Society for Wildlife Forensic Science: Travel Grant Fund Guidelines
Background:
The purpose of the SWFS Travel Grant Fund is to provide financial support to SWFS members seeking to visit collaborators in order to exchange knowledge and skills relating to wildlife forensic science. The funding is to enable travel that is not supported by other research grants or institutional funding. We are particularly keen to support travel costs of early career scientists, or scientists looking to establish new wildlife forensic facilities.
For more details on eligible costs, please see the General Conditions, below.
Timeline and funding availability:
The funding scheme is run on a rolling basis, applications are accepted at any time. Subject to available funding, the Society would seek to support multiple applicants up to a total of $5,000 per year. This figure is subject to annual review, with any changes notified to Society members.
Decision making:
- Applications will be evaluated by a three-person Travel Grants Committee made up of volunteer board
- Where the Committee requires external input to inform their assessment, the lead board member will seek input from the rest of the board in the first instance, or externally if
- The Committee will report to the board between and four and eight weeks after the application deadline, with a list of projects ranked in order of potential for support. The board will approve grants to be offered via a vote during the next board
- Brief feedback will be provided to all unsuccessful
Reporting and feedback:
The travel grant is paid in advance of travel. Following completion of travel, within one month, the grantees are required to provide a two-page report summarizing the visit, the travel costs incurred and its key scientific outputs. This report should be endorsed in writing by the visit host.
General conditions:
- Each travel grant will be valid for a maximum of one year from date of the award offer. Travel must be completed within this time.
- Funding is to cover the travel costs of the individual applicant only and is not transferable.
- Significant changes to travel plans, such as a change to the host institution, will not be funded.
- Funding is normally provided directly to the applicant. In cases where the money must be transferred through the applicant’s institution, overhead fees will not be paid by SWFS.
- First class and business class travel will not be funded
- Eligible costs include all forms of public transport, airport transfers, accommodation and meals (including one drink). The use of taxis is acceptable where there is no reasonable alternative.
- Ineligible costs include bar bills, mini-bars, multiple drinks with meals, entertainment, and excursions
- Funding is not to be used solely to attend conferences
- The value of travel grants is fixed at the time the award is made; it cannot be increased to cover unanticipated expenses.
- Institutional visits should not be made simply for the purpose of face-to-face meetings, where virtual meetings and web-based communications are reasonable alternatives. Applicants will need to demonstrate the added value of physically travelling to another institution.
- Acknowledgment of support from the Society for Wildlife Forensic Science is expected in collaborative outputs facilitated by the travel
For further enquiries regarding funding and eligibility, please contact: Rob Ogden: rob.ogden@tracenetwork.org