Klingeman Professional Stipend

This year's 12 Peter Klingeman Stipends will be awarded to six early-career BIPoC stream restoration specialists AND six early-, mid-, or late-career professionals who are involved in stream, riparian, and watershed restoration work and/or work for:

  • Watershed councils/groups,
  • Native American Tribes or First Nations,
  • Environmental education organizations,
  • Regional fisheries enhancement groups,
  • Salmon recovery regional organizations,
  • Conservation districts,
  • Non-profit organizations related to rivers.
AmountTimelinesImportant InformationEvaluation and SelectionFAQs
Amount
Each stipend will provide financial support for attendance at the 2024 RRNW annual symposium, including up to $500 in travel, registration, and lodging.

Awardees will receive a registration code that activates their stipend for online Symposium registration. Travel expenses will be reimbursed.

Date

Milestone

11/08/23

  Stipend application period opens

11/29/23

  Completed applications due by 11:59PM PST
11/30/23 to 12/15/23 Applications compiled by Coordinator, screened for eligibility, reviewed by Stipend Committee
12/16/2023   Stipend awardees notified by email. Stipend awardees will be provided with a registration code and must complete symposium registration  *

12/31/2023

  Registration closes at 11:59PM PST for stipend recipients. If not registered, the stipend is forfeited.

* failure to register by the specified date will result in cancellation of the award

Important Information
Registration includes all conference materials and meals, as follows:

  • Breakfast, lunch, and refreshments Tuesday-Thursday
  • Dinner Tuesday and Wednesday

Short course (scheduled for a week prior to the symposium) and field trip (Friday) registration fees are not covered by Professional Stipends.

Recipients must register by close of business on the day indicated under timelines or forfeit their stipend.

Individuals or their affiliated organization are responsible for paying their own lodging and travel expenses and submitting them to RRNW for reimbursement.

Lodging information for Skamania Lodge and other nearby locations can be found here.

Evaluation, Selection, and Registration
Professional Stipend applications are ranked by a multidisciplinary Stipend Committee.  The Committee attempts to distribute stipends geographically and among technical disciplines (biology, geomorphology, engineering, planners, etc) and employers (watershed councils, Tribes, etc).  Part-time applicants are eligible to apply, though priority is given to full-time applicants.  Awardees will be notified by email and receive a registration code that will be active for two weeks.  Awardees failing to register by the December 31 forfeit their stipend.  Forfeited stipends are re-awarded to candidates on a standby list based on the review committee's composite score.
FAQs
In the past, some stipends (scholarships) offered by RRNW have had state residency criteria. I didn't see that this year. Are there residency-based eligibility requirements?

No. Stipends offered for the current Symposium are funded by RRNW and are not limited by geographic area. Previous state-specific funding has been eliminated by state budget-cuts.

Will I receive an email confirming receipt of my application?

  • Yes! Upon submission of the application form, you will receive an email confirming receipt of application.
  • You will be able to access your application by using the link in this email to change/make edits until the listed deadline.


Employees of my organization have received stipends or scholarships to attend RRNW in the past. Are we eligible to apply again?

Yes. As long as your organization meets the eligibility criteria stated above, you may apply.

I received notification I have been awarded an RRNW Professional Stipend, now what?

Each awardee will receive an email from RRNW with an agreement form attachment. Once the form is completed, signed, and returned to RRNW, awardee will receive instructions on how to complete their registration or lodging.

Is my organization eligible?

Qualified Organization: For the purpose of RRNW Professional Stipend eligibility, individuals from the following types of entities are considered eligible to receive assistance:

  • watershed councils
  • watershed groups
  • conservation districts
  • Lead Entitiesa
  • environmental education organizations
  • Fisheries Enhancement Groupsa
  • salmon recovery organizations
  • Native American Tribes or First Nations
  • non-profit organizations that are involved in stream, riparian, and watershed restoration work

a Lead Entities and FEGs are formal organizations created by the Washington State legislature


The award notification date has passed and I haven't heard anything. What does that mean?

Be sure to check spam folders and/or other filters in your email account.  All completed applications are notified of a decision.

Are students eligible for RRNW Professional Stipends?

Only if meeting the employment conditions described above. The RRNW Professional Stipend program targets volunteers and professionals working in the field of stream restoration.


What opportunities exist for students that don't meet RRNW Professional Stipend employment criteria?

Each year, we recruit up to four student interns to assist with operations during the Symposium. In return for their service, student interns receive a reduced registration rate and shared lodging. For more information on the RRNW Student Intern program, please go to the Student Intern Page of the RRNW website and/or email volunteer@rrnw.org.

Are employees of municipal, state, or federal agencies eligible?

No. We are unable to provide stipend assistance for these individuals at this time.

The symposium isn't until February, but you require recipients to register in December or lose their stipend. What gives?

Each year RRNW receives 3 to 5 times as many applications as we have stipends to award. Space at the Lodge is filled by December and the Symposium usually fills by mid-January. A December registration deadline for stipend recipients provides an adequate planning horizon for RRNW volunteers and Skamania Lodge. It also provides a margin to re-award the stipend to someone on the waiting list in the event of a cancellation.

How is the RRNW Professional Stipend Program funded?

Funding for the stipend is generated by the Peter C. Klingeman Fund and other proceeds from donors, short-courses, sponsors, and the Symposium. Individual donations to the stipend fund help to support participation in the Symposium by those who would otherwise not be able to attend.


I forwarded my award notification to my administrative support staff and they failed to complete my registration on-time. What now?

As stated in the instructions (above) and on the application, all registrations must be completed by the specified date. It is the sole responsibility of the recipient to meet the conditions of the award.

Whom should I contact if I have more questions?

You can send us an e-mail at stipends@rrnw.org.