How to apply for a BTO Research Grant

The BTO provides grants, rarely of more than £250, to support ornithological research projects by its members; non-members may only receive such grants if they hold a BTO ringing permit.

Professional work is given lower priority than that by amateurs, unless it is carried out as a spare-time activity or involves substantial participation by amateurs. If you are a professional, you should state that under point 11 (below) and add an annex to your application to answer the following three questions:

A. Is this work quite independent of and unlinked to your professional paid employment.
B. If not, what is the nature of the overlap or connection with your paid employment?
C. Also if not, why is your employer not covering the costs of your work?

Student projects are not generally funded under the BTO Research Grant scheme but the committee has discretion in this matter, to allow the Trust to support sound projects that are inadequately supported from educational sources. If the project is to be used in part fulfilment of the requirements for a degree or similar professional qualification, you should state that under point 12 (below) and add an annex to your application which explains why your university, college of funding body is not covering the costs.

Support is limited to topics in field ornithology, with preference for those most relevant to BTO’s core research activities. Preference is given to work in Britain, Ireland and (to a lesser degree) other parts of Europe; work elsewhere is more likely to be supported if it involves species that migrate to Britain and Ireland or if it is otherwise relevant to British and Irish ornithology.

Projects that are planned to last for more than one year can only be funded on an annual basis. Funding for years subsequent to the first may be sought by re-submitting the original application with a brief project report. Success or failure of the application in the first year will not influence success or failure in later years, since what is awarded in a particular round of applications depends largely on the level of competition in that round.

Funding is not provided for food, accommodation or educational fees.

Applications are considered twice yearly, with closing dates of 30 June and 31 December, by a committee comprising the Chairman of the Ringing Committee, a scientist from BTO Council, and the Director.

Applications should be submitted to the Director of the Trust. They should be easily legible (typed, if possible). They should occupy no more than two sides of A4 paper; further supporting documents may be submitted but will not necessarily be circulated to the committee.

Each application should be headed “Application for BTO Research Grant”. The application should be laid out using the following side-headings:

1. Name, address and daytime telephone number of applicant.

2. Names of other participants in the project, if any.

3. Brief description of the project (30 words maximum).

4. Objectives of the project.

5. Full description of the proposed work, including timetable.

6. Relevance of the project. (How does it fit in with established knowledge? What further developments may it lead to? Does it fit in with any BTO surveys?).

7. Ornithologists consulted during the planning of the project.

8. Full costings of the project. (Note that the applicable mileage rate is 10p/mile)

9. Amount sought from BTO.

10. Amount sought from other sources (name them).

11. Whether or not the applicant is a professional ornithologist.

12. Whether or not the work will be used in part-fulfilment of the requirements for a degree or similar professional qualification.

The application should finish with the following statement: ‘I am a BTO member (or holder of a BTO ringing permit). In accepting a grant, I shall abide by the conditions laid down by the Trust’, which must be signed.

If you wish to discuss your plans, or how to word your application, with a member of the BTO staff, please contact the appropriate staff member well in advance of the closing date.

June 2004

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