Brumback Aotus Research Grant

Funding Amount: up to $4,500

Application submissions open: August 1

Deadline: October 1

Letters of Recommendation Due: Two weeks after proposal application deadline

Notice of Award: December 1

Intent of Funding

Aotus Brumbacki was named after ASP member Roger Brumback, who described the species.

Grant proposals are solicited for in-situ conservation research projects that directly address the conservation needs of night monkeys (Aotus spp.). Award amounts are up to $4500. Only projects with a clear contribution to Aotus conservation will be considered. ASP members are especially encouraged to apply and to support collaborators from habitat countries in submitting strong proposals. Recipients of grants must agree to submit a brief report (1–2 pages, single spaced) suitable for publication in the ASP Bulletin to the Chair of the Conservation Committee within six months of project completion. A video report may be submitted in lieu of a written report to highlight project goals and outcomes. Please see examples on the Conservation tab and contact the Conservation Committee Chair for more information.

The goal of the Brumback Aotus Research Grant is to support in-situ conservation of species in the Aotus genus. Both students and professionals are encouraged to apply. Projects must directly support the conservation of night monkeys (Aotus spp.) through in-situ research or conservation action.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, one species of Aotus is endangered, four are vulnerable, four are least-concern, and two do not have sufficient data to identify their conservation status. Night monkey species are threatened by habitat loss caused by agricultural expansion, cattle ranching, logging, conflict, and mining operations. These species are additionally threatened by the bushmeat and pet trade. Due to these conservation concerns, the Brumback Aotus Research Grant is funding Aotus conservation projects. Only projects directly supporting Aotus conservation will be considered for the Brumback Aotus Research Grant.  

Applicant Eligibility and Funding Requirements

Applicants must be a current ASP Member. Undergraduate and graduate student applicants must have a sponsor/mentor. The sponsor/mentor does not need to be a member of ASP but should write one of the two letters of recommendation. Postdoctoral, junior faculty, and other professionals do not need a mentor to apply.

Individuals who receive the Brumback Aotus Research Grant are not eligible to reapply in the following year. They may reapply after a one-year gap (i.e., every other year). However, during the interim year, other researchers from the same field site, laboratory, or program remain eligible to apply.

The applicant must be officially affiliated with an institution that can assure that the funds are used appropriately (e.g., Primate Center, University, Foundation or established Field Program), funds will be distributed to the institution, not the individual. 

Projects must comply with the animal welfare regulations of the country in which the research is conducted, and applicants are responsible for securing all necessary permits prior to initiating their work.

Support for salary will not be allowed. Please note that ASP does not pay indirect/overhead costs or publishing fees.

Important note about membership: If you are not already an ASP member, you must apply for membership to be eligible for this grant. First-time members must provide two current ASP members as sponsors. If you are in need of an ASP member as a sponsor, please contact the ASP Treasurer. First-time membership approvals can take up to 2 weeks, so please apply well in advance of the grant deadline. Leaving the CV and endorsers/sponsor section blank may extend the approval time.ASP membership for individuals from habitat or developing countries is FREE for those unable to pay dues. Please contact the ASP Treasurer for more details on complimentary membership. 

How to Apply

To apply for this grant, you must login to the website. You will find a link to the application on your member profile page. 

The application must contain the following sections:

  1. Investigator name and Institution
  2. Country of research and study species
  3. Project start and end date (the project cannot start before the grant would be awarded)
  4. Total cost of project and requested amount from ASP (Max $4500.00 USD)
  5. Current other financial support of project (awarded and pending)
  6. Acknowledged and provided host country regulations, permits, animal use
  7. Project summary
  8. Full project application (~4 pages) including abstract, introduction, methods, analysis, education component (if applicable), local involvement (if applicable), timetable, significance for primate conservation, ethical considerations, references (in APA 7)
  9. Project budget (full project budget and requested from ASP). Please provide a budget in both local and USD currency at the current exchange rate. 
  10. Applicant CV
  11. Recommendation letter (undergraduate and graduate students only)
  12. Institutional oversight information 

Projects must document full approval by their Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, or equivalent ethical research reviewing body, before funds are disbursed.

Reference requirements

All students are required to submit one (1) letter of recommendation (from an academic advisor). Students will be asked to enter the email address of their letter writer. An email message will then automatically be sent to the letter writer with information on how to submit the letter. Letters of recommendation must be submitted online by the letter of recommendation deadline for your application to be considered.

Evaluation

Complete grant applications will be reviewed by the Conservation Committee for 1) Conservation Value, 2) Research Component Feasibility and Relevance (if in grant), 3) Education Component Benefit (if in grant), 4) Technical Ability of Applicant, 5) Personal Expertise of Applicant and Team, 6) Letter of Recommendation (for students), 6) Local Involvement (if in grant), 7) Appropriate Timeline, 8) Budget Design and Appropriateness, and 8) Overall Proposal Quality.

Reporting

The grant recipient must submit a final report form (which will be provided with receipt of funds) to the Chair of the Primate Care Committee within 18 months of receiving funds. The report should highlight the recipient’s experiences and how the funds from ASP impacted their project.

Contact Information

Contact the chairs of the Conservation Committee for more information and with questions about this grant or the application process at conservation@asp.org


American Society of Primatologists