ACSA FAQ

ACSA is dedicated to advancing citizen science in Australia and contributing to increased participation globally.

• ACSA acts as the medium through which you can all communicate and come together to share knowledge and increase collaboration in citizen science.
• ACSA holds conferences and events to promote and celebrate citizen science in Australia.
• ACSA holds online events to increase citizen science participation remotely and maintain education and connections for those who may be isolated.
• ACSA offers two small grants annually to help seed the growth of citizen science projects or programs.

You can find out more about what ACSA do by visiting our Who is ACSA? page

ACSA is run by a hardworking and dedicated volunteer management committee. Each member of the ACSA committee performs their ACSA role in addition to their own life requirements. Many have full time jobs and families so we are very lucky that they also find the time to bring all their knowledge and skills to their ACSA roles as well.

The Management Committee is supported by state/territory based Regional Chapters, each with their own Chair and Management Committee.

You can find out more about the ACSA Management Committee and our Regional Chapters here.

• ACSA is primarily funded by a Commonwealth Government grant through the Inspiring Australia Program, with the purpose of supporting citizen science in Australia in partnership with the University of Sydney.

• ACSA has formed partnerships with a number of organisations who also support the advancement of citizen science. Organisational membership fees help ACSA to stay financially stable. You can find our more about these organisations here.

• ACSA events such as the biannual citizen science conference are delivered in partnership with other organisations who chose to sponsor the event. Event sponsors offer their support financially or in-kind and contribute to ACSA’s goal of advancing citizen science.

• ACSA also has hundreds of individual members who support ACSA with their membership fees in exchange for their membership benefits.

ACSA uses its funding to advance the field of citizen science in Australia. A National Coordinator is employed part-time to run the day-to-day operations of the Association. ACSA also elivers large, complex and high quality events as well as donating grant funds to worthy citizen science projects.

For an example breakdown of ACSA’s expenses, please review the Annual Financial Statements contained within ACSA’s 2019-20 Annual Report.

All ACSA documentation and policy information can be found here. Just scroll down to the bottom of the page to find ACSA Association Documents.

No, ACSA does not run our own citizen science programs as such, however ACSA does financially support citizen science programs around Australia through grant funding.

ACSA also collates all that is going on in citizen science in Australia so that you can find the right program for you.

• If you want to become a citizen scientist, you can use ACSA’s Project Finder to locate programs and projects near you.
• Contact your ACSA Regional Chapter to learn about programs and projects in your state.
• Many citizen science programs use apps for the collection of data such as FrogID or iNaturalist. Keep up to date with citizen science in your pocket!
• Browse through ACSA’s organisational members to see what projects they are running, perhaps there is one in your area that you would like to get involved with.

ACSA also provides information, support and a communication platform for those seeking to set up their own program, plan their own event or recruit volunteers for their own citizen science project.

Yes! ACSA is a wealth of information at your fingertips to help get you started with your own venture. Explore the ACSA website to find resources and information and increase your citizen science knowledge.

Our rich member-base if full of useful contacts who contribute their time to citizen science, either professionally or through on-ground work and volunteering. Every role is vital in the citizen science field.

You can also reach out to the ACSA Management Committee if you require more specific guidance. Contact the ACSA Management Committee here.

There are several ways that you can get involved with ACSA.

• Members can engage in discussion with the ACSA Management Committee and other ACSA members through the online member portal.
• Perhaps you are interested in becoming a member of the ACSA Management Committee! Get in touch to see what positions are vacant for ACSA members.
• You can also volunteer for ACSA in either a physical or online capacity, and we will work together to find a project or task that suits. Please contact us to get the ball rolling.

Click here to add yourself to the ACSA mailing list. ACSA will keep you updated with citizen science news from around Australia and the world, as well as informing you of any upcoming ACSA grant opportunities, events and more.

