The DAPTF allocates a substantial proportion of its budget to an annual programme of Seed Grants. These are small awards (typically $500 to $2000) given to support projects that further the DAPTF's mission, with the intention that they will not only yield results that further our scientific understanding of the amphibian decline phenomenon, but will also lead to recipients setting up new lines of research that will attract further, more substantial funding from conventional sources.
Seed Grant proposals are solicited in October each year. They are assessed by a small panel of 4 or 5 DAPTF Board members and awards are made in January of the following year.
In the last few years, our budget for Seed Grants has been augmented by large donations from other organisations: an anonymous donor (AD), Conservation International (CI), the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) and the Amphibian and Reptile Monitoring Initiative (ARMI). These donors have specified the areas in which their funding can be used: climate change (AD), specific biodiversity hotspots (CI and CEPF), activities within the USA (ARMI). Proposals submitted to these funding sources are also assessed by a nominated member of the relevant organisation.
Summary statistics of our Seed Grant programme are presented below:
| Year | No. Submitted | No. Awarded | Value ($$) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 2 | 1 | 1000 |
| 1993 | 31 | 5 | 4975 |
| 1994 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | 38 | 9 | 15517 |
| 1996 | 3 | 2 | 3000 |
| 1997 | 49 | 11 | 22921 |
| 1998 | 53 | 15 | 27550 |
| 1999 | 45 | 14 | 23828 |
| 2000/1 | 47 | 21 | 40283 |
| 2002 | 57 | 37 | 58217 |
| 2003 | 63 | 19 | 32537 |
| 2004 | 65 | 23 | 43123 |
| Totals: | 454 | 157 | $272,951 |
Our allocation to Seed Grants over this period represents approximately 40% of our total income.
While the greatest number of proposals has been received from the USA (56), we have steadily increased our global outreach year by year. Proposals have been received from 76 different countries, and we have funded projects in 45 countries. While most projects have been for research, we have awarded Seed Grants to some of our Regional Working Groups to fund workshops and meetings.
To see where we have awarded Seed Grants, use the map to select a region (or the text links below):
Seed grant regions: Africa | Australasia | Central America & Caribbean | Eastern Palearctic | Madagasca & Seychelles | North America | South America | South Asia | Western Palearctic