Application Guidelines
Application dates
Round 1: 9am, 1 March – 11:59pm, 31 March
Round 2: 9am, 1 July – 11:59pm, 31 July
Grant amount: up to $7,500
Grant duration: 1 year
Applications must be made via your University Grants office, not by students or supervisors.
The Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment invites applications for post-graduate student research support in three general areas are especially encouraged:
1. Field work on Australian native plants and animals to gain understanding of ecological interactions, population dynamics, animal behaviour, and species distribution
2. Conservation biology and biodiversity studies relating to the management of protected areas and rare or threatened species in Australia
3. Wildlife management relating to sport hunting, harvesting, pest control, management of non-game animals, and effect of land management on native species.
Preference will be given to students at an early stage of a Doctoral program. Masters and Honours projects will normally not be supported.
Grants of up to $7,500 will be awarded for the purchase of equipment, supplies, travel to study areas and conferences to assist students going into the field and publishing their results. We would prefer that all the funds requested for the student’s research be allocated for the work of the student and not for the general administration of the School or Department. We consider that the Government should be providing funds for that purpose.
Eligibility is limited to Universities in Australia. Grants are not available to individuals but are made only to organisations to which gifts are deductible under Section 30-15 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth).
Grants awarded are paid to the University, not to the individual directly.
Enquiries: executiveofficer@ecolsoc.org.au
Important Notes
- Most Universities set a three year limit on PhD student registration but some exceptions apply, especially for part time students. These grants will usually be renewable for a period of two to three years, for funding purposes the maximum grant for a project will be $22,500; pending satisfactory progress reporting.
- Travel to appropriate scientific conferences is encouraged but the budget item should not exceed $500 in each of the first two years of the project. In the final year, the student may budget up to $2,000 to attend an international conference. The total conference travel budget for the project is limited to $3,000.
- The Endowment offers two (2) funding rounds per annum, however students are only eligible to receive one grant per year. Students who applied for a grant and were unsuccessful can re-apply at the next funding round.
- Funding for course fees, personal laptops or computers will not be approved.
General Conditions
- Acceptance of funding from the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment – Equity Trustees Charitable Foundation will imply that research involving animal experimentation will be carried out in accordance with the guidelines of the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes. It must also pass the recognised Animal Ethics Committee of their institution. Permission from the appropriate land custodians must also be obtained.
- Acceptance of grant funds will also imply that permits will be obtained from the relevant government authorities if the research requires permission to work in National Parks or other protected areas, or to collect plant and animal specimens.
- The student should be encouraged to attend and present papers or posters at scientific conferences. The budget for the project may include travel to conferences.
- Acknowledgment of support from the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment – Equity Trustees Charitable Foundation & Ecological Society of Australia is expected in presentations and publications.
- A final report in the form of published papers or a copy of the thesis (hard copy or CD) is required. This forms the final acquittal.
