MAF Pilot Grant - Equine Behavior Proposals

Eligibility

Competitive applicants will have a record of research expertise demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications. A maximum of one application as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-Investigator in response to this RFP is permitted.

All applicants for this award must convince the scientific and animal welfare reviewers that they clearly understand the behavior/welfare problem, have sufficient expertise to conduct the study, are using a scientifically sound approach, and have given appropriate consideration to the overall environmental impact of their research.

Summary

The mission of Morris Animal Foundation is to bridge science and resources to advance the health of animals. To achieve this aim, we fund hypothesis-driven, humane research projects with high scientific merit and the potential for significant impact. Our donors are interested in funding research that results in impactful animal health achievements and benefits both scientific and non-scientific stakeholders including veterinarians, horse owners, communities and the environment.

This grant is being funded by Dr. Wendy Koch, who has supported Morris Animal Foundation for 30 years, making her first gift to support animal health studies in 1991. Dr. Koch was born loving horses. She became interested in animal behavior at an early age, pursuing her undergraduate studies in that field. Dr. Koch qualified as a veterinarian in 1981 and began a career in animal welfare with the federal government in 1990. She became board-certified in animal welfare in 2016. Dr. Koch has closely followed equine behavior and welfare research and regretted that specific funding available in these fields has been minimal. Working with Morris Animal Foundation, she decided to create a fund with such a focus.

Morris Animal Foundation is accepting pilot study proposals for the study of equine behavior/welfare.

• The focus should be on improving the lives of horses by increasing our understanding of the behavioral domain. This includes areas such as cognition, learning, stereotypies, separation anxiety, affiliative behavior toward (bonding with) humans, the effects of equine temperament on welfare, and equine psychopharmacology. Projects using behavioral measurements simply as a tool to address non-behavioral hypotheses are not of interest.
• Pilot study proposals should be aimed at generating data to prove the viability of a novel approach or idea.
• The project may involve domesticated or wild horses.
• The maximum project duration is 12 months, and the budget cannot exceed $20,000 USD. Applications must be received by 4:59 PM ET on December 13, 2023.

Overhead

8% of direct costs

Application deadlines

RSO detailed review deadline

RSO final internal review deadline

Program application deadline

NOTE: Consult your Faculty Associate Dean (Research) (ADR) regarding Faculty-specific deadlines and submission processes.

Principal Investigators: Complete a Research Management System (RMS) record, including a copy of your complete application, and submit this for approvals in RMS.

Approvals: The University of Calgary requires that all funding applications be approved prior to submission. Approval requires signatures via RMS in the following order:

• Principal Investigator
• Department Head
• Faculty ADR/Dean
• Research Services (on behalf of the Vice-President Research)

Read the Meaning of Grant Signatures policy to understand what your approval means. Please see the agency guidelines for details about which signatures are required on your application, as it may differ from internal requirements.

Late submissions: Late submissions will only be accepted in cases of medical or family emergencies, or other exceptional circumstances. If you submit your RMS record to Research Services after the internal deadline has passed, you must secure additional approvals. Please read: Late Applications Process.

Additional Resources

MAF Equine Behaviour Proposal Guidelines

Equine Behaviour Proposal Template

Equine Behaviour Scoring Rubric

Morris Animal Foundation's Grants Portal