AArk Conservation Grants

Amphibian Ark

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Grant amount: Up to US $5,000

Next deadline: Apr 17, 2020 (Letter of inquiry)

Later deadlines: May 22, 2020 (Full proposal)

Applicant type: Organizations Individuals

Funding uses: Project / Program, Research

Location of project: Anywhere in the world

Location of residency: Anywhere in the world

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Overview:

Conservation Grants

AArk has offered grants since 2009 and in the past these have been predominantly seed grants, for newly created ex situ programs, for species that have been assessed as in need of urgent ex situ rescue.

In 2018 our grants program was expanded, to include a wider range of programs types that are eligible for funding, as well as some new guidelines and requirements for grant recipients. 

We will be accepting funding applications for the following types of grants:

Start-up grants

• Initial funding to help newly-launched projects get started at the very beginning of their life, to help them attract larger and/or long-term funding for the duration of the program.
• We will not fund projects that are already well-established or have significant funding, although we will consider projects with funding in place for complementary components (such as fieldwork or education).
• One-time grants of up to US$5,000 are available.
• Recipients are able to apply for second and third year extension grants.

Start-up grant extensions 

• additional funds are available to provide continued support for AArk seed or start-up grant projects that
• have met their stated objectives for year one, and
• can demonstrate that additional supplemental funds have been secured for years two and three.
• Recipients of funding from the AArk in 2016 and 2017 are eligible to apply for these extensions.
• Grants of up to US$4,000 for year 2 and US$3,000 for year 3 are available.

Workshop attendance

• partial funding to assist attendance at ex situ amphibian conservation-related workshops, especially those which focus on amphibian husbandry, planning and reintroduction.
• Applicants must have already secured partial funding to attend the workshop.
• You must already be actively involved in an amphibian conservation project or have well-developed plans and funding in place to implement a new program
• Grants of up to US$750 are available.

Mentorship grants 

• support for organizations which have previously received an AArk seed or start-up grant, to bring in a designated outside expert to assist with an aspect of their amphibian conservation efforts (e.g. veterinary training, environmental control etc.).
• Grants up to US$1,500 are available. 

Emergency grants 

• limited funding is available for past recipients of AArk grants throughout the year for emergency situations such as emergency rescue of wild populations facing imminent threat of extinction, unanticipated major equipment failure in existing ex situ programs etc. 

Our grants are intended to support conservation projects for amphibian species that cannot currently be saved in the wild, with a focus on ex situ actions, and in partnership with appropriate field activities. Preference will be given to projects for species which have been assessed as in need of ex situ rescue or research work, either as a recommendation from a Conservation Needs Assessment or a similar, national assessment process

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website.

Eligibility:

• All applications must reflect AArk values
• Start-up grants
• The project must include an ex situ component.
• While we highly value in situ conservation, research, assessment, and education, our funds are extremely limited and so we must insist that all proposals include an ex situ component.
• Note that in situ conservation, research, assessment, and education can be included as valuable components of any good proposal that otherwise focuses on rescuing species ex situ.
• As long as your proposal details the ex situ components that are already in place, up to 20% of the funds applied for can be used to support the acquisition of founder animals, however priority will go to proposals in which 100% of the funds are directed to the ex situ facility.
• Ideally, our support of your ex situ component will help you secure funds for these other components as we tend not to fund components for which other funding could be found.
• Linking with in situ partners –
• all ex situ conservation programs should be planned in conjunction with appropriate actions in the field to mitigate threats, rehabilitate suitable habitat for reintroductions or translocations, and protect the habitat into the future.
• Include information about in situ partnerships and conservation actions being planned or underway.
• Working with amphibian species that need to be rescued.
• Proposals must relate to rescuing species whose threats cannot be mitigated in nature in time to prevent their extinction and which therefore require urgent ex situ intervention to persist.
• This status should be determined by relevant field experts, e.g., the IUCN/SSC Amphibian Specialist Group field experts through AArk Conservation Needs Assessment Workshops, or similar national processes.
• The IUCN Red List can also be used to verify the threatened status.
• While we appreciate efforts to keep regionally threatened but globally stable species  common, our limited funds are restricted to projects involving species that need help at a global level. 
• Working with species within their native range country.
• Unless capacity absolutely cannot be built in the range country in time to prevent imminent extinction, the AArk will not fund projects that remove animals from their range country.
• In addition, every effort should be made to enable national biologists to lead the program. 
• Adhering to recommended biosecurity standards.
• Regardless of where the rescue population is held, measures must be taken to isolate it from allopatric (non-overlapping) species that might be in the collection as well as from the original threat (e.g., chytrid), except where a valid scientific argument can be made to the contrary.
• Please refer to our recommended biosecurity standards. 

Ineligibility:

• These grants are not intended to fund:
• Workshops
• Educational exhibits
• Project overheard or indirect costs 
• Field projects without a strong ex situ component