The Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the California Native Plant Society is strongly committed to the advancement of educational opportunities around native plants.
Research Scholarship Program
Since 1999, the chapter has sponsored a scholarship program for students doing research on native plant or plant community conservation, plant ecology, plant community restoration, plant systematics, rare plants or other related botanical studies of native plants that grow in habitats in Central and Northern California. In addition to two named scholarships which are awarded for research that focuses on specific areas of research, additional scholarships are available. The program provides up to $3,000 for both graduate and undergraduate students researching topics related to native plant and native habitat conservation in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The Sally Casey Shooting Stars Research Scholarship is for a student focused on research involving native wildflowers, native grasses and grasslands, soil carbon, and soil interactions. Sally Casey (1921 - 2019) was a Founding Member of our Chapter and a CNPS Fellow. The education of future botanists was important to Sally, and for many years she helped to fund scholarships with the sale of shooting stars that she grew in her backyard nursery.
The Don Mayall Conservation Research Scholarship is for a student focused on research on rare plants and serpentine ecosystems. Don Mayall (1932 - 2017) joined our CNPS Chapter in the mid-1980s. He was a CNPS Fellow and was active with in the successful protection efforts for Edgewood County Park (San Mateo County, CA) & Preserve and Coyote Ridge (Santa Clara County, CA).
Learn more and apply for one of our research scholarships here.
Community College Scholarship Program
This is a scholarship program for community college students with a goal of studying or working in a field that includes a focus on native plants such as environmental science, ecology, restoration, park management or horticulture. This scholarship provides $1,500 to support a local student pursuing a career with a focus on California native plants. The scholarship is intended to help with scholastic related expenses such as books and tuition. The application is open to students whose primary residence is in San Mateo or Santa Clara County, or are attending, or have applied to college in one of these counties.Applicants must have taken a course in California native plants or plan to take one in the next year.
Learn more about this program and apply here. Applications are due by February 15, 2025. Email Janet Hoffmann This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with questions or for further information.
If you would like to contribute to one of the CNPS SCV scholarship funds, a check written to “CNPS”, with a notation of “SCV Research Scholarship” or “SCV Horticulture Scholarship” may be mailed to the address below. Company matching programs are welcome.
CNPS Santa Clara Valley Chapter
3921 E. Bayshore Road
Palo Alto, CA 94303
