Environmental Science Program: NGO Minigrants

Posted: 21-Mar-2003; Updated: 21-Mar-2003

Please note that we are not accepting letters of inquiries or proposals until further notice.

Environmental Defense, a national nonprofit environmental organization, requests letters of inquiry from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that describe projects that will facilitate the development and/or implementation of sound environmental policy by engaging academic scientists.

Environmental Defense's Environmental Science Program (ESP), funded by the Packard Foundation, is designed to enhance scientific input to nonprofit environmental organizations and to policymakers. The program is aimed at scientists in colleges and universities. The ESP includes not only the NGO Minigrants discussed in this notice, but also Academic Minigrants, Environmental Defense science internships and fellowships, and collaborative projects with Environmental Defense staff. Through these activities, we are seeking to provide academic scientists with opportunities to apply their expertise in a policy context. We encourage innovative proposals with the potential to leverage significant improvements in environmental protection.

GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA
Letters of Inquiry
*No longer than one page
*Hard copies only; no e-mail submissions
*Maximum request allowed is $15,000
*Letters are due no later than March 29, 2002 (no extensions possible)
*Describe the project and how it will help engage academic scientists and improve environmental policy (please see topics listed below)
*Include amount of funding requested, and major expenditure items (please see allowable expenses listed below)
*Include your e-mail address

SEND LETTERS TO:
Jenny Chu
Environmental Defense
5655 College Avenue
Oakland, CA 94618
No phone calls please. 


Timeline
*Letters of inquiry due Friday, March 29
*Requests for proposals will be sent out Friday, April 26
*Proposals due Friday, May 24
*Award decisions made Friday, June 21

Topics:
For this round, Environmental Defense is interested in funding projects concerning the following topics:
*Marine Reserves
*Aquaculture and Terrestrial Animal Feeding Operations
*Ecosystem Restoration
*Endangered Species Conservation
*Invasive Species
*Climate Change

Inquiries will be entertained for work on these topics anywhere in the United States. In addition, special consideration will be given to inquiries for work concerning the Pacific coasts and Pacific territorial waters of the United States (including Hawaii), Mexico, and Canada. Inquiries for funding of work in other countries are discouraged.

Allowable Expenses :
*Academic scientist consulting costs
*Scientific Advisory Committee expenses
*Scientific workshop expenses
*Science interns and fellowships
*Necessary travel
*Related publications costs
*Library or database expenses for research

Costs Not Covered by an Academic Minigrant
*Equipment
*Overhead
*Indirect costs
*Salaries for permanent NGO staff

CRITERIA SPECIFIC TO PROPOSALS
Proposal Guidelines
*Five-page maximum (including budget)
*Must include a description of deliverable products such as reports, briefing papers, etc.
*Must include a schedule of activities with a completion date
*Must include information on the personnel responsible for the project
*One copy is sufficient

Proposal Format
*Problem statement
*Strategy for engaging academic scientists
*Relevance to environmental policy
*Description of deliverables
*Personnel
*Schedule of activities with a completion date

If you have further questions, please e-mail them to Jenny Chu, Program Assistant, at
jchu@environmentaldefense.org.

Recipients of Previous NGO Minigrants

2002
Turner Endangered Species Fund
Evaluating the effectiveness of predator compensation programs

Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans
Research coordination and advisory council for emerging community-based marine protected areas in the Upper Gulf of California, Mexico

Ocean Conservancy
A study, production of a white paper, and the creation and dissemination of a brief report summarizing the environmental history of the three central California National Marine Sanctuaries

Environmental Defense Center
Develop sound scientific information in an effort to explore the full environmental impact of the proposed new oil development on the California coast

Surfrider Foundation
GIS consolidation of local and scientific knowledge of the Port Orford Reef and implications for strategic planning

Ilio 'ulaokalani Coalition
Scientific research on cultural gathering practices and the impacts on the cultural resources and natural environment on Hawai'i, O'ahu and Kaua'i

ICLARM - International  Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management
Make a preliminary evaluation of the status of spawning aggregations of hinds and groupers on the virgin Islands-Puerto Rico shelf and adjacent up current shelves and possible inclusion of the spawning areas in fishery reserves

Wildlife Conservation Society
Advancing integrated marine protected area planning for the Northern Caribbean/Florida region

New York/New Jersey Baykeeper
Analyzing bioaccumulation of selected pollutants and their health effects on oysters grown in the Baykeeper Oyster gardening program.

