The Degrees Initiative

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £3,000,000+ (over $3 million USD awarded to date)
• Success Rate: ~10-11% (77 applications, 8 funded in first round)
• Decision Time: Not publicly specified
• Grant Range: £35,000 - £60,000 (USD $45,000 - $75,000)
• Geographic Focus: Global South/Developing Countries

Contact Details

• Website: www.degrees.ngo
• Email: admin@degrees.ngo
• Phone: 020 4536 7351
• Charity Number: 1196532
• Registered Address: UK-registered charity

Overview

The Degrees Initiative (registered 2021, formerly the SRM Governance Initiative founded in 2010) is a UK-based NGO dedicated to building capacity in developing countries to evaluate solar radiation modification (SRM) geoengineering. DEGREES stands for “DEveloping country Governance REsearch and Evaluation for SRM.” The organization operates through three core pillars: outreach, research funding, and community building. Since 2018, the initiative has awarded over $3 million in grants supporting 193+ researchers across 37 projects in 23 developing countries, making it the world's largest SRM research programme. The organization is currently funded by prominent philanthropic organizations including Open Philanthropy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, UK's Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA), LAD Climate Fund, Crankstart Foundation, Navigation Fund, and Outlier Projects.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

1. Degrees Modelling Fund (DMF)

• Amount: Up to USD $70,000-$75,000 per team
• Duration: 26 months for current grants
• Focus: Physical climate modeling of SRM impacts in developing regions
• Application Method: Open calls for proposals with independent peer review
• Launched: 2018

2. Degrees Socio-Political Fund

• Amount: Up to USD $45,000 per team
• Focus: Social, political, and ethical dimensions of SRM research
• Disciplines: Anthropology, economics, ethics, geography, law, political science, psychology, risk science, sociology
• Application Method: Open calls for proposals
• Launched: 2023

Priority Areas

• Climate modeling and physical impacts research (water cycles, drought patterns, temperature extremes, precipitation changes)
• Disease spread analysis (e.g., malaria in South Asia)
• Social science research on SRM governance and evaluation
• Public perception and ethics research
• Health justice and economic impacts
• Researcher capacity building in the Global South
• Conference attendance and publication support for funded researchers

What They Don't Fund

• Research by teams based outside developing countries/Global South
• Non-SRM related climate research
• Research that does not focus on developing country perspectives
• Physical science research under the Socio-Political Fund (discipline-specific)
• Social science research under the Modelling Fund (discipline-specific)

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Governance and Leadership

Key Leadership:

• Andy Parker - Founder and CEO. Parker has led the organization since 2010 and was responsible for its focus on developing countries. He states: "Workshops were a good first step, but it became clear that you don't build expertise by running events or writing reports,“ explaining the shift to direct research funding. On the importance of Global South involvement: ”If it works well to reduce risks, then they have got the most to gain. If it goes wrong or is rejected prematurely, they've got the most to lose."

• Dr. Marcos Regis da Silva - Director of Policy Engagement (joined November 2024)

• Dr. Lili Xia - Staff Scientist (collaborating since 2017)

Board of Trustees:

• Pauliina Murphy (Engagement & Communications Director, World Benchmarking Alliance)
• Mohammed Mofizur Rahman (Bangladeshi environmental scientist)
• Jackie Kado
• Mark Hilton
• Prof. Saleemul Huq (deceased 2023) - Former Director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development, described as “one of the giants of global climate policy”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

• Application Method: Open calls for proposals published on www.degrees.ngo
• Process: Applications undergo independent peer review
• Applicant Freedom: Researchers are free to define their own research questions and methods - the Degrees Initiative does not dictate what teams study
• Pre-Application Support: Conference attendance funding and publication fee assistance available for active grantees

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly detailed. The first Modelling Fund round (2018) attracted 77 applications from 30 developing countries, with 8 grants awarded after peer review.

Success Rates

• First DMF Round (2018): 8 grants awarded from 77 applications = ~10% success rate
• The organization has expanded significantly since, with 15 new teams added in 2023 alone

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly specified. Contact the organization directly for information about reapplication opportunities.

Application Success Factors

Key Success Factors:

1. Global South Location: Applicants must be researchers based in developing countries. The organization is explicitly focused on building capacity in the Global South.

1. Locally-Relevant Research Questions: The design of the Modelling Fund emerged from workshop feedback where scientists requested support for local SRM research. Projects examining region-specific impacts (monsoons, droughts, temperature extremes relevant to the applicant's country) align with the mission.

1. Researcher Independence: Applications are strengthened by clearly defined, researcher-driven questions. As stated, applicants are “free to define their own research questions and methods.”

1. Interdisciplinary Approach: Recent funded projects demonstrate value in examining practical impacts like cocoa production (Nigeria), biodiversity (Mexico), glacier retreat (Chile), and malaria transmission (South Asia).

Recent Funded Projects (Examples):

• Brazil (2023): Response of Southern Hemisphere cyclones to SRM (Prof. Michelle Simões Reboita)
• Chile (2023): SRM impacts on Andes glacier retreat (Prof. Alfonso Fernández)
• Malaysia (2023): Extreme weather trends in Muda River Basin under SRM scenarios
• India (2023): SRM effects on summer monsoon rainfall (Prof. Govindasamy Bala)
• Pakistan (2023): SRM impacts on malaria transmission across South Asia (Varisha Khan)
• Mexico (2024): Modeling impacts on heatwaves and biodiversity (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México)

Organizational Philosophy:

The Degrees Initiative maintains neutrality on SRM deployment itself while prioritizing mitigation as the primary climate strategy. They emphasize inclusiveness, academic rigor, and evidence-based evaluation from scientific, social science, and governance perspectives.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. Geographic Requirement is Non-Negotiable: Only researchers based in developing countries/Global South are eligible. This is the organization's core mission.

1. Define Your Own Research Questions: Applications should demonstrate researcher-led inquiry addressing locally relevant climate impacts rather than adopting prescribed research agendas.

1. Scale Matters: Grant amounts are substantial ($45,000-$75,000) and support multi-year projects (up to 26 months), so applications should propose appropriately scaled research.

1. Community Access: Beyond funding, successful grantees gain access to a growing international community of 193+ researchers, conference funding, and publication support.

1. Competitive Process: With ~10% success rate in early rounds and expanding applicant pools, applications must demonstrate clear contribution to building developing-country capacity to evaluate SRM.

1. Discipline-Specific Funds: Ensure you apply to the correct fund - physical/climate modeling under DMF, social sciences under the Socio-Political Fund.

1. Evidence of Impact: The organization tracks research outputs - published papers, conference presentations, and capacity building outcomes matter for demonstrating success.

References

• The Degrees Initiative Official Website. “Who we are.” www.degrees.ngo/about/
• The Degrees Initiative. “Research grants.” www.degrees.ngo/our-work/
• The Degrees Initiative. “History of the Funds.” www.degrees.ngo/research-funds/history/
• The Degrees Initiative. “Looking back on 2023 at the Degrees Initiative.” www.degrees.ngo/looking-back-on-2023-at-the-degrees-initiative/
• The Degrees Initiative. “Our team.” www.degrees.ngo/about/our-team/
• UK Charity Commission. “THE DEGREES INITIATIVE - 1196532.” register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5179485
• MIT Technology Review. “This technology could alter the entire planet. These groups want every nation to have a say.” April 17, 2023
• The Degrees Initiative LinkedIn Company Page. linkedin.com/company/degrees-initiative