Guidelines for Applicants
4. As part of this approach the Foundation requires all grant holders to undertake public awareness and environmental educational activities (giving talks, issuing press releases, etc.) as part of their project.
Funded Programmes
6. In line with the above strategy, most of the projects supported by the Foundation currently fall into one or more of three major programme areas:
7. In addition the Foundation currently awards a smaller number of grants each year for research, conservation action or environmental education relating to four other marine conservation priorities:
Size and Duration of Grants
8. Normal grants fall within two categories:
9. Funding is awarded for only one financial year at a time, but proposals can be set in the context of a project plan expected to extend over 2 or 3 years, or possibly longer, where a longer period is necessary to secure the anticipated conservation benefits.
Financial Restrictions
10. The Foundation does NOT normally support the annual salaries (full-time or part-time) of researchers or of other individuals working on projects. The costs of short-term employees or the short-term extra costs of an individual’s participation in a project may however be eligible.
12. Joint funding of a project by SOSF with another funding agency is welcomed, but not essential.
Grant Application Process
13. From 2010 the grant application process will consist of two stages. Stage 1 will involve completion of a short on-line form, equivalent to about 3 pages; stage 2 will involve completion of a longer on-line form, equivalent to about 8 pages.
14. Stage 2 applications for grants will be reviewed by a minimum of two referees, including at least one drawn from the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Panel. The referees will assess the quality and conservation significance of each application, but the final decision will be made by the Board of the Foundation.
15. On rare occasions small awards may be made as a matter of urgency outside this timetable. This might be for example where individuals of a rare species are under imminent threat, or critical conservation equipment requires repair. Individuals or organisations who believe they might have such a case may contact the chief scientist for further advice.
Obligations of Grant Holders
16. Grants are awarded subject to the applicant or their organisation agreeing a simple contract valid under the laws of Switzerland (the country in which the Foundation is registered).
17. Grant holders are required to submit a brief “Project Initiation Report” by August 1st of the year in which the grant begins (i.e. 4 months after the start of the project), a further short “Progress Report” by February 1st of the following year (i.e. 10 months after the start of the project), and a full “Final Report” on the year’s project activity by the following August 1st (i.e. 16 months after the start of the project, or after a year of funded activity).
18. In addition a “Summary Financial Report” accounting for the use of the funds provided in any one financial year (April one year to March of the next) is required by August 1st following the end of any this financial year.
19. It is the policy of the Foundation to provide, where practicable, a degree of continuing support to projects which it is supporting; accordingly it is a condition of grants awarded by the Foundation that grant holders welcome Foundation staff visiting their projects (at the Foundation’s expense).
20. It is also the Foundation’s policy to promote whenever possible public awareness of marine conservation issues. Accordingly, it is also a condition that grant holders incorporate elements of public awareness into their work, and collaborate with the Foundation in publicising their project.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: For the coming round of grant applications we will be introducing a new two-stage process. This change is being made in response to a number of factors, including the very large number of applications received in 2009 (for use in 2010), as a result of which the proportion of applications that were successful dropped to less than 25%. Consequently there was concern about the time and resources being devoted by some applicants to proposals which were unlikely to be successful.
Accordingly new applicants, intending to apply for a grant for use in the year April 2011-March 2012, are asked to complete a relatively short on-line Stage 1 application form, giving key information about themselves and their proposed project. Based on these Stage 1 submissions, those applicants whose proposals seem most likely to be funded by the Foundation will be asked to complete a more detailed Stage 2 application form. Successful applications will be selected based on these Stage 2 submissions.
An exception to this arrangement is that applicants who currently hold SOSF grants for use in 2010-11, or who held grants during 2009-2010 (and also applicants who were short-listed in late 2009 for grants for use in 2010-11, but were unsuccessful) will not be required to complete Stage 1 applications, but will be permitted if they wish to submit a new Stage 2 application directly. Otherwise in this coming round only a small number of additional applicants will be selected, based on their stage 1 applications, and invited to submit stage 2 applications.
The deadline for receipt of stage 1 applications for grants to be used in this coming year (April 2011 - March 2012) will be 9.00 a.m. UMT on Monday October 25th 2010. The deadline for receipt of stage 2 applications will be 9.00 a.m. UMT Monday November 22nd 2010. Those who have made Stage 1 applications will be notified whether they have been selected to enter Stage 2 by Monday November 8th. Such applicants may however find it useful to have studied the Stage 2 form at an earlier stage.
Before completing any form, potential applicants are urged to first read very carefully the Guidelines for Applicants given below. This will enable them to assess what types of application are most likely to be successful, and what the principal conditions of any grant award from SOSF will be. They should then read carefully the separate “Instructions for Completing the Stage 1 or Stage 2 Application Forms”, in order to be clear precisely what information is required.