By paying for an ACSA Membership you will unlock access to an expanding  range of benefits and opportunities:

• Access to a community of like-minded citizen scientists and practitioners
• The opportunity to exchange knowledge and experiences, and build a professional network (through our secure online member directory)
• Access to “members only” pages on the website, and regular email updates
• Quarterly subscription to the ACSA members-only newsletter
• Discounted registration to conferences and events
• Candidacy for a range of prizes, travel grants and professional development opportunities
• The opportunity for coordinated promotion of your project across ACSA social media channels
• The opportunity to contribute to the ACSA website and newsletter
• The opportunity to comment on relevant draft policy and procedure at local, national, government and corporate levels
• The opportunity to work with other ACSA members on events and initiatives (e.g. biennial conference)
• Eligibility to be nominated for and elected to the Management Committee
• Nomination and voting rights at Annual General Meetings and other elections
• The opportunity to facilitate working groups and regional chapters
• Organisations/Corporates: recognition on ASCA website
• Free ACSA T-shirt!

Click here for more information.

Click here for more information on membership costs.

Category	Fees
Concession* Student, senior (60+), pensioner, veteran	$35
Individual	$70
Organisation Non-profit, government, educational, community-based (up to 5 members)	$300
Corporate Corporate companies, groups (6-15 staff)	$750

Yes. ACSA is registered for GST as of 1 July 2021. Membership fees after this date are GST-inclusive.

ACSA is a not for profit organisation, dedicated to engaging Australian citizens in science and education. Membership fees help ACSA to be sustainable and in return ACSA offers exclusive benefits and services to its members.

Yes, you can pay by bank transfer. Please contact us to organise this and we will get you signed up!

Citizen science is the collection and analysis of scientific data in relation to the natural world, performed predominantly by citizens, usually in collaboration with scientists and field experts. Citizen scientists work with scientists or the scientific framework to achieve scientific goals.

Citizen science involves public participation and collaboration in scientific research with the aim to increase scientific knowledge. It’s a great way to harness community skills and passion to fuel the capacity of science to answer our questions about the world and how it works. Have a look at our 10 Principles of Citizen Science to find out more.

Citizen science has many benefits to citizens, scientists and to society as a whole;

Benefits to citizens

• participation in citizen science activities is often inexpensive and fulfilling
• increased scientific education, learning and awareness leading to a greater understanding of the world around you
• inclusion and participation – building relationships with like-minded people for the benefit of mental health
• opportunity to partake in activities that would usually be reserved for scientists and field experts
• the acquisition of valuable field experience and skills which can help you advance your own interests and careers
• the knowledge that you are contributing to something real.

Benefits to science

• citizen science gives science access to areas that were previously inaccessible such as private properties
• enables scientific study and analysis on much larger scales than were previously possible, in terms of time, geographically and in the amount of data that can be collected
• reduces costs through volunteer participation so greatly enhances the achievable outcomes of scientific study through increased efficiency
• increases data reputability though influx of diverse skillsets, geographical ranges and experiences; the inclusion of the community in data collection can lead to unexpected insights and discoveries
• the inclusion of the community in scientific research increases the reach of scientific study and when people take notice, real change can be achieved.

Benefits to society

• the inclusion of the community in data collection and analysis shows that science is for everyone and helps bridge the gap between academic and grass root persons, uniting the community as a whole
• enhanced scientific education and inclusion at a community level leads to cultural change through increased scientific awareness.

Yes! Like any area of scientific study, citizen science is subject to limitations and biases however, when conducted thoroughly and appropriately and in collaboration with field experts and scientists, citizen science offers large-scale, reputable scientific data that is unachievable by any other means and is therefore invaluable in the field of scientific research.

None! You don’t need any formal qualifications to become a citizen scientists, merely passion, patience and a willingness to learn. Citizen science is research designed by scientists and performed by citizens, those leading your activities will provide all the education and training you need to collect valuable and reputable data.

There are a number of ways in which you can get involved with citizen science.

Become a citizen scientist

• If you want to become a citizen scientist, you can use ACSA’s Project Finder to locate programs and projects near you.
• Contact your ACSA Regional Chapter to learn about programs and projects in your state.
• Many citizen science programs use apps for the collection of data such as FrogID or iNaturalist. Keep up to date with citizen science in your pocket!
• Browse through ACSA’s organisational members to see what projects they are running, perhaps there is one in your area that you would like to get involved with.

