New partnership!
On the Edge is contributing financial support totalling US$100,000 to be distributed across projects related to SSC Groups and evolutionarily distinct species and lineages. Thanks to this partnership we will be able to support more Specialist Groups in red listing and action planning activities.
This year there are two categories of grants:
Category 1: SSC EDGE internal grant has a total of $60,000 allocated.
Category 2: SSC EDGE Madagascar internal grant has a total of $40,000 allocated.
Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) species are species which have a high EDGE score, a metric combining the conservation status with the evolutionary distinctiveness of a taxon. Evolutionarily distinct species have few closely related species and therefore represent disproportionate amounts of unique evolutionary history.
The SSC Chair’s Office has developed a partnership with On the Edge (OTE) for a new set of small grants available to SSC groups. The aim of the SSC EDGE internal grants are to contribute to halting the loss of evolutionarily distinct lineages (WCC-2012-Res-019-EN), through improving assessment and planning for overlooked and evolutionarily distinct species. Specifically, small grants are available to SSC groups to do one or more of the following:
- assess highly Evolutionarily Distinct species that do not yet have a Red Listing;
- re-assess EDGE species with out-of-date Red Listings;
- develop conservation action plans for EDGE species where these do not exist or are in genuine need of updating.
In addition, these grants will promote the involvement of range-country conservationists and scientists in this process.
Details
SSC Groups can apply for up to $10,000 under the SSC EDGE Internal Grant. An exception is given to SSC Groups that represent more than 1000 species. These groups may submit up to three proposals (each to be up to $10,000). These grants are available for projects to be undertaken between November 2023 - August 2024.
These grants will support priorities of IUCN SSC Species Conservation Cycle established in the Species Strategic Plan 2021-2025 that will fund one or more of the following proposal activity requests relating to EDGE species in Assess and Plan:
- Assess: Red List assessments and research activities.
- Proposal Activity 1: assess high ED species that do not yet have a Red Listing.
- Proposal Activity 2: re-assess EDGE species with out of date Red Listings.
- Plan: Development of conservation action plans and also policy initiatives which influence positive conservation outcomes for species.
- Proposal Activity 3: develop conservation action plans for EDGE species where these do not exist or are in genuine need of updating.
Who can apply
This funding opportunity will be open to the entire SSC Network: Specialist Groups, Stand-alone Red List Authorities, Task Forces, Conservation Committees and National Species Specialist Groups. The proposal must be submitted by the chair or a member of the group properly registered in the IUCN Union Portal.
Requirements
- The proposal must be approved by the SSC Group leaders. Please include the chair’s endorsement within the Application form. You can find an example here: Letter of Endorsement.
- The budget must clearly show how the funds will be used to cover all of the activities performed by the project indicated in the proposal, which will be carried out in 2023 -2024 and which contributes to a target set for the SSC Group for the current quadrennium (2021-2025). Priority will be given to targets set for implementation during 2023-2024.
- The budget may only be used to cover the activities described in the proposal and in the timeline. In the event that the project receives other funds, it is important that the budget table indicates the additional funds already secured to enable project implementation.
- The implementation of the timeline of activities can be a maximum of 10 months. Any extension of the project date must be notified in advance (prior first progress report) to Mayerlin Ramos via email (mayerlin.ramos@ssc.iucn.org) informing the reasons for the extension request.
- The work must be carried out within the SSC Group and may or may not involve partner organizations, universities or a research group.
SSC DATA Information System: requirements
- The SSC group must be properly registered in the SSC DATA Information System.
- The project’s targets must MATCH those registered in SSC DATA Information System for the current five-year period (2021-2025).
- SS Group results for 2021 and 2022 must be uploaded into SSC DATA Information System (SSC Group Chair, click on this link SSC DATA IS Resources for further instructions on how to upload information into the system). In case you need support contact Levi Mendoza (levi.mendoza@ssc.iucn.org)
How to apply
All applications must be submitted through the following Application form. Please note that each SSC group (excepting those that represent >1000 species) can submit ONE application only to each category of grants.
Preparation of the proposal
Step 1: SS Chairs and members may identify activities/projects for 2023-2024 aligned with their registered targets.
