|
OverviewThe IBA’s Council decided winter 2005 to establish a new grant program, primarily for biologists and students involved in bear research and management who want to increase their knowledge on bear research, management and biology. Despite the obvious value of work exchanges, it can be difficult to find support for them. IBA’s Experience and Exchange Grants will fund travel for participants in well-conceived exchanges between projects. IntroductionWe are very pleased to announce that IBA’s Experience and Exchange Grants Program is open for new applications for 2010. This program enables biologists to participate in inter-project work and training exchanges. Working visits to other projects offer biologists and wildlife managers enormous opportunities for learning, sharing expertise, collaborating in on-site problem solving, technical training, and professional growth. Moreover, these experiences broaden perspective and understanding of the biological and cultural context within which bear conservation programs must operate in different countries. Experience and Exchange Grants are designed to benefit a wide variety of people. Young biologists seeking specific technical training in preparation for their own projects may desire to work on an established project for a period of time. Biologists starting new projects or dealing with difficult research questions may benefit from hosting a field visit from someone who has experience with similar questions, problems, or research logistics. Mid- or late-career biologists who have not had previous opportunity for international collaboration or who wish to broaden their understanding of bears worldwide can learn enormously from an international field experience and can benefit host projects by sharing their many years of knowledge. Bears benefit when biologists spend more time applying shared knowledge and less time re-inventing the wheel with each new project. Despite the obvious value of work exchanges, it can be difficult to find financial support. IBA’s Experience and Exchange Grants fund travel expenses up to $1500 per exchange. Proposals must show that the exchange is a collaborative effort between two parties. It is expected that both the host project and the visiting participants demonstrate intent to keep living expenses low; for example, host projects or institutions can often provide such things as living space, local transportation, and/or meals for visiting participants. Grants will be awarded each year through a competitive process based on submitted proposals. Priority is given to project visits lasting several weeks to several months in which tangible benefits are identified for both host and visitor, and that offer prospects for on-going inter-project collaboration. Examples of reports from grants awarded are presented in International Bear News, Vol. 16-2, p. 18 and Vol. 18-3, p. 17-18. Currently the program can fund one to several exchanges each year dependent on the amounts requested. Guidelines for applying will generally be announced in the August issue of International Bear News. The Experience and Exchange Grants CommitteeFor additional information or help, feel free to contact any of the following committee members:
EEGP PurposeThe Experience and Exchange Grants Program is initiated to enable biologists to participate in project work and training exchanges. The IBA recognize that working visits to other projects offer biologists and wildlife managers enormous opportunities for learning, sharing expertise, collaborating in on-site problem solving, technical training, and professional growth. Moreover, these experiences broaden perspective and understanding of the biological and cultural context within which bear conservation programs must operate in different regions. The EEGP will fund travel for participants in well-conceived exchanges between projects. Bears benefit when biologists spend more time applying shared knowledge and less time re-inventing the wheel with each new project. EEGP Application ProcedureWho May Apply:IBA’s Experience and Exchange Grants Program is designed to benefit a wide variety of people:
How To ApplyApplication for grants must be in English and be received by the committee chairperson no later than December 1* for projects to be conducted the next calendar year. Applications should be maximum 4 pages including documentation/invitation from host institution. Additional pages containing budget (1 page) and endorsements and other additional supporting documents can be attached. Letters of reference from at least three individuals familiar with the applicant and/or the project are obligatory. All additional information are preferred as attachment to e-mails as word or PDF-files. Grant proposals will be strengthened if commitments for partial funding from other sources can be shown in the application. Important: these applications always need an agreement between two parts - the applicant and the host. Because of this the applications always need to be followed by a kind of statement from the host that confirm that the host are ready to take this responsibility and also a statement that they will help the applicant in every practical way and eventually their own direct or indirectly financial support to the visitor. Amount of GrantsTypically, grants will be less than USD $1,500. The minimum grant is USD $500. ConditionsAll grant recipients agree to provide a written report of accomplishments to the Grant Committee by June 1 of the year following that in which the grant was received. This report should be prepared for additional submission to the IBA Newsletter. Grant recipients agree to acknowledge the support of the IBA in any publication and/ or educational materials that result from the supported grant. ApplicationTo download the EEG Form in Word, click here>>> To download the EEG Form in PDF, click here>>> SubmissionDeadline for 2010 applications is December 1, 2009* *Due to a recent change in the deadline, we will accept applications based on the previous deadline of December 31 due to possible misunderstandings. Proposals should be sent electronically to the committee chair, Ole Jakob Sorensen.
|