Start your own program

• You don’t need to be an expert to start your own citizen science program. You need passion, organisation skills, communication skills and common sense. Read below to get some top tips on setting up your own program

• Are you a scientific researcher? Why not utilise citizen scientists in the collection of your data. Increase education and awareness of your project and increase the scope of your data collection by engaging Australian citizens. See below ‘How do I set up my own citizen science program?’ for more information.

• If you want to become a citizen scientist, you can use ACSA’s Project Finder to locate programs and projects near you.
• Contact your ACSA Regional Chapter to learn about programs and projects in your state.
• Browse through ACSA’s organisational members to see what projects they are running, perhaps there is one in your area that you would like to get involved with.

What are you passionate about? What would you like to learn more about? The field of citizen science is vast and there are numerous programs in a variety of different fields such as climate, wildlife, water quality, marine studies, medicine, etc. that you could get involved with.

It is a good idea to ‘try things out’. Volunteer for a variety of different projects or programs to gain a good idea of what your interests are, you might surprise yourself.

Remember you don’t have to lock yourself into anything straight away. A passionate citizen scientist is worth 10 unenthused participants so take your time, sample a variety of different activities and a number of different research areas and get involved with something you really enjoy and want to be a part of.

Use ACSA’s Project Finder to locate programs and projects near you.

Contact your ACSA Regional Chapter to learn about programs and projects in your state.

Browse through ACSA’s organisational members to see what projects they are running, perhaps there is one in your area that you would like to get involved with.

Each program is different and the specifics will greatly depend on the individual requirements of your project, however, here are some general guidelines to getting started.

Your goals

• What are you trying to achieve? – Are there any existing programs doing the same thing? If someone is already doing it, don’t try and complete against them, instead try and link your two programs and make both of them stronger! You will benefit from their experience and they will benefit for increased numbers. Citizen science is about uniting the community in the name of science. Check for active citizen science programs with ACSA’s Project Finder.
• Do you have a scientists or field expert involved? – Citizen science can’t compete with the expertise of trained scientists, but nor can scientific research compete with the accessibility and scale offered by citizen science. To achieve the best and most reputable results from citizen science, make sure you are consulting with trained professionals. Use methodology designed by scientists, performed by citizens.
• How will your data be used? – The role of science is to produce data that is going to be used to used by scientists, field experts, state and federal leaders etc. to help with research or to influence environmental decision making.
• How will you analyse your success? – Make sure you are prepared to monitor every aspect of your program such as community engagement, education, costs, events, problems encountered, data quality, data analysis and more. Write an end of year report to analyse your success and work towards improvement in the future.

Managing your data

How will your data be recorded and how will citizen scientists submit their data to you? There are a number of different options.

• Face to face – If you are all present at the same event you can use paper records and collect everything in at the end.
• Remotely – If your citizen scientists are collecting data remotely, you will need to think about how you are going to manage this. There are some free options available that may suite your needs such as Airtable or GoogleForms. Or you may want to invest in something more personalised if you have funding available, such as an App.
• Analysis – Have a think about how you are going to analyse your data. Will you need help with this or is it something you will be able to manage alone?

Funding

If you haven’t yet sources funding for your project, there are a umber of avenues you can go down.

• Grants – Annually there are lots of grants available for community engagement and citizen science projects. Keep an eye of for relevant funding and make sure you apply with lots of time to spare in case you need to collect letters of support or other evidence.
• Sponsorship – You may be able to receive help from a corporate sponsor. Is there an organisation who would be particularly invested in your research or its outcomes? Sponsorship is a two way partnership. Have a think about what you can offer to your sponsors and how you can make it worthwhile for them to sponsor your program.

Managing your citizen scientists

Before you reach out to the general public, make sure you have a concrete plan of all the activities that are going to take place.

• How many citizen scientists do you need to get started?
• What kind of activities will they be doing to collect data?
• Are there any safety concerns or risks involved in these activities?
• Will you need to supervise these activities?
• Do you need to organise any group events?
• Do you need insurance?
• How will you train your citizen scientists?
• How will you monitor them and make sure the data they collect is reliable?
• How do you plan to communicate with them?

Paperwork

Managing volunteers, conducting research, planning events and activities, acquiring funding; all of these activities may require certain paperwork.

