Charles Blake Fund Grants

The Nuttall Ornithological Club is soliciting proposals for bird-related projects to be conducted under the direction of organizations meeting certain qualifications (see below). Selected projects are supported by grants from the Club’s Charles Blake Fund.

Grants support ornithological research, conservation, and education, with particular emphasis on the birds of New England and the Northeast. The Fund supports grants for research, publication, education, and other worthy ornithology-related efforts.

The postmark-date deadline for applications is September 15, 2007. Awards will be announced by October 15, 2007. All funds will be distributed by October 31, 2007.

Application Guidelines:

1. Applying organizations must be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and must not be private foundations under section 509(a). Applications from individuals are not considered.

2. Submit three typed copies of a brief proposal in the following format:

A) Title page: project title and brief abstract; name, address and phone number; proposed starting and completion dates; total amount requested from the Charles Blake Fund;
 
B) Narrative of up to 5 pages including a) objectives, b) brief review of what is already known or has already been done, c) methods, d) value of the project to ornithology, e) project timetable, including a submission date for the final report, f) detailed budget, including funds applied for or expected from other sources;
 
C) Brief statement of investigator qualifications and a resume; and
 
D) Documentary evidence of section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status must be provided with each proposal.
 
E) If possible, please submit application electronically.
3. Grants are awarded on an annual basis from total available funds. The total available money varies annually, but rarely is below $15,000 per year. Proposals may request up to that entire amount. Applications for projects expected to last more than one year are considered, but no commitment beyond the funds available in the present year is made.

Blake Fund Criteria:

4. Proposals are reviewed by the Blake Fund Committee and selected for awards based on the following merits:

A) Contribution to the goals of the Nuttall Ornithological Club,
 
B) Conservation, management, or educational applications,
 
C) Scientific merit,
 
D) Feasibility, and
 
E) Qualifications of investigator(s).
5. Typically, Blake funds along with other Club funds (when available) are distributed in grants ranging from $1000 to $5000. Grants requested for more than one year are noted, but funding is on an annual basis only. No commitments to future funding are inherent in any grant.

6. Grant payments are made directly to the 501(c)(3) organizations. Nuttall Ornithological Club retains no authority over use of paid grant funds. However, the Nuttall Ornithological Club requires that recipients prepare a report on their work and use of grant money within twelve months of receiving the grant.

Address grant proposals to:
 
Ronald B. Lockwood
Nuttall Ornithological Club
Chair, Blake Fund Committee
65 Bare Hill Road
Bolton, MA 01740
email: Ron.lockwood@comcast.net
 
Blake Fund Committee Members:
Deborah Howard: deb@hgdinc.com
David Donsker: ddonsker@comcast.net


 
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