General Approach
1. The Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) is committed to supporting activities which have the capacity to make a real difference to the health of the oceans and to the survival of threatened species and habitats.
2. With a view to achieving this aim, the Foundation has developed a policy of supporting in particular applicants working on exceptional projects, on exceptional species or habitats and / or in exceptional locations.
3. The purpose of this policy is to support research , conservation or educational projects which are capable of attracting significant public attention, and which, as a result, may genuinely increase public and government awareness of the urgent need to protect the marine environment.
4. As part of this approach the Foundation requires all grant holders to undertake public awareness and environmental educational activities (giving talks, issuing press releases, etc.) as part of their project.
5. Foundation staff (including specialist press officer, photographer and underwater film crew) are available to assist grant holders in such public relations work, and grant holders are expected to collaborate with them in preparing public awareness materials.
Funded Programmes
6. In line with the above strategy, most of the projects supported by the Foundation currently fall into one or more of three major programme areas:
I. Ecology and conservation of sharks and rays.
II. Public Awareness of marine environmental issues through production of films, radio programmes, web-sites, events, conferences, etc.
III. Children’s environmental education through design and production of books, DVDs, films etc.
7. In addition the Foundation currently awards a smaller number of grants each year for research, conservation action or environmental education relating to four other marine conservation priorities:
I. Threatened marine mammals
II. Marine turtles
III. Ocean acidification
IV. Protected coral reef areas
Size and Duration of Grants
8. Normal grants fall within two categories:
i) standard grants of up to US$45,000, to be used within a 12 -16 month period.
ii) small grants of up to $15,000, also to be used within a 12 -16 month period; a proportion of awards will be for small grants.
9. Funding is awarded for only one financial year at a time, but proposals can be set in the context of a project plan expected to extend over 2 or 3 years, or possibly longer, where a longer period is necessary to secure the anticipated conservation benefits.
Financial Restrictions
10. The Foundation does NOT normally support the annual salaries (full-time or part-time) of researchers or of other individuals working on projects. The costs of short-term employees or the short-term extra costs of an individual’s participation in a project may however be eligible.
11. The Foundation is NOT able to pay unspecified overheads to large commercial or non-commercial organisations (such as Universities or Non-Governmental Organisations), although specified administrative and accommodation costs may be met, provided they are essential and properly accounted for.
12. Joint funding of a project by SOSF with another funding agency is welcomed, but not essential.
Grant Application Process
13. From 2010 the grant application process will consist of two stages. Stage 1 will involve completion of a short on-line form, equivalent to about 3 pages; stage 2 will involve completion of a longer on-line form, equivalent to about 8 pages.
14. Stage 2 applications for grants will be reviewed by a minimum of two referees, including at least one drawn from the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Panel. The referees will assess the quality and conservation significance of each application, but the final decision will be made by the Board of the Foundation.
15. On rare occasions small awards may be made as a matter of urgency outside this timetable. This might be for example where individuals of a rare species are under imminent threat, or critical conservation equipment requires repair. Individuals or organisations who believe they might have such a case may contact the chief scientist for further advice.
Obligations of Grant Holders
16. Grants are awarded subject to the applicant or their organisation agreeing a simple contract valid under the laws of Switzerland (the country in which the Foundation is registered).
17. Grant holders are required to submit a brief “Project Initiation Report” by August 1st of the year in which the grant begins (i.e. 4 months after the start of the project), a further short “Progress Report” by February 1st of the following year (i.e. 10 months after the start of the project), and a full “Final Report” on the year’s project activity by the following August 1st (i.e. 16 months after the start of the project, or after a year of funded activity).
18. In addition a “Summary Financial Report” accounting for the use of the funds provided in any one financial year (April one year to March of the next) is required by August 1st following the end of any this financial year.
19. It is the policy of the Foundation to provide, where practicable, a degree of continuing support to projects which it is supporting; accordingly it is a condition of grants awarded by the Foundation that grant holders welcome Foundation staff visiting their projects (at the Foundation’s expense).
20. It is also the Foundation’s policy to promote whenever possible public awareness of marine conservation issues. Accordingly, it is also a condition that grant holders incorporate elements of public awareness into their work, and collaborate with the Foundation in publicising their project.
Applicants requiring additional guidance or advice may contact the Foundation’s chief scientist, Dr. Rupert Ormond, via the contact form.
You can download a PDF version of these guidelines by clicking here.
You can download a PDF version of the instructions for completing the stage 1 application form by clicking here.
You can access the online stage 1 application form by clicking here.
You can download a PDF version of the instructions for completing the stage 2 application form by clicking here.
You can access the on-line stage 2 application form by clicking here.
Save Our Seas Foundation
August 2010