Deadline: 6 January 22023

The Audubon Naturalist Society (ANS) is pleased to launch a call for applications for the Crowder-Messersmith Fund to provide seed funding for nature conservation projects in developing countries.

The Crowder-Messersmith Conservation Fund, together with the Audubon Naturalist Society, helps fund small, local conservation and education projects in developing countries, providing seed money to communities and individuals whose projects have not attracted much support from other sources.

The Fund honours Orville Crowder and Don and Sherry Messersmith, leaders in nature tourism, as a means of promoting global nature conservation.

Financing information

The maximum subsidy for 1 year is $ 3000 USD.

Eligibility criteria

The projects must

• Focus on nature conservation and education.
• To benefit endangered or threatened species or habitats.
• Include a public education component.
• Involve the local population.
• Have lasting significance for local residents.
• To be completed in one year.
• Preference is given to applicants who have a record of previous conservation actions relevant to the proposed project. Applicants from countries other than the United States are especially encouraged to apply. US researchers planning to work in foreign countries should have at least one local collaborator and consider how the project will benefit local communities.

Exclusion

• Projects in the United States or other advanced economies.
• Pure scientific research or data collection with no obvious conservation benefit.
• Expeditions, especially when the candidate needs to raise funds to take part.
• Projects that focus on species listed as Least Concern in the IUCN Red Book of Threatened Species.
• Projects that are a small part of a large-scale project with major financial backing.
• Financing for international travel, general expenses, taxes, utilities or insurance.
• Money transfers to individual accounts.

For more information, visit https://anshome.org/crowder-messersmith-fund/