• Your organisation – If you are planning on receiving funding, your group will need to be registered as a legal entity and be permitted to hold funds. If this is not the case, you will need to request auspicing services from another organisation who can help you apply for funding and look after the funds on your behalf.
• Code of conduct – before you engage volunteers, it is a good idea to have a code of conduct in place that everybody can be made aware of.
• Insurance – if you are engaging volunteers in events and activities you may need insurance. If you have any equipment, it would also be wise to get contents insurance.
• Safe Work Method Statement – when engaging volunteers in on-ground work you will need to have a SWMS document completed to identify hazards and analyse risks associated with the activity.
• Risk Assessment – It is a good idea to have a user-friendly front-facing risk assessment for attendees so they are made aware of potential risks.
• Emergency Plan – Complete an emergency plan for each activity and make sure your volunteers have viewed it. Include relevant phone numbers, emergency procedures and instructions such as where to congregate in the event of a fire.
• COVID-safe Plan – In most states you need a COVID-safe plan when organising any activity with public attendance. COVID restrictions vary and change frequently, however it is good to have this document ready in-case you do need it.
• Blue Card – if children are involved in your activities you may need to register for a blue card.
• Relevant permits – will any of your activities take place in National Parks, private properties or involve the collecting of specimens? Lots of activities will require permits to be in place. Make sure you check what is required before you commence your activities.

Engaging citizen scientists for your program

There are multiple ways to engage people in citizen science.

Online

• Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc) – social media is a great tool for promoting your project. You can create groups, events, posts and you can share them far and wide by tagging others or adding a hashtag (#), adding co-hosts to your events and projects (facebook) and by posting in/tagging relevant forums or even on local community pages.
• Website – There are a number of free website builders available that are relatively easy to use such as WordPress, Wix, Yola and many others. Having a website can greatly increase your professional outlook, however there may be associated costs such as hosting or web support.

On the ground

• Flyers – Engage with your local community through letter drops and flyers dropped off in strategic locations.
• Networking – network with your local citizen science community. Meet people, make connections and find support your your program.
• Schools and Universities – many citizen scientists are already learning and are eager for more, so educational institutions are a great place to find interested individuals.

Media

• Radio – Local radio are often very supportive of citizen science initiatives. Contact them and see if they’ll run a segment about your program.
• Local newspapers – Write an promotional piece about your initiative and send it though to local newspapers. They get great reach and are always looking for material.

ACSA can help too!

• ACSA can promote your activities through our online community! Simply contact us with the following information, and we will happily post about it.
  • Name of program
  • Date and time
  • Any social media tags or accounts e.g. #CitSciOz18 @CitSciOz
  • Website or contact info
  • Short promo blurb
• Engage with ACSA to make the ACSA regional chapters aware of your project and they can help to communicate it within regional networks.
• ACSA will also add your project to ACSA’s Project Finder.

Even when planning small events there are certain things you must consider to ensure the safety of everyone attending.

See below for general guidelines. An event can be anything from a small group of ten collecting samples or 1000+ people attending multiple talks and presentations. Not all of these points will be applicable to your event.

Your attendees

• How many? – How many people will be attending? Can the site hold this number of people? Are you complying with current COVID restrictions? Do you need to organise people into groups and appoint supervisors?
• How long? – How long is the activity? Do people have access to food, water and toilets?
• Physical ability – How physically able are you attendees, can they handle the building/terrain? Maybe you need to create a short questionnaire for attendees to determine their physical ability prior to their attendance.
• Children – Will children be present? If so make sure there are procedures in place to ensure their safety and continued supervision throughout the event.

The location

• Visit the site beforehand – This is important so that you can assess potential hazards and complete the required risk assessment documents.
• Assess potential hazards – Potential hazards are endless. Make sure you think through them thoroughly and write them all down in your risk assessment documentation. Some examples are; sun exposure, bending down, uneven ground, stairs, dangerous animals/plants in the vicinity, fire, flooding, traffic etc.
• Accessibility – How accessible is the site? Can people take public transport? Where are people going to park? Is it 4WD only? Do you need to arrange group transport? Is this a big event with hundreds of attendees where traffic control will be required?
• Set up/down – Will you need help setting up the event and tidying down afterwards? Will you have equipment that needs transporting?

