Start Your Citizen Science Initiative

Basic Citizen Science Project Planning Steps

1. Scope Your Problem

   1. Consider your community's interests and identify a question or problem to address. 

   2. Conduct a detailed exploration of the problem you need to solve or project you'd like to design, your goals, its impact on your patrons and what you will achieve. Explore available tools. Will the project align with your staff's expertise, your available space, budget, and technology?

   3. Define your purpose clearly.

   4. Create a solid framework for your patrons, staff, and board to agree to and stick with. 

   5. Understand where the project fits within your library structure. 

2. Design a Project

   1. Use available resources to research and outline what participants will do, including project databases, case studies, and websites (like this one!). 

   2. Find funding, if necessary (see below). 

   3. Know the objectives you'd like to meet; break them into achievable goals. 

   4. Build a project schedule and assign tasks as necessary.

3. Build a Community

   1. Recognize possible community partners and foster relationships.

   2. Engage community members and organizations. Create relevant promotional material to reach potential participants.

   3. Foster and grow existing relationships.

   4. Consider relevant socio-cultural issues. Prioritize respectful collaboration with partners and participants. 

4. Manage Your Data

   1. Create a data management plan to know what type of data to collect and how to collect it.

   2. Implement protocols for data submission, review, and validation to ensure scientific rigor. 

   3. Acquire and process data. Credit contributors where necessary. 

   4. Analyze data according to objectives and protocols.

   5. Share data with your participants and broader community.

   6. Preserve data.

5. Sustain and Improve

   1. Adapt to cycles of participation.

   2. Communicate with participants through each phase and request feedback.

   3. Evaluate the quality of data and participants' buy-in. 

   4. Know how to end your project, if required. 

Adapted from citizenscience.gov and Bonney et al. (2009). Citizen Science: A Developing Tool for Expanding Science Knowledge and Scientific Literacy. BioScience 59(11), 977-984)

Check out Zooniverse's Project Builder for more help!

Project Design and Planning Resources

• SciStarter: Offers a robust project finder, tools to help you create a project, educational resources, and connections to a massive community of potential participants.

• Zooniverse: Specializes in online citizen science with a "project builder" interface. Perfect for projects focused on image or data classification.

• Experiment.com: Extensive project planning tool that also offers funding information. 

• National Geographic Education - Citizen Science Projects: Project ideas, templates, and a supportive community.

• CitSci.org: Resource hub with extensive guides, tools, and case studies covering all aspects of citizen science project development. Features a project planning tool. 

• Anecdata.org: Perfect for planning, implementing, and advertising a new citizen science project.

• FieldScope: Launch projects and browse existing ones. 

Data Collection and Technology Resources

• iNaturalist: Popular app-based platform focused on biodiversity observations and species identification. Great for nature-focused projects.

• eBird: From Cornell Lab of Ornithology, this platform is geared towards birdwatching and data collection.

• Globe at Night: International project tracking light pollution by mapping star visibility.

• ISeeChange: Community-based platform for documenting weather and climate change impacts.

• Anecdata: Simple, flexible platform for designing and running your own citizen science surveys and collecting data.

Community Engagement and Outreach

• CitizenScience.gov: US Government's official website with a project catalog and resources for federal agencies interested in citizen science efforts.

• Citizen Science Association: Membership organization providing networking opportunities, conferences, and professional development resources for the citizen science community.

• National Science Teachers Association (NSTA): Offers educational resources and a network to integrate citizen science into classrooms.

• Find local organizations, groups, science centers, universities, and communities that may be running or interested in partnering on citizen science projects. Check out our NYS citizen science page for more!

Find Funding

Lots of citizen science projects are no- or low-cost, but if you're planning a bigger project, start your search for funding here. 

• Institute of Museum and Library Services: Major provider of funding for library projects. 

• Candid: Research grants and possible partner foundations.

• Grants.gov: Government grants for a wide range of projects.

• GiveCampus: Digital fundraising and volunteer management platform for educational institutions - great for academic libraries. 

• U.S. National Science Foundation: Hundreds of funding opportunities including grants, cooperative agreements, and fellowships.

• Experiment.com: Explore research challenges, prizes, and competitions, and submit your own grant ideas.

• EPA and Research Grants: Grants from the Environmental Protection Agency and ideas for further funding. 

  • Regional EPA Grants for NY

• US Forest Service Funding: Explore for major environmental projects.

• National Library of Medicine Funding: Browse open funding opportunities to learn about NLM awards that might support a project.

• Find local organizations, groups, science centers, universities, and communities that may be interested in partnering on, and providing funding for, citizen science projects. Check out our NYS citizen science page for more!