The GEO Mountains initiative has announced its Small Data Grants Call for 2026–2027, inviting researchers and institutions to submit project proposals that strengthen mountain monitoring, data, and information systems worldwide. The call is part of the Work Programme of the Group on Earth Observations and is co-led by the Mountain Research Initiative (MRI) and National Research Council of Italy – CNR-ISAC.
The grants are supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) through the Adaptation at Altitude Programme and aim to improve access, usability, and integration of environmental and socio-economic data in mountain regions.
Priority Mountain Regions
Funding priority will be given to projects focused on the following five regions:
- Andes
- Central Asia
- East Africa
- South Caucasus
- Hindu Kush Himalaya
Grant Size and Duration
- Funding available: Up to CHF 10,000 per project
- Projects supported: Up to two projects per region (competitive selection)
- Project duration: 12–14 months
- Latest project end date: 1 August 2027
Projects are encouraged to leverage matching funds or in-kind contributions to enhance outcomes and long-term impact.
Types of Projects Supported
The call supports a wide range of data-focused activities, including:
- Development of mountain geospatial databases, tools, and visualisation platforms
- Data rescue and digitisation with open-access publication (e.g., Zenodo)
- Preparation and curation of new datasets for peer-reviewed data journals
- Mountain data evaluation and inter-comparison studies
- Integration of mountain datasets with numerical models and scenarios
- Education, training, and capacity-building across the data lifecycle
All projects must follow the GEO Data Sharing and Data Management Principles and promote open data access.
Special Focus: MRI at 25
As MRI marks its 25th anniversary in 2026, proposals that consolidate state-of-the-art knowledge from the past 25 years or that advance transformative research for sustainable mountain development are particularly encouraged, especially those aligned with existing MRI Working Groups.
Eligibility Highlights
- Proponents must have updated profiles in the MRI Expert Database
- Inclusion of early-career researchers and participants from developing countries is strongly encouraged
- Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches, including social sciences and humanities, are preferred
- Collaboration with non-academic stakeholders such as NGOs and local communities is encouraged
Key Dates
- Call opens: 27 November 2025
- Submission deadline: 20 February 2026, 23:59 CEST
- Results announced: By 1 May 2026
- Projects start: 1 June 2026
- Showcasing of outputs: September–December 2027 GEO_Mountains_Small_Grants_Find…
How to Apply
Proposals must be submitted through the official online application form. Incomplete or late submissions will not be considered. For queries, applicants can contact: eomountains@mountainresearchinitiative.org.
This call presents an important opportunity for researchers, data practitioners, and institutions working in mountain regions—particularly the Hindu Kush Himalaya—to contribute to globally relevant, open, and policy-relevant mountain data systems.
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