The Crowder-Messersmith Fund is a remarkable initiative that honors the contributions of Orville Crowder and Don and Sherry Messersmith in the field of nature tourism. This fund, in collaboration with Nature Forward, aims to provide seed money to small, local conservation and education projects in developing countries that have not received substantial support from other sources.
To be eligible for a grant from the Crowder-Messersmith Fund, projects must meet certain criteria. Firstly, they should focus on nature conservation and education, with a particular emphasis on benefiting endangered or threatened species and habitats. Additionally, projects must include a public education component and involve the local population. The lasting significance of the project for local residents is also an important consideration.
It is worth noting that the Crowder-Messersmith Fund does not support projects in the United States or other advanced economies. Pure scientific research or data gathering projects without obvious conservation benefits are also excluded. Expeditions that require fundraising to participate, projects focusing on species listed as Least Concern in the IUCN Red Book of Threatened Species, and projects that are only a small part of a larger-scale project with significant financial support are also not eligible for funding.
Furthermore, the Crowder-Messersmith Fund does not provide funding for international travel, overhead expenses, taxes, utilities, insurance, or money transfers to individual accounts. The maximum grant amount for a one-year project is $3000 USD.
Applicants with a proven track record of prior conservation action relevant to the proposed project are given preference. Individuals from countries other than the United States are strongly encouraged to apply. For researchers from the United States planning to work in foreign countries, it is necessary to have at least one local collaborator and consider how the project will benefit the local communities.
The application period for the Crowder-Messersmith Fund opens on September 1, 2023, and the deadline for submission is January 6, 2024. The decisions regarding the grants will be announced in April 2024. Projects that receive funding may commence in May and must be completed within twelve months from the start date.
To apply for a grant from the Crowder-Messersmith Fund, please email your application as an attachment to CMAward@natureforward.org.
For more details visit : Crowder-Messersmith Fund – Nature Forward
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