The activity

• Event plan and run sheet – If you are organising a big event or an event with multiple activities, it is a good idea to create an event plan and a run sheet listing each and every activity that will occur on the day, no-matter how mundane. This will help you familiarise yourself with the plan and ensure everything runs smoothly.
• What kind of activities will be occurring? – Identify any safety concerns or risks associated with these activities and incorporate them into your safety documentation.
• Activity supervision – How will you supervise these activities? – Do you need more than one supervisor? Do you need a team of volunteers, all with defined roles, in addition to your citizen scientists?
• Training – If your event in a research session, have your citizen scientists been trained beforehand or will your citizen scientists be trained on site? If you are training on-site, think about the logistics of this. Do you need a mic, a projector etc.?
• Data reliability – How will you monitor your citizen scientists and make sure the data they collect is reliable? How will you collect the data at the end of the session?

Possible required documentation

• Safe Work Method Statement – when engaging volunteers in on-ground work you will need to have a SWMS document completed to identify hazards and analyse risks associated with the activity.
• Risk Assessment – It is a good idea to have a user-friendly front-facing risk assessment for attendees so they are made aware of potential risks.
• Emergency Plan – Complete an emergency plan for each activity and make sure your volunteers have viewed it. Include relevant phone numbers, emergency procedures and instructions such as where to congregate in the event of a fire.
• COVID-safe Plan – In most states you need a COVID-safe plan when organising any activity with public attendance. COVID restrictions vary and change frequently, however it is good to have this document ready in-case you do need it.

Advertising your event

There are multiple ways to advertise your event.

Online

• Social media and your own website (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc) – social media is a great tool for promotion. You can create groups, events, posts and you can share them far and wide by tagging others or adding a hashtag (#), adding co-hosts to your events and projects (facebook) and by posting in/tagging relevant forums or even on local community pages. If you have a website, make sure all your events are listed.

On the ground

• Flyers – Engage with your local community through letter drops and flyers dropped off in strategic locations.
• Networking – network with your local citizen science community. Meet people, make connections and find support your your program.
• Schools and Universities – many citizen scientists are already learning and are eager for more, so educational institutions are a great place to find interested individuals.

Media

• Radio – Local radio are often very supportive of citizen science initiatives. Contact them and see if they’ll run a segment on your event.
• Local newspapers – Write an promotional piece about your initiative and send it though to local newspapers. They get great reach and are always looking for material.

ACSA can help too!

• ACSA can promote your event through our online community! Simply contact us with the following information, and we will happily post about it in the lead up to your event.
  • Name of event/program
  • Date and time
  • Any social media tags or accounts e.g. #CitSciOz18 @CitSciOz
  • Website or contact info
  • Short promo blurb
• Engage with ACSA to make the ACSA regional chapters aware of your event and they can help to communicate it within regional networks.

Funding

If you haven’t yet sources funding for your project, there are a umber of avenues you can go down.

• Grants – Annually there are lots of grants available for community engagement and citizen science projects. Keep an eye of for relevant funding and make sure you apply with lots of time to spare in case you need to collect letters of support or other evidence.
• Sponsorship – You may be able to receive help from a corporate sponsor. Is there an organisation who would be particularly invested in your research or its outcomes? Sponsorship is a two way partnership. Have a think about what you can offer to your sponsors and how you can make it worthwhile for them to sponsor your program.

There are many places where grant opportunities are listed and it is a good idea to regularly check to see if there are any grants available that your program may qualify for.

Governmental grants, specifically for citizen science, are made available each year at federal, state and local council level. Simply typing ‘citizen science grant’ into google should bring up lots of hits that are worth reading through.

You don’t have to limit your self to citizen science funding alone, there will be other types of funding that you may be applicable for. Research grants, community engagement grants, bushfire relief, habitat restoration, endangered species, are some examples of the types of funding that may be available for citizen science programs and may suite your program. Keep an open mind and look regularly.

Some websites make grant research a whole lot easier by compiling lists of available grants. You may have to pay a subscription to view these regularly or you can take advantage of free trials.

