Deadline: 4 November 2019
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is currently accepting applications for its Future for Wildlife Seed Grants Program which provides funds to support field conservation projects in Africa and Asia.
Focus Areas
Ideal projects have a clear and direct conservation impact, positively affect local people, and create opportunities for capacity building in-country. Projects focusing on the following areas of special interest to the Zoo are strongly encouraged to apply:
- Wildlife protection (anti-poaching, illegal wildlife trade issues, etc.)
- Human wildlife conflict mitigation
- Development and promotion of sustainable environmental practices
- Habitat protection and restoration (terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems)
- Capacity-building (education/training, community-based conservation, etc.)
- Conservation biology, ecology and natural history studies (terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems)
Projects that focus on taxa/issues targeted by the Zoo’s key wildlife conservation programs or represent a species/taxa found at the Zoo will be given priority.
Funding Information
Annual awards, ranging from $1000 to $3500, are made to conservation and field research initiatives that will help secure a future for wildlife and educational or cultural activities that positively impact wildlife, habitats and human communities.
Criteria
- Requests for funds should provide adequate information for evaluation of the project and the specific request, including detailed experimental design and methodology.
- Projects that designate local/public education/awareness as a significant program outcome must include an evaluation component.
- Projects should begin in the year that they are applying for funding, (but not before funds are to be awarded) and contain a clearly defined beginning and endpoint.
- Funds will not be awarded for elements of a project that will have already occurred before awards are made.
- Although exceptions can be made, ongoing costs such as salaries of permanent staff and other administrative costs are generally not considered.
- Funds to cover contingencies or indirect costs are not granted.
- Partial funding of a project may be considered if a particular component of the project can be supported and completed independently, or if it is made clear that additional funding has been obtained or is being sought from other sources to cover remaining costs.
- Proposals requesting more than the maximum amount of funds allowed for the specific grant program will not be accepted.
- Subsequent phases of previously funded projects may be submitted.
- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is not required to be a collaborator for a project to be eligible for funding.
- Highly invasive research, or projects that collect/voucher specimens will not be considered for funding.
The following information should be included in the pre-proposal:
- Project Description, including:
- The goals and objectives of the project, including the conservation issue being addressed
- The significance of the proposed project and the impact that it will have on the species, habitat, area, local people, etc.,
- A succinct description of the experimental design, methodology and data analysis, and how it will address the project objectives,
- A description of how the project’s success will be evaluated,
- A list of any permits required for the project and whether they have already been obtained or are pending.
- Budget: Include a detailed budget that clearly indicates the amount being requested and which budget items are being submitted for funding. If funding being requested represents partial funding of the project, include a complete project budget and clearly indicate whether remaining funds have been obtained, are pending or are being sought to complete the project and from whom. A justification for specific budget items may be included if necessary/appropriate.
- Curriculum Vitae of the Principle Investigator (one page in English)
- Letter(s) of Support/Commitment: Required from any collaborator(s), governing body, protected area, organization/group or institution whose cooperation is necessary for project completion. Letters must be in English (or translated to English if original is in another language), signed and on official letterhead. They can be sent electronically, faxed or mailed in the post but must be received by the application deadline to be considered in the review.
Expectations
Grant recipients are expected to:
- Provide written acceptance of awarded funds including verification of funds received, and agreement to terms and conditions detailed here.
- Provide a few photographs of project that can be used in the zoo publications or resources within a few months of the award (may be of animals, habitat, yourself/others working on the project, etc.). Please send higher resolution/publishable images (4×6 in and 300dpi, <1MB).
- Maintain contact with and provide periodic updates to the Conservation Grants Assistant. At the minimum, provide a 6-month update via email describing the general progress of the project to date. A few paragraphs to one page of text is appropriate.
- Acknowledge the financial support of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in any presentations, meetings, publications and/or materials resulting from the project.
- Submit a final report, including accounting of funds; within one year of receipt of the award. If the project is more than one year in duration, a progress report should be submitted one year following the award in addition to a final report at the end of the project.
How to Apply
Pre-Proposal Applications should be sent to the Conservation Grants Assistant at the address given on the website.
For more information, please visit https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/zoo/wildlife-we-protect/other-partnerships/future-for-wildlife-seed-grants#expectations