The mission of the Botanical Society of America (BSA) is to promote botany, the field of basic science dealing with the study and inquiry into the form, function, development, diversity, reproduction, evolution, and uses of plants and their interactions within the biosphere. This encompasses fostering research and education in all areas of plant science.
The grant aims to support and promote graduate student research in the botanical sciences. Initially funded by a gift from Dr. John Sidney Karling in 1997, the awards have evolved to include the J. S. Karling Graduate Student Research Award and multiple BSA Graduate Student Research Awards, totaling 19 awards as of the expansion in 2013. In 2017, the awards were renamed in honor of Bill Dahl, BSA's first Executive Director, to reflect his support for student involvement. By 2019, the value of each award increased to $1500. Funding sources include membership dues, contributions to specific funds, and the BSA operating budget.