Applications Invited for Turtle Conservation Fund (TCF) Grant Program

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About the Organization

The Turtle Conservation Fund (TCF) was established in 2002 as a partnership initiative of Conservation International, IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group (TFTSG), and Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA). In 2007 it was joined by the Shellshock Campaign of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, and in 2009 expanded to become a broader-based partnership coalition of several leading turtle conservation organizations and individuals. Global Wildlife Conservation (GWC), Chelonian Research Foundation (CRF), and Turtle Conservancy (TC) currently serve as financial umbrella organizations for the TCF.

The TCF administers a turtle conservation and research grants program focused on endangered tortoises and freshwater turtles. Awards are granted to organizations or individuals for specific conservation or research projects dealing with highly endangered tortoises or freshwater turtles, but not marine turtles, with either partial or full support as funding allows.

About the Grant  

Priority for funding is given to projects that focus on tortoises or freshwater turtles that are already highly threatened according to the IUCN Red List or the TFTSG Provisional Red List, as either Critically Endangered or Endangered, or which may be highly threatened but not yet officially classified as such on the Red List. We do not support work on marine turtles. TCF Awards are approximately in the $1000 to $5000 range per project (with full or partial funding depending on full project costs), and smaller seed grant projects are also encouraged (up to $1000 each) to support pilot conservation initiatives for tortoise and freshwater turtle species that are currently either IUCN Red Listed as Critically Endangered or Endangered (or on the TCF Priority Species list–see below), or species that may become priority species with an increase in the state of knowledge about the status of their populations or the threats they currently face (principally species currently classified on the Red List Data Deficient or not yet assessed [Not Evaluated]).

Award recipients enter into contractual agreement with either Re:wild (formerly Global Wildlife Conservation) or Chelonian Research Foundation to produce the proposed work (these non-profit organizations serve as TCF’s financial umbrella organizations). Award recipients are also encouraged to publish at least partial results of the supported research in the international scientific turtle journal, Chelonian Conservation and Biology, published by Chelonian Research Foundation (www.chelonian.org).

There are two funding cycles annually. Total disbursement has averaged between $20,000 to $50,000 per funding cycle, or $40,000 to $100,000 per year to date.

How to Apply

• The maximum amount of each grant is US $5,000, focused on one of three categories of species in need of conservation action as outlined in point #5 on the Proposal Template. Smaller grant requests of $3,000 or less are also encouraged to support pilot surveys or other conservation initiatives; they may also be provided to promote opportunities for younger emerging turtle conservationists from developing nations, including women and ethnic minorities with less prior experience.
• By submitting this application, and if funded, the proponents declare that all permits required to carry out the proposed project will be obtained as necessary, and that no work on the project will commence without the required permits.
• Further, the proponents declare that they and their project collaborators will conduct their studies with the sole goal of enhancing conservation of turtles, and will not collect, obtain, or distribute any turtles or other wildlife, whether live animals, parts or derivatives, for possession, transport, export, import, or sale, in breach of applicable national and international laws and regulations, during any phase of the supported project.
• The TCF provides grants in support of direct expenses for research and conservation of selected turtle projects and programs. TCF does not provide support for indirect organizational overhead expenses associated with administration of grants, and will not fund requests for such indirect costs.
• The proposal itself must use the TCF Proposal Template and should not exceed ca. 15 pages (excluding Literature Cited). Submitted C.V.’s should not exceed 5 pages per applicant. All type must be 12-point font. The inclusion of appropriate photos of the study species and study site as well as a map is encouraged, but the total proposal size needs to be kept under 5 MB.

All TCF Awards are granted through an internal review process carried out by the TCF Review Board.

• Application Deadlines:  June 1 and December 1
• Award Determinations:  approximately August 15 and February 15 (dates may vary)

Submit ALL TCF grant proposals electronically via e-mail to:

Hugh R. Quinn, Anders G.J. Rhodin, and Vivian P. Páez

(DoubleHQ@aol.com, RhodinCRF@aol.com, vivianpaez1@gmail.com)

For more information please check the Link

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Tags Environment and Sustainability Research Others