2024 The Conservation, Food and Health Foundation Research Grant program

Eligibility

The Foundation supports local, state, and regional organizations in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Middle East in the countries where the projects are based.  It also supports organizations located in upper-income countries working with local partners in these areas.  It does not support projects in post-Soviet states or Balkan states.

Most types of organizations that can provide evidence of their non-governmental status or charitable purpose are eligible to apply, including non-governmental organizations, nonprofit organizations; civil society organizations; community-based organizations; and colleges, universities, and other academic institutions.

Government agencies and religious organizations may be included as project partners but are not eligible for direct funding.

The Foundation does not typically fund:

• Overhead or indirect project costs
• General operating support
• Direct food, health or other humanitarian aid
• Eco-tourism
• Buildings and capital improvements
• Projects ultimately intended for private gain.  All intellectual property developed with the grant should be public.
• Salaries for Executive Directors of U.S. and European-based organizations.
• Project expenses incurred before the grant is awarded.

Summary

The Conservation, Food and Health Foundation seeks to protect the environment, improve food production, and promote public health in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Middle East. 

Types of Support

The Foundation supports projects and applied research that:

• Generate local or regional solutions to problems affecting the quality of the environment and human life;
• Advance local leadership and promote professional development in the conservation, agricultural, and health sciences;
• Develop the capacity of local organizations and coalitions; and
• Address challenges in the field. 

The Foundation prefers to support projects that address under-funded issues and geographic areas.

The Foundation funds applied research, pilot projects, new initiatives, training, and technical assistance, rather than ongoing support for programs that are already well underway.  An important goal for the Foundation is to provide seed money to help promising projects, organizations, and individuals develop the track record they need to attract major foundation funding in the future.

There is no minimum or maximum grant size. It is anticipated that most grants will fall in the $25,000-$50,000 per year range.

Grants are made for a one- or two-year period.  Second-year funding is conditional on the provision of a satisfactory progress report, interim financial report, and work plan.  Renewal requests for projects that were not originally approved as a multi-year project may be considered, but require a new application.

Grant awards are made twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall, with applications due several months prior.  Timelines are publicized on the website in advance and may differ slightly from year to year.

The Foundation will consider only one proposal from an organization in any calendar year. Therefore, UCalgary can only submit one application. Please see below for information on our internal selection process. 

Overhead

n/a

Pre-application deadlines

RSO internal deadline

Pre-application program deadline

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.

Postdocs, students, and trainees: For fellowships and externally-sponsored research training awards or opportunities, you must complete the Research Funding Application Approval (RFAA) Trainee PDF form, and submit it, along with a complete copy of the application, to Research Services at rsotrainee@ucalgary.ca. Trainees should not use RMS at this time.

Approvals: The University of Calgary requires that all funding applications be approved prior to submission. Approval requires signatures via either RMS or the RFAA Trainee form, 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.

Submission Process

Eligible organizations may submit only 1 application.

An internal Notice of Intent (iNOI) is due to Research Services by Noon on November 13th, 2024. Send the following details to rsogrants@ucalgary.ca by this date:

1. Principal Investigator’s name
2. Faculty and Department
3. Project Title

This submission to Research Services is required since the application is made by the institution, and an internal Letter of Intent (LOI) stage may be required if multiple applications are seeking to go forward. 

Please note: Submission of an iNOI is mandatory. Any applications submitted to the funding agency without having undergone this stage will be rejected.

Concept Note stage

Concept notes, plus approval in the Research Management System (RMS) (https://research.ucalgary.ca/conduct-research/additional-resources/research-management-system-rms), will be required by RSO by noon on December 19, 2024.  Please be sure to select "Submitted for approvals" (Under Save & Progress) in RMS in good time to allow for approvals from your Department Head and/or ADR prior to the Research Services deadline. Consult your department and faculty for more information on their approval processes and timelines. 

Once your RMS record has been approved by Research Services, submit to the agency by their deadline on January 1, 2025.

Full application stage

Those invited to submit full applications should sent their full application, plus approval in the Research Management System (RMS) (https://research.ucalgary.ca/conduct-research/additional-resources/research-management-system-rms), to RSO by noon on February 27, 2025.  Please be sure to select "Submitted for approvals" (Under Save & Progress) in RMS in good time to allow for approvals from your Department Head and/or ADR prior to the Research Services deadline. Consult your department and faculty for more information on their approval processes and timelines. 

Once your RMS record has been approved by Research Services, submit to the agency by their deadline on March 1, 2025.

Correspondence and inquiries should be directed to:

Conservation, Food & Health Foundation
c/o Prentice A. Zinn, Administrator
GMA Foundations
2 Liberty Square, Suite 500
Boston, Massachusetts 02109

Phone: 617-391-3091

pzinn @ gmafoundations . com

c/o Prentice A. Zinn, Administrator