Step 2: Check with the chair groups if they have uploaded the targets for 2021-2025 and 2021/ 2022 results within the SSC DATA Information System. Applications from SSC Groups that have not uploaded their results to SSC DATA will not be accepted.
Step 3: Verify that the proposed project/activity clearly contributes to an uploaded target. The target in the proposal must MATCH the target in the SSC DATA Information System.
Step 4: Review and prepare the SSC EDGE Internal Grants Proposal Template.
The current round will be open from August 31st to September 30th 2023 —11:59 PM (GMT-4) Caracas, Venezuela—, and approvals will be announced by the end of October 2023.
Step 5: Submit your proposal by completing the SSC EDGE Internal Grants Proposal Template. All sections are mandatory and cannot be deleted. Applications must be submitted through the following Application form.
Step 6: Once the application is submitted through the Application form, please send the proposal by email to Mayerlin Ramos (mayerlin.ramos@ssc.iucn.org).
Evaluation process after September 30th 2023
Step 7: The SSC Chair’s Office will select the successful Specialist Groups in conjunction with On the Edge. Consideration will be given to the assess and plan priorities of the Species Strategic Plan 2021-2025, the funds available to allocate yearly, as well as the groups/activities determined to have the more urgent support needs and the emphasis on range state participants.
Step 8: Selected proposals will be announced by the end of October 2023 by email and through the SSC EDGE Internal Grant website here
Reporting process
Step 9: Selected groups will be required to prepare and submit a progress report for the first 6 months and a final narrative and financial report as a funding requirement. The SSC Group Chairs and the focal points of the projects will receive detailed information on the requirements and templates to be used for the reports once they are selected.
Step 10: The SSC Chair's office will use the information provided in the reports to highlight project results in the SSC and On the EDGE official communication channels. The project focal point is expected to assist in the development of this material and provide the necessary audio-visual material.
Eligibility
Please refer to this Q&A flowchart for clarification on the eligibility of the species listed below.
Category 1: EDGE Internal Grant
Species Eligibility
The following species are eligible for funding:
- Review the following lists for Category 1: EDGE Internal Grant, Species for Assess or Reassessments and Species for action plan, which are species that are considered highly Evolutionarily Distinct (in the uppermost quartile of ED scores). One list (‘action plan’) covers EDGE species eligible for action planning activities (species that are highly evolutionarily distinct and classified as VU, EN, CR). The other list (‘DD-outdated’) covers highly Evolutionarily Distinct species which either have no Red List Assessments (classified as DD or NE), or classified as VU, EN, CR with outdated (>10 years) assessments.
- Species that are not on the attached lists because they do not have an assessment of their Evolutionary Distinctiveness, but where evidence is provided that they could reasonably be distinctive because they are monotypic (the only one in their genus or family), or species where the entire genus (or family) is threatened and/or data deficient and/or not evaluated.
Category 2: EDGE Madagascar Internal Grant
Species Eligibility
The following species are eligible for funding:
- Review the species on this list for Category 2: EDGE Madagascar to apply, which are species that are considered highly Evolutionarily Distinct (in the uppermost quartile of ED scores). One list (‘action plan’) covers EDGE species eligible for action planning activities (species that are highly evolutionarily distinct and classified as VU, EN, CR). The other list (‘DD-outdated’) covers highly Evolutionarily Distinct species which either have no Red List Assessments (classified as DD or NE), or classified as VU, EN, CR with outdated (>10 years) assessments.
- Species that are not on the attached lists because they do not have an assessment of their Evolutionary Distinctiveness, but where evidence is provided that they could reasonably be distinctive because they are monotypic (the only one in their genus or family), or species where the entire genus (or family) is threatened and/or data deficient and/or not evaluated.
Grant amount for Category 1 & 2
Up to $10,000 US
Funds can be used to cover the partial or total cost of the proposed activity.
Storytelling funding opportunity
As part of this grant call, there will be a number of additional funding opportunities for storytelling and asset collection. If you have a story to tell, findings to share with the world, or you want to give a species the attention it deserves, On the Edge (OTE) will be providing a number of additional grants, training and support to assist with storytelling. Ideas can be shared directly with the Director of Natural History at alexbowmer@ontheedge.org
Contact
For further information, please contact Mayerlin Ramos.
