Sarah Baker Memorial Fund: 2017 call for applications

Background: A gift was made to the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y) in memory of Sarah Jocelyn Baker by the members of her extended family. Sarah was born in Calgary in 1951 and she died in Ottawa in 2006. Sarah was positive, full of humour, loyal, and inspired. She had a genius for getting the right answer to the bottom line. Sarah loved people, animals and birds, and growing things. Hers was the sort of vision that Y2Y embraces.

Summary: Y2Y is pleased to announce funding for early-career researchers in Canadian and American post-secondary institutions to work on conservation-related projects that help advance Y2Y’s mission and vision. Up to $5,000 is available for the 2017/2018 funding cycle, awarded in mid-November 2017. Y2Y may, at its discretion, split the award among two or more recipients.

Criteria:

·  Current graduate student or postdoctoral fellow at a post-secondary institution in Canada or the US, studying resource conservation management, environmental sciences, wildlife biology, or similar.

·  The project will advance Y2Y’s conservation vision and will create tangible conservation outcomes in the Yellowstone to Yukon region. There must be a practical or applied component to the project (i.e., indicate the partnerships or processes through which research results will be incorporated into policy changes or on-the-ground conservation benefits).

·  The awardee will enter into a written agreement with Y2Y and submit reports on progress toward project goals on a schedule as set by Y2Y. A final report presenting the completed work and a thank you letter to the donor will be submitted by the agreed upon deadline.

Benefits for Student:

·  Financial support for an education-related project and experience.

·  Acquisition of knowledge and experience through an experiential-learning project with Y2Y, including opportunity to network with Y2Y staff and partners.

·  Communications support from Y2Y staff and communications tools (e.g., newsletter, web articles).

To apply:

·  Applications may be submitted to until midnight, October 30, 2017. Please send all application materials as a single PDF called FirstnameLastname_SarahBakerFund2017.pdf.

·  To learn more about Y2Y and the Sarah Baker Memorial Fund, visit www.y2y.net.

Sarah Baker Memorial Fund Application Form 2017

Applicant information (cover page and CV)

Applicant name and mailing address, including institution and department:

Phone number:

Email address:

Master’s, PhD, or postdoc and year in program:

Advisor name, department, and email address:

Project title:

Amount requested ($):

Resume: Please attach a short CV (maximum two pages)

Application questions (maximum two pages)

1.  Summary (max 150 words), including which Y2Y priority area you will work in (see https://y2y.net/work/where-by-region).

2.  Conservation threat: What is the conservation challenge? How your project will address it?

3.  Goals: What are the overall goals and specific objectives of this project?

4.  Collaboration: What other individuals or groups are working on this project or in a related conservation or research program? How will you collaborate with them?

5.  Methods: Summarize your project methodology (field, analytical, and/or laboratory).

6.  Implementation: Specify how your results will be used to implement positive changes to conservation policy or practice. How does this help advance the Y2Y vision?

7.  Personal statement: Describe your background in conservation-related activities (e.g., professional or personal experience in community, communication, leadership, policy, diversity-equity-inclusion).

8.  Budget: Provide a project budget using the template below. Modify expense items as needed.

Expense items / Description / Total cost / Request from Y2Y
Salary/benefits/stipend
Professional fees, honoraria
Rent/utilities/telephone
Equipment/supplies/postage
Travel
Printing/photocopying
Other (specify)
Total expenses / $ / $

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