2001
Alaska Forum for Environmental Responsibility
"To create a scientifically based information package for the EVOS Legacy Campaign"

American Fisheries Society
"A stakeholder's forum on fisheries and climate change

American Oceans Campaign
"Demonstrating the Effectiveness of Marine Reserves using Satellite Imagery"

California Exotic Pest Plant Council
"To develop a scientifically defensible list of non-invasive alternatives to replace invasive horticultural species"

Conservation International
"Science Advisory Committee on Global Site Monitoring Networks and Databases"

The Ecological Society of America
"To develop a marine ecosystems tool kit"

Girl Scouts Council of Southeast Lousiana
"A one-year study of the ongoing restoration/management actions on the flora, the plant communities, and the fauna of Camp Whispering Pines"

HEART/Help Endangered Animals Ridley Turtles
"To analyze data on sea turtles"

Land and Water Fund of the Rockies
"To develop a region-wide strategy to reduce power plant emissions in the West"

MCBI/Marine Conservation Biology Institute
To create a Baja California-to-Bering map"

Montana Natural History Center
"To develop a public education program focused on the ecological restorative nature of forest fires and the threat of invasive weeds"

Ocean Research & Education Foundation Inc.
"High resolution field surveys over large spatial scales along Cuba's south coast"

Sierra Club
"Symposium to investigate the impacts of climate change in the Gulf of Maine"

Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition
"To establish a network of new protected lands in the Southern Appalachian region"

The Friends of Casco Bay Baykeeper
"Ecosystem and habitat restoration in Casco Bay"

The Nature Conservancy of Texas
"To gather expert input on priority conservation areas in Edwards Plateau and Southern Shortgrass Prairie"

Union of Concerned Scientists
"Combating the Invasive Species Problem through Scientist Input and Advocacy "

Wildlife Conservation Society
"Ecological Indicators for Caribbean Marine Reserves"

World Wildlife Fund Canada
"A Process for Design of Marine Protected Areas in Cuba"

2000
Greater Yellowstone Coalition
"Identifying, describing and mapping the ecological hot spots in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem"

Save the Bay
"Establishing a habitat restoration Science Advisory Board"

Climate Solutions
"Solidifying and expanding relationships with key scientists to help them with important media communications skills, and further involve them in public education and policy discussions"

The Coral Reef Alliance
"A one-year fellowship that would bring a recently graduated Ph.D. in coral reef ecology to work with CORAL"

Cook Inlet Keeper
"The health of Alaska's marine ecosystems and communities - a synthesis of toxicological information"

Center for Marine Conservation
"A scientific advisory panel to advise on the establishment of a network of marine protected areas throughout the Gulf of Maine"

Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
"Scientific advisor to work on the restoration and stewardship of the lower Mississippi River delta and it's westerly coastal plain"

Audubon Society Tavernier Science Center
"Examining fish utilization in essential mangrove habitats within northeastern Florida Bay, Florida Keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary"

Hudson River Sloop Clearwater
"PCB Contamination in the Hudson Valley: A victimless crime? Organizing a unified and compelling scientific response to GE's claims regarding harmless toxicology of PCBs"

Perry Institute for Marine Science
"Back Reef Habitat and Resource: Ecological Analysis and Characterization"

American Bird Conservancy
"Pesticides and Birds Campaign"

Chesapeake Bay Foundation
"To develop a detailed critique of the mitigation plan for a significant public works project in Virginia impacting over 400 wetland acres"

1999
Natural Resources Defense Council
"Workshop to identify potential marine habitats for protection in the mid-Atlantic region"

Union of Concerned Scientists
"Development of scientifically based information packets on key ecosystem services"