Office of Research

Frontiers Planet Prize

Limited Submissions

Earth system scientists have identified nine planetary boundaries, beyond which irreversible changes to the planet may occur. A core principle of The Frontiers PlanetPrize is its commitment to addressing the breach of these boundaries through breakthrough scientific research.

These planetary boundaries have been described in detail by Johan Rockström and Owen Gaffney in their book and documentary on Breaking Boundaries. Planetary boundaries paint a clear picture of the challenges humanity faces and The Frontiers Planet Prize, believe they should spur a call to action. The Frontiers Research Foundation is rallying behind that call.

The prize will honor research – published in peer-reviewed journals over the past 2 calendar years prior to the launch of each edition– that has the greatest potential to help keep the earth system stay within these boundaries, while contributing to our understanding of each boundary. It is awarded by the Frontiers Research Foundation.

All domains of science will be considered, as long as they contribute to a better understanding of the planetary boundaries and present scalable breakthroughs leading to solutions to safeguard the planet. The focus of the research, leading to an actionable solution, could be, for example, a deeper understanding of the interactions and feedbacks defining planetary boundaries; the implications of inaction for the state and resilience of the Earth’s system; technical solutions to be deployed at earth system scale; or planetary justice that opens transformative pathways for a world developing within planetary boundaries.

Application Instructions

Please submit as one combined pdf labeled with PI’s Lastname, Firstname:

  1. FPP Scientist Application form completed (download pdf form from Scientist Resource Hub here or email limitedsubs@uw.edu to obtain a copy of the application form)
  2. CV (not biosketch) of the PI

to limitedsubs@uw.edu by 5:00 PM Wednesday, September 10, 2025. Application forms are due to the sponsor 11/1/2025 if given the go‐ahead by the Limited Submissions review committee.

Opportunity Details

Program web page

Program Announcement No.

2026

Deadlines
09/10/2025 UW Internal Deadline Open
11/01/2025 Sponsor Deadline
Sponsor

Frontiers Research Foundation

Funding amount

$1,000,000

Maximum Number of Applications

3

Eligible groups
  • All campus

Inquiries and Contact Information

Investigators who identify a grant, award or fellowship program that restricts the number of applications that can be submitted from an Institution should immediately contact their Chairperson, Associate Dean for Research (or Dean, if no ADR) and the Office of Research (see below) if they intend to prepare a response. Failure to do so, or to meet the deadlines for submission of pre-proposal, will preclude submission of the application through the Office of Sponsored Programs.

For general inquiries, or to request a listing of a limited submission opportunity that should be but is not already listed, please email us at limitedsubs@uw.edu.