the sciences by (1) supporting scientists’ involvement in local, state, & federal policy and (2) establishing productive relationships with legislators to promote science-informed policy making. With the SNAP Minigrant funds, our goal is to increase public engagement in science related policy, with a specific focus on local-level environment and energy science related legislation.

Graduate Food Science Association

The Graduate Food Science Association (GFSA) is a university-based student organization dedicated to exploring the intersection of food research, safety regulations, and public policy. We plan to utilize the SNAPStart mini-grant to fund experiential learning initiatives for our 15–20 members, directly covering the costs of interactive protein tasting mixers, a labeling law trivia night, and a mock FDA regulatory hearing. Additionally, these funds will support marketing materials to expand our campus footprint and provide transportation for a field trip to a local food production facility to see safety compliance in action.

Houston Science Policy and Advocacy Group

The Houston Science Policy and Advocacy Group is a group of early-career scientists dedicated to sharing conversation, opportunities, and resources related to science policy. Our membership spans across the Texas Medical Center, with key partnerships at Baylor College of Medicine, MD Anderson, UT Houston, and Rice University.

Mizzou Science Policy Advocacy Network (M-SPAN)

The Mizzou Science Policy Advocacy Network (M-SPAN) aims to catalyze the engagement of students and early career scientists at the University of Missouri in science policy and decision-making. We hope to establish a coalition of diverse leaders by forging connections with community stakeholders and policymakers and by providing resources to train and empower advocates for the role of science in society. With these funds, we will fund our flagship “Policy on Tap” panel event in the Spring semester, along with other programming events throughout the academic year.

Northeastern University Science Outreach and Policy (NU-SOAP)

Northeastern University Science Outreach, Advocacy, and Policy Group (NU-SOAP) is a new university-wide science policy group committed to supporting NU graduate students engaging in science communication and public policy with diverse audiences. To support this mission, we plan to organize events based on the current interests of our graduate student body, including writing workshops, talks from science communication and policy experts across fields, and collaboration with similar organizations internal to and beyond our institution.

Rice Science Policy & Communication Club

The Rice Science Policy and Communication Club (RSPCC) is a student-led organization at Rice University dedicated to bridging the gap between scientific research, public policy, and community engagement. Through partnerships with science policy organizations, educational workshops, and public engagement initiatives, RSPCC seeks to empower students to become effective advocates. With support from the SNAPStart Grant, RSPCC plans to host science communication workshops and civic engagement events that equip students with the skills to communicate scientific findings to policymakers and the broader public, with a particular emphasis on environmental health issues affecting Greater Houston.

Science Policy Advocacy Network (SPAN) at UAB

SPAN@UAB brings together students, trainees, and researchers interested in learning about and participating in science policy. We plan to use our SNAPStart funds to host accessible science policy events, support outreach and recruitment, and strengthen a welcoming community for members across disciplines and career stages.

SPARK (Science Policy, Advocacy, Research, and Knowledge)

SPARK’s vision is a perpetual exchange of knowledge, trust, and genuine consideration between researchers, scientists, healthcare professionals, government officials, and the general public. Our mission is to provide opportunities that foster bidirectional engagement between researchers at Penn State College of Medicine, government workers, and the general public in the surrounding communities and develop a foundation to combat educational inequalities and improve access to STEM education for underserved populations.

This year, SNAPStart funds will help us increase membership recruitment and retention, as well as build community relationships, by hosting various introductory workshops, participating in the PA Science Policy Symposium and Hill Day, and hopefully starting a Science Café series in Harrisburg!

Commitments of Mini-Grant Recipients

All actions and events must be completed and reported on within 12 months of receiving the grant. Activities should be documented through a write-up, along with relevant photos, videos, web links, and/or social media.

Recipients may also be invited to share lessons learned with fellow early-career scientists through avenues such as guest blog posts, online trainings, or other platforms.

Application Status

Applications are now closed.

FAQ

  • Any student organization founded or restarted after a hiatus within the previous two years at the time of application!
  • Undergraduate and graduate student groups are eligible.

  • The use of the fund is entirely at the discretion of the recipient, but must support their science policy student group in some way. Examples of how the grant could be spent include:
    • Food to incentivize event attendance
    • Promotional materials such as flyers and posters
    • Speaker honoraria
    • Travel expenses to bring members to a science policy conference
    • Fees paid for enrollment in a sci pol course for members

  • The deadline for our first funding cycle is August 31, 2026. We anticipate holding another funding cycle in winter.

  • Grants can award up to $1,000.

  • No, though we certainly encourage you to join! All student organizations, with and without SNAP representation, are eligible.

  • Applications will be evaluated primarily by the following criteria, as detailed on this rubric:
    • Intended use of grant funds
    • Plan for organizational growth and stability
    • Applicant leadership and management
    • Degree of financial need/lack of existing institutional support
    • Commitment to community outreach or partnership
  • All applications will be evaluated by SNAP reviewers, who must declare any potential conflicts of interest.

  • If you apply and are not awarded a mini-grant, you are absolutely welcome to apply again in the future as long as your organization was founded or restarted within two years of the application deadline!
  • If you apply for and receive a mini-grant, you may apply again, up to a lifetime maximum of $1,000 through this program, provided your organization was still founded/restarted within two years of the application deadline.

  • SNAPStart is primarily intended to support student groups at colleges and universities, but we encourage you to contact snapscipolorg@gmail.com with the specific details of your situation.