GRANTS
Funding seabird research
Introduction
The Seabird Group has the facility to award small grants each year to help with costs associated with research projects, or with survey projects for the UK national seabird census. Grants can cover travel, subsistence, and equipment, but staff costs are excluded. Priority is given to Seabird Group members working on Atlantic seabirds. We also award training grants to help support people to undertake voluntary seabird activities
HPAI Seabird Monitoring Grant
After the recent outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), understanding how seabird populations have been affected is essential. The RSPB is leading a coordinated programme of targeted seabird counts across the UK to understand how HPAI is affecting the numbers of birds returning to breed this year. This will supplement routine counts that will be undertaken as part of the Seabird Monitoring Programme. The targeted surveys will be directed towards key species and sites most affected by high mortality last season, but will also include some coverage of those less affected as a comparison.
In order to support this critical work, the Seabird Group is launching a one-off emergency funding scheme to provide grants to support volunteers who are able to contribute to this effort. Individuals or groups can apply for funding to survey specific seabird colonies in summer 2023.
Surveys should aim to collect full colony counts and should be conducted at the appropriate time periods and using appropriate methods for the species. We would advise that any potential applicants contact Connie Tremlett at RSPB (email provided in the grant guidelines available below) to identify potential sites and species which have been deemed as the highest priority by the SMP HPAI Task and Finish Group. All participants will also be expected to sign up to the SMP database online system and be allocated a site formally. In addition, we will give priority to applicants with previous experience of population counts of the species, and of the site, they propose to work on.
The guidelines and application form can be found at the bottom of this page. The application deadline is 19 March. Applicants will be informed of the outcome by end of March.
Research Grant
The Seabird Group funds 5-6 research grants each year. The maximum amount awarded per grant is £500. In the past research grants have been given towards ringing studies, productivity assessments, seawatching projects, and tracking studies, often in the UK but also abroad, e.g. in Portugal or Cabo Verde.
More information can be found on the Research Grants guidelines (link below). Applications should be submitted, preferably in electronic form, to the Secretary using the official application form available below. Applications should reach the secretary prior to the following dates: 31st October and 28/29th February. Following these dates, all applications will be circulated round the Committee and decisions taken. We aim to inform applicants of the outcome of their application within six weeks of these dates.
Research Report
Successful applicants for both research and census grants will be required to produce a short report on their work for the Seabird Group Newsletter. Any publication relating to the project results should state that a contribution to costs was awarded from the Seabird Group. The grant must be used for the purposes stated on the application form. The grant must be returned to the Seabird Group if not used by the applicant for the specific project. Details of expenditure and receipts for major items should be available for inspection if needed.
If you have any queries or need further information please contact the secretary using the link below.
Training Grant
Training grants provide up to £250 for individuals to use towards travel, accommodation and subsistence in order to undertake unpaid seabird-focussed fieldwork or volunteering. Training grants are aimed at people with limited or no previous experience with seabirds. Therefore, no previous seabird experience is required. Seabird fieldwork is often unpaid and can be expensive, but field skills are highly sought after and can be key for future career opportunities. We hope that this grant will enable people to undertake such activities who may not otherwise be able to afford it.
Grants are for a maximum of £250 to spend on costs incurred during volunteering, such as travel, accommodation and subsistence. You must be 18 or over to apply for this grant as unfortunately we are unable to offer any safeguarding measures. Your experience must take place in the same year that you submit the application. You must have contacted an individual or organisation and confirmed that they are willing to supervise you before submitting this application. Examples of activities that you might partake in include (but are not limited to): a stay at a bird observatory with ongoing interests in seabirds, attending a seabird ringing trip (you will likely need some general bird ringing experience for this option), helping with a research project, or volunteering at a seabird-focussed nature reserve. Please see our online list of suggestions.
Deadline: 28th February. Applications will be reviewed by The Seabird Group’s Executive Committee members within 6 weeks following the deadline. To apply for a training grant, please fill out our online application form. Paper forms are available on request. For a paper form or any other enquiries about trying grants, please email using the link below.
Research Reports
- Understanding the speciation in yellow-nosed albatross using the at-sea distribution of the two species (2019)
- Testing raven-proof artificial nests in Laje Branca islet, Maio Island 2019
- What Yelkouan shearwaters get up to when in the non-breeding period (2019)
- Refurbishment of European Storm-petrel nest boxes on Mousa, Shetland (2018)
- Lewis and Harris Tern Census (2018)
