ACSA is excited to announce a new initiative.  As a way of giving back and investing in our members we’ve started the ACSA Seed Grants.

The Seed Grants are $500 each and will be awarded to three ACSA members to seed their professional growth or their project’s growth in line with ACSA’s strategic goals of Participation and Practice. These goals are:

Participation – Encourage & promote broad and meaningful participation of society in citizen science so people become partners in creating science & increasing science literacy.

For example (but not limited to):

• Activities that encourages participation in a citizen science project, could be a workshop, an event or a school outreach program or an app.
• Development of a citizen science project that aims to meet these goals
• Resources or training for citizen scientists participating in a project you run

Practice – Support the development of tools, methods, infrastructure, and resources to strengthen the practice, use and study of citizen science.

For example (but not limited to):

• Attendance at a relevant course or event, such as a conference.  Can include registration, accommodation, flights
• Development of tools or infrastructure that aims to meet this goal.

Who can enter

This grant is open to all current ACSA members.

How to apply

You nominate yourself by preparing a single document (Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf)) that contains the following:

• Proposal summary – a brief description of what the Seed Grant would be spent on (200 words maximum).
• Judging criteria – a brief description of how the proposal addresses the judging criteria (2 pages maximum)
• CV of applicant (maximum 2 pages)

Judging criteria

1.  Participation and Practice.

In what way does the proposal address ACSA’s strategic goals of Participation and Practice.

2. Effectiveness

How effective is the proposed activity in addressing these goals.

3. Benefits and outcomes

How beneficial will the proposed activity and its outcomes be to the applicant’s professional growth or the project’s growth.

Key dates

Entries must be received by Sunday September 30, 2018 5pm AEDT.

The recipients of the Seed Grants will be announced at the ACSA Annual General meeting in November, and on the ACSA website by November 30, 2018.  Recipients will also be contacted by email or phone.

Terms and conditions

• The grant is open to current ACSA members only.
• The activity outlined application must be able to be completed within the year following the awarding of the Seed Grant.
• The Seed Grants are 3 grants of $500 each.
• Recipients will be asked to provide photos and a blog outlining how they intend to use the Seed Grants, for publication on the ACSA website. Additional information may be required for a year following the awarding of the Seed Grant.
• Information provided by the recipients may be used by ACSA for promotional/publicity purposes. This may include, and is not restricted to, the information being used on websites, social media, printed material, press releases etc.
• Personal information provided to ACSA can be used by ACSA, however such use will only be in connection with the Seed Grants.
• The deliberations of the judging panel remain confidential. All recommendations and decisions taken are binding and final and no correspondence will be entered into on such matters.
• The judges reserve the right not to award the grants if, in their view, the quality of entries is insufficiently meritorious.
• No entries will be received or considered after the close of entries.
• Failure to meet all conditions of entry will automatically disqualify an entry.