General Guidelines for BirdsCaribbean’s Research and Conservation Grants
Important Note: These are general guidelines for applications to all BirdsCaribbean’s Grants for Research and Conservation. Please consult the individual fund websites (see links at the bottom of this page) for details on specific focuses, permissible uses of funds, and eligibility of applicants.
Eligibility
- BirdsCaribbean is an international network that promotes the conservation of birds and their habitats in the insular Caribbean. The grants will support projects proposed by partners working in the islands within or on the edge of the Caribbean basin (i.e., Greater Antilles and Lesser Antilles), including The Bahamas and Bermuda.
- Applicants must be paid or sponsored members of BirdsCaribbean at the time of application.
- The same proposal cannot be submitted for more than one award in a given year.
- Candidates who currently have another BirdsCaribbean Grant for Research and Conservation project underway, or who have not yet completed reporting for previous award cycles are not eligible for this Call.
Favored Projects
- Projects with the following characteristics will be favored:
- Conducted by Caribbean nationals and organizations headquartered in the Caribbean
- Expenditures will be primarily made within the Caribbean
- Benefit rare, endemic, resident and/or threatened Caribbean bird species
- Foster collaboration among scientists/naturalists of different local groups or organizations
Evaluation
A committee appointed by BirdsCaribbean will review the proposals and award the grants. Applications will be judged on the merit of the proposed work plan and expected contribution to the knowledge and conservation of Caribbean bird species.
Deliverables
- Awardees will be required to submit a report one year from the project start date, which will be defined in the award letter, explaining how the award money was spent and the results of the project to that point. Two-year projects require a second annual report.
- The awardee will be also asked to write an article for BirdsCaribbean’s blog about their work (informal article for a lay audience).
- Awardees are encouraged to present the results of their work at the biennial International Conference of BirdsCaribbean and publish in the Journal of Caribbean Ornithology.
Proposal Instructions
Use the BirdsCaribbean Grant Proposal Submission 2025 form to submit your contact information and upload proposal files. Please include the narrative and budget as a single PDF file. The proposal should not be more than 5-6 pages in total length. Note the word limits to sections. Supporting elements, including the budget table, references, maps, and figures, do not count against word totals.
Contact Information: Include a cover page with the name of the applicant, title of the proposal, organization, address, email, and phone number. If the project will be conducted by a group, provide the names and contact information for each team member, and describe the role of each person in the narrative.
Abstract: One paragraph of 150-200 words summarizing the goal and objectives of the project, rationale, and proposed activities.
Introduction: 500 words. Provide relevant background information to the conservation issue or research question—what is the conservation target, what are the threats and sources of threats? Include any preliminary activities or data that inform your project. Why is this project necessary, and how will it advance research or conservation? What are the objectives of the project? How is this project different from previous work? Please make sure to describe how the project addresses the specific aim of the Fund to which you are applying.
Methods/Activities: 1,000 words. How will you implement the project? How will you monitor progress and success? Describe the major activities you foresee undertaking to implement your project, along with expected dates and milestones that will mark their completion.
Expected Results and Outcomes: 500 words. What are your expected results and how will they advance the scientific knowledge or conservation of the target species? How do you anticipate sharing and publishing your results in order to advance science and conservation locally and regionally?
Permissions/Stakeholders: 500 words. Identify the stakeholders who must be considered. Describe the site(s), materials, research or land access permits, etc. that will be necessary for the work. Explain how you are reaching out to the local community, NGOs, and relevant government agencies/ institutions to ensure that your work meshes with local conservation goals.
Budget Table: One table with notes. Describe the budget items necessary to complete the work in USD. Include items from other sources and explain how the costs covered by the grant will add to the project. Include in-kind contributions including volunteers’ transportation and time, if applicable. If other applications have been submitted for the same costs, include them here along with notification deadlines. Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals to multiple funding agencies—however, they may not accept more than one funding award for the same budget item. Note specific restrictions for the use of funds.
Timeline: Include a simple chronogram of the proposed activities showing when each activity will be completed during the grant year. See this example:
Other: 100 words. What else would you like BirdsCaribbean to know that would help us to evaluate your proposal?
Language: Please feel free to write the proposal in Spanish if English is not your primary language. We do request that applicants also include an English version as the Grants Committee will need an English translation to facilitate the revision process, and we recommend using DeepL.com or other free online applications to do the translation. Before you submit the application, you can ask a colleague to look over the text to make sure that the sense of the narrative is reflected.
Additional Required Files:
- Curriculum vitae for individual applicants -or- short organizational summary for organizational applicants.
- Three letters of recommendation from persons who can attest to the applicant’s effectiveness in previous bird conservation work.
Questions? Address your questions or inquiries to: info@birdscaribbean.org, with the name of the grant in the subject line.
You can download these guidelines here.
You can find more information about each fund on the relevant webpages: