Purpose: The purpose of the Luis F. Bacardi Bat Conservation and Research Fund is to enhance research and conservation efforts focused on fruit and nectar bats and their ecosystems through small grants and special partnership initiatives.

Proposal guidelines

Lubee Bat Conservancy was established in 1989 to conserve fruit and nectar bats through conservation, education and research. Lubee's conservation and research goals are:

1. Initiate basic biology, husbandry and conservation research on captive bats as models for the conservation of threatened and endangered species.
2. Support field research and conservation programs to investigate the ecology of, and implement conservation actions for, fruit and nectar bats and their habitats globally.
3. Promote the interaction and collaboration among members of the scientific and zoo communities to enhance fruit and nectar bat conservation efforts.

Research proposals are invited from qualified scientists, graduate students and post-graduate students who plan to work directly with animals housed at Lubee’s Center for Bat Research and Conservation and/or conduct field studies that emphasize applied conservation research. Proposals may request small grants, or seek partnership opportunities with Lubee through special partnership initiatives.

Eligibility

Funding is available to undergraduate and graduate students (MA, MS or PhD level), qualified post-doctoral research scientists and zoological professionals. Endorsements of submitted research proposals by appropriate organizations such as the American Zoo and Aquarium (AZA) Bat Taxon Advisory Group (TAG) or the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Species Survival Commission Chiroptera Specialist Group (SSC- CSG) is encouraged.

Types of Grants

1. Small Grants
2. Special Partnership Initiatives

Small Grants

Small Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded bi-annually to graduate students and established scientists to facilitate research and conservation projects.

Proposals considered to be appropriate for funding include projects considered important to the welfare, maintenance, reproduction and reintroduction of fruit bats, and projects investigating the biology, ecology and practical conservation of fruit and nectar bats, particularly those species that are considered threatened or endangered. Proposals can include requests for equipment purchase, training initiatives, scientific research, publications and symposia in support of Lubee Bat Conservancy’s mission. It is the policy of Lubee not to provide any funding for indirect costs, therefore grant funds cannot be utilized for overhead costs. Requests generally should not include principal investigator salary support or student tuition costs, but may include technician/field support salaries. Funds for travel expenses can be requested, although these will be considered on a limited basis and only as a portion of any award.

Special Partnership Initiatives

Major grants: Lubee Bat Conservancy will periodically consider grant proposals from senior investigators who wish to conduct long term bat conservation research. It is normally expected that this research will include studies on animals housed at the Conservancy or otherwise are of direct interest to the Conservancy’s strategic priorities. Normally these grants may include a field component that will directly contribute to conservation. A limited number of major grants will be awarded to qualified applicants in the range up to $20,000 per year for up to three years.

Cost Sharing Research Facilities Support: Lubee Bat Conservancy is a non-profit organization striving to support the long-term availability of our unique living animal collection to researchers. Lubee Bat Conservancy strongly encourages collaborative research proposals that seek Lubee as a partner, and incorporate standard budget costs for the use of the living animal collection, our staff and research facilities, in funding requests to external funding sources. Occasionally, Lubee may consider providing these resources as a cost sharing /in kind item on external grant applications.

In both Small Grants and Special Partnership Initiatives, preference will be given to projects with collaborative support and matching funding.

Funding Cycle

Pre-proposals will be accepted at any time and notification of whether a full application should be submitted given within 4 weeks. Full applications will be evaluated twice a year. Notification dates for applications received from March to September will be 30th November dates for applications received from October to February, 30th April. Grants are limited to a single award per individual and/or institute each year. Renewal applications for a second year’s funding will be considered for exceptional projects.

Selection Criteria:

Proposals will be evaluated on a competitive basis with emphasis on their application to bat conservation issues. Preference will be given to those that are compatible with the strategic priorities of Lubee Bat Conservancy. Proposals will be reviewed by three members of Lubee’s Scientific Advisory Board. Outside authorities including other university scientists or zoo and conservation agency personnel may also serve as referees. All evaluations will be confidential and will not be released to the applicants.

Grant Awards:

Funds are awarded to the institution or non-governmental organization which the principal investigator attends/works. Funds are not awarded to individuals.

GRANT ADMINISTRATION

Preliminary and Final Report

Recipients are required to submit an annual report and final performance and financial reports. A final report is due within two months following the completion of the funded project. 5% of the grant award will be retained by Lubee Bat Conservancy, and released on receipt of a final report. Grantees are encouraged to prepare papers for presentation and for publication.

Publication & Acknowledgement

It is expected that all research supported by Lubee Bat Conservancy will be appropriately acknowledged (eg. published reports, book chapters and scientific papers). An appropriate acknowledgement would be as follows: “This study was supported wholly or in part by (a grant) from Lubee Bat Conservancy” or in the acknowledgements section of scientific papers “Lubee Bat Conservancy Publication No.# “. Authors should request a publication number obtained from Lubee prior to paper submission, and on publication, submit 4 reprints of all published work for inclusion in the Conservancy’s library. Graduate students are expected to contribute a bound copy of their completed thesis to the Conservancy.

Application Procedure

Researchers who are interested in conducting research at or in collaboration with Lubee Bat Conservancy should submit a brief single page pre-proposal, explaining the type of research they wish to conduct. If the project is considered appropriate for Conservancy support, notification will be sent and a Full application & budget form should be completed and submitted by the applicant accompanied by a copy of the applicants Curriculum Vitae and any letters of endorsement/recommendation.

Pre-proposals will be accepted at any time and notification of whether a full application should be submitted given within 4 weeks. Full applications will be evaluated twice a year. Notification dates for applications received from March to September will be 30th November dates for applications received from October to February, 30th April.

Only applications which are complete and which follow these specific guidelines will be considered.

Click here to download a pre-proposal form

Click here to download a full application & budget form

Submit: (1) Full application and budget (2) Curriculum Vitae of project leader (3) Any endorsements/letters of support by email as an attachment to info@lubee.org marked “Luis F. Bacardi Fund Application”

Or by fax to the Director at Fax: 352-485 2656

Or send 4 copies by mail to:

The Director
Lubee Bat Conservancy.
1309 N.W. 192nd Ave.
Gainesville Florida 32609
U. S. A.

Luis F. Bacardi
Student Award in Bat Conservation

The Luis F. Bacardi Conservation Award is a $500 cash award to a participating student for the most outstanding paper on the conservation biology of fruit or nectar bats at each of the following conferences: The North American Symposium on Bat Research, The International Bat Research Conference.

Award Guidelines

1. The Luis F. Bacardi Student Award is open to all full-time students presently enrolled in a university-based graduate program.
2. The student's research must focus on the conservation biology of fruit or nectar bats.
3. Candidates must be the principal author.
4. Oral presentations and posters will be judged by a selection committee appointed by Lubee Bat Conservancy, or the pre-selected conference judge committee, and will be evaluated on the basis of originality, scientific rigor, and overall presentation.
5. The award will be presented at the closing ceremonies of the conference.

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