BURROWING OWL STEWARDSHIP AND EDUCATION FUND

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1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS BURROWING OWL STEWARDSHIP AND EDUCATION FUND Application Deadline: Friday, April 8, 2016 by 11:59pm PURPOSE Contact: Bobby Brock, IVCF President/CEO PO Box 2739, El Centro, CA Office (760) The (IVCF) is requesting proposals for a competitive grant opportunity made possible and offered through its (BOSEF) for research, conservation, stewardship and education projects that will enhance understanding of burrowing owl conservation and inspire actions to sustain a healthy and viable burrowing owl population in the Imperial Valley. The Advisory Committee will evaluate the proposals and will make a recommendation regarding funding of the projects within 60 days of the submittal deadline to the Board of Directors of the for consideration and approval. Funding may be awarded for multiple projects, or the BOSEF Committee and IVCF Board may choose to not award funding to any of the proposals submitted. OBJECTIVES Successful proposals will: a. Enhance understanding of the burrowing owl population in the Imperial Valley. b. Inform siting and best management practices for conservation of burrowing owls at or adjacent to alternative land uses such as renewable energy development. c. Provide information to aid in the development of a regional conservation strategy for burrowing owl d. Implement burrowing owl conservation pilot projects on agricultural lands in the Imperial Valley. e. Increase awareness of the importance of the Imperial Valley burrowing owl population. f. Identify what lands or land characteristics are most valuable for burrowing owl conservation in the Imperial Valley. g. Give understanding to the relationship of the burrowing owl population in the Imperial Valley to burrowing owls elsewhere in their range. Page 1

2 FUNDING PRIORITIES Proposals related to the following three areas and focus of work will receive the strongest consideration for funding: 1. Projects that increase voluntary conservation actions for burrowing owls on private farmlands. 2. Projects that partner with local education institutions or community organizations. 3. Rigorous research projects which illustrate and help understand how changing land uses in the Imperial Valley are having an impact on burrowing owls, and how to avoid or mitigate such impacts. DESIRABLE PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS Proposals should include: a. Tangible and measurable results. b. A short timeline. (Projects should be able to provide measureable results within one year from commencement of the project, even if part of a two-to-three year project.) c. Sufficient, but not excessive, data gathering. d. Involve the local community, especially the agricultural community. e. Have the potential to have a conservation benefit for burrowing owls in the Imperial Valley. FUNDING: EXTERNAL & MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS $100,000 is available for this funding cycle. The maximum of any single grant award will not exceed $50,000. Depending upon the quality of proposals received and how well proposals support the objectives of the current BOSEF grant opportunity, one or more of the proposals may receive funding, or perhaps no awards will be given if grant criteria has not successfully been met. Applicants are limited to submitted one proposal per funding cycle. Multi-year grants will be considered, however grants that are approved for more than one year of funding are contingent upon progress, will be awarded in installments, and are subject to review or termination. Applicants that have secured matching funding or identify ways to work with proposed and existing burrowing owl programs (IID HCP, DRECP, etc.) will be viewed favorably. Applications should include information on other sources of funding which have been secured and/or have been requested to support the proposed project. Matching contributions are preferred, but not required. Applicants are encouraged to review the grant project narratives from the previous grant cycle in order to learn more about the recent work that has been supported by this grant program, and to perhaps think of ways in which the work can be enhanced and/or expanded. The narratives can be found at ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS Applicants will be accepted from non-profit organizations, individuals, academic institutions, public agencies and for-profit entities so long as the proposal is focused on achieving a charitable, scientific and/or educational outcome. Page 2

