Undergraduate Conservation Research Program
Funding Amount:$1.5M total for 3 years |
Sponsor Deadline:Based on a review of the LOIs received, the foundation will invite a small number of organizations to submit a full proposal.
|
Letter of Intent Deadline:Dec. 13, 2012 (required) |
Program Website:http://www.ddcf.org/Programs/Environment/Funding-Opportunities/ |
The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation seeks short (three pages or less) Letters of Interest (LOIs) from non-profit organizations (including academic institutions) interested in developing a new nationwide program to engage undergraduate students from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups in rigorous research experiences in conservation biology (and other disciplines relevant to land, water, and wildlife conservation). This program will be one of several efforts supported by the foundation to increase the diversity of the workforce in the U.S. land and wildlife conservation field.
The purpose of the program is to influence student choices regarding college majors, graduate education and early career opportunities. While the design of the program will be determined by the grantee ultimately selected to develop and manage the program, the foundation will require each of the following program elements:
- Research experience—meaningful and rigorous research projects appropriate for undergraduate students in conservation biology and other disciplines relevant to land, water and wildlife conservation. A significant portion of each student’s research experience should provide an opportunity for the student to work closely with scientists employed by conservation organizations (e.g., scientists employed by non- governmental conservation organizations or governmental natural resource agencies) who are working on applied conservation problems.
- Field experience—significant time outdoors to build a personal connection with the natural world through data gathering and other scientific work relevant to an assigned research project.
- Cohort building—research experiences designed to accommodate a team of at least three students working together, as well as other activities to build camaraderie and peer-to-peer networks among program participants.
- Career training—student exposure to conservation career options and leading professionals from underrepresented groups working in the conservation field.
- Multiyear engagement—sustained engagement over the course of multiple years (e.g., a program that involves multiple summer experiences or runs year-round over the course of multiple academic years).
Other program requirements include a dedicated program director (at least 0.5 FTE) and research mentors. Student participants must also be paid a stipend.
Contact Foundation Relations
Foundation Relations can provide assistance in developing proposals and contacting the appropriate Foundation program officers.
Faculty from should contact Shelley Maddex, Executive Director of Foundation Relations.
Phone: (530) 754-4138
Email: sbmaddex@ucdavis.edu