• Community Grants Hub
• Grant Connect
• The Grants Hub
• Grant Guru
• Funding Centre
• grants.gov

Each grant application is different and will require different levels of input. Here are some general guidelines;

• read all the documentation available from the grant supplier
• if they offer a template, use it
• copy all the questions into a word doc and write all your answers out first, then copy and past it into the online grant application later
• treat the questions like a school/university essay – pic apart the question and make sure you answer every part of it
• attempt to construct concise answers and don’t ramble on
• break your answers up using subheadings and bullet points for easier reading
• prepare your program budget beforehand
• letters of support go a long way
• you will usually be asked for your Certificate of Incorporation and insurance documents so have them ready
• you will be asked for your ABN and business address. If you don’t have an ABN you will need to seek auspicing services from another organisation
• don’t leave it until the last minute!

For more information and tips, check out grants.gov

There are a number of different types of insurance and your requirements will vary depending on the specifics of your project or program.

Some states set aside funding to offer FREE insurance to not-for-profit organisations and charities.

Check out the QWaLC website for more information on insurance for your venture.

There are multiple ways to advertise your activities.

Online

• Social media and your own website (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc) – social media is a great tool for promotion. You can create groups, events, posts and you can share them far and wide by tagging others or adding a hashtag (#), adding co-hosts to your events and projects (facebook) and by posting in/tagging relevant forums or even on local community pages. If you have a website, make sure all your events are listed.

On the ground

• Flyers – Engage with your local community through letter drops and flyers dropped off in strategic locations.
• Networking – network with your local citizen science community. Meet people, make connections and find support your your program.
• Schools and Universities – many citizen scientists are already learning and are eager for more, so educational institutions are a great place to find interested individuals.

Media

• Radio – Local radio are often very supportive of citizen science initiatives. Contact them and see if they’ll run a segment on your event.
• Local newspapers – Write an promotional piece about your initiative and send it though to local newspapers. They get great reach and are always looking for material.

ACSA can help too!

• ACSA can promote your activities through our online community! Simply contact us with the following information, and we will happily post about it in the lead up to your event.
  • Name of event/program
  • Date and time
  • Any social media tags or accounts e.g. #CitSciOz18 @CitSciOz
  • Website or contact info
  • Short promo blurb

• Engage with ACSA to make the ACSA regional chapters aware of your event and they can help to communicate it within regional networks.

• ACSA can promote your activities through our online community! Simply contact us with the following information, and we will happily post about it in the lead up to your event.
  • Name of event/program
  • Date and time
  • Any social media tags or accounts e.g. #CitSciOz18 @CitSciOz
  • Website or contact info
  • Short promo blurb

• Engage with ACSA to make the ACSA regional chapters aware of your activities and they can help to communicate them within regional networks.

• Firstly, think clearly about what you are looking for in terms of volunteers and create a criteria.
• Volunteering should be beneficial to you and your program as well as to the volunteer; think about how volunteering for you will benefit the volunteer.
• Use the advertising suggestions detailed above to search for suitable volunteers
• ACSA can help! Engage with ACSA to make the ACSA regional chapters aware of your activities and they can help to communicate them within regional networks.

• All ACSA events will be shared on the website in the Latest News section.
• All ACSA events will be circulate in to the ACSA audience through our newsletter. You can sign up for the ACSA Newsletter via our website, scroll to the bottom of the homepage.

Under normal circumstances, ACSA holds their Citizen Science Conference every two years. Since COVID-19 has impacted this schedule, ACSA will hold it’s next conference as soon as we are able to.

In response to COVID restrictions, ACSA has begun to deliver online conference events. Sign up to the ACSA Newsletter to be notified of upcoming events.

You can also find all past online conference recordings and conference resources on our website via the ‘Conferences’ tab.

If you have a venue that may be suitable to hold our next conference, please contact us to let us know!

ACSA strives to hold online conference events every 3/4 months to keep you all engaged in citizen science from the comfort of your own homes!

Yes! Please check out the ‘Conferences’ tab on our website where you will find all the resources from past conferences.

Please contact us with your media enquiry and we will forward it to the relevant person.

Yes! T-shirts are available for purchase on our website under About us/Merchandise.