3 EXCLUSIONS Guided by our core values and bylaws, BOSEF grants from the will not be awarded for: a. Organizations that discriminate on the basis of age, disability, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, race or religion. b. Fraternal organizations, unless in support of a specific program open to or benefiting the entire community relevant to this grant. c. Fundraising events such as annual campaigns, walkathons, tournaments, fashion shows, auctions or dinners, etc. d. Organizations with religious affiliations unless the program is open to the entire community without regard to religious beliefs. e. Organizations located outside of Imperial County unless for a specific program benefiting the grant/target population in Imperial County. f. Paying off debts or existing obligations. g. Endowment funds. h. Scholarships, fellowships, or travel grants. PROPOSAL FORMAT Please use single-spaced, Times New Roman, 12-point font and the following format while constructing your proposal narrative and information. We ask that narratives be limited to no more than 2 pages. 1. Title, descriptive of the contribution to Imperial Valley burrowing owl knowledge and awareness. 2. Name, CV and contact information ( , phone, address and organization) of the proposer(s). 3. Project Information a. Problem Statement. i. What is the context for this work? b. Project Objectives. i. How does the proposed project meet and serve the identified priorities of this grant? ii. For research projects: What are the questions that need to be answered? iii. For education projects: What are the desired outcomes in the community? c. Project Significance. i. Why is this work important to burrowing owls in Imperial Valley? ii. Who is the target audience? d. Background Information. i. Where is the project location within the Imperial Valley? ii. How did the project evolve? iii. What has been done to date, if known? e. Stakeholders. i. Who else benefits from the results of this work? f. Possible Approaches and Available Data. i. Briefly describe likely approaches that may be used to address the project objectives. ii. What data is available to address this problem? Page 3

4 SELECTION PROCESS g. Commitment. i. A commitment by the applicant to provide data and other information required for a successful project with no stipulation for a non-disclosure agreement or restriction to publish findings or reports. h. Outcomes and Deliverables. i. What types of recommendations do you expect to have as an outcome from the project? ii. Are there specific results that you expect to have at the end of the project? i. References and Qualifications. i. Please provide a description and qualifications of the staff and volunteers responsible for the project activities. j. Project Budget. k. Required Appendices. i. IRS 501c3 tax determination letter or equivalent. ii. Current Board of Directors list or equivalent. iii. Most recent fiscal year financial statements (audited, if available). iv. A copy of your organization s strategic plan, if available. v. If relevant, applicants may be asked to submit permits, licenses, and clearances required to comply with federal, state and/or local laws and/or ordinances which must be followed in the fulfillment of the proposed project. All projects will be reviewed by the BOSEF Advisory Committee and grant recommendations will be shared with the Board of Directors of the for final consideration and approval. SELECTION CRITERIA Criteria used when reviewing grants, making grant recommendations and approving grants include the extent to which the project: a. Provides tangible benefits for the Imperial Valley burrowing owl population. b. Incorporates and adds value to the local community. c. Can be undertaken with the allotted funds from BOSEF or with additional funds from outside sources. d. Logistics are practical. e. Is feasible. f. Can be completed in the allotted timeframe. g. Includes local stakeholders. PROJECT TIMELINE Applicants must provide a timeline which outlines a timetable for the completion of the portion of the project for which funding is being requested. If the request is for a multi-year or multi-phase project, please include a timetable for the completion of each phase as a means of measuring progress toward the completion of the full proposal. Page 4

5 FOLLOW-UP AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Successful grantees will be required to provide the Foundation with one or more narrative reports summarizing how the funds were used, the outcomes of your project, and the benefits to the burrowing owl population and community. A financial report outlining grant expenditures is also required and due no later than thirty days after the completion of the grant. Copies of press releases and/or media contacts resulting from the grant award should also be included with any narrative reports submitted to IVCF. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Applications must be received electronically by 11:59pm on Friday, April 8, 2016 in order to be considered for funding. Late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered. Please send completed proposals and requirements electronically (as a single PDF file, if possible) to: Bobby Brock, IVCF President/CEO bobby@ivcommunityfoundation.org For questions, please contact Bobby Brock at (760) or bobby@ivcommunityfoundation.org. Responses to common questions will be developed based on those received by the Foundation, and made available on the Foundation s website: Page 5