SSC EDGE Internal Grant

This call for applications is now closed, please stay tuned for communications and the website for the next call in August-September 2023. The announcement will begin one month earlier.

Red Listing and Action Planning for Evolutionarily Distinct Species and Lineages.

Important: Please, consider the feasibility of the proposed projects in relation to any travel and in-person meetings restrictions, physical distancing, and any other restrictions that could be still in place due to the pandemic. In that sense, we encourage you to submit projects that can be carried out during the proposed timeline.

This year, On the Edge is contributing financial support totalling US$77,000 to be distributed across projects related to SSC Groups and evolutionarily distinct species and lineages. Thanks to this partnership we will be able to support more Specialist Groups in red listing and action planning activities.

The aim of the SSC EDGE Internal Grants is to contribute to halting the loss of evolutionarily distinct lineages (WCC-2012-Res-019-EN), through improving assessment and planning for overlooked and evolutionarily distinct species. Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) species are species that have a high EDGE score, a metric combining endangered conservation status with evolutionary distinctiveness of taxon. Evolutionarily distinct species have few closely related species and therefore represent disproportionate amounts of unique evolutionary history.

In addition, these grants will promote the involvement of range-country conservationists and scientists in this process. They are available to SSC groups to do one or more of the following:

Assess highly Evolutionarily Distinct species that do not yet have a Red Listing;
Assess EDGE species with out-of-date Red Listings;
Develop conservation action plans for EDGE species where these do not exist or are in genuine need of updating.

Details

SSC Groups can apply for up to $10,000 under the SSC EDGE Internal Grant. These grants are available for projects to be undertaken between 1st November 2022 - 30th July 2023.

These grants will support the priorities of IUCN SSC Species Conservation Cycle established in the Species Strategic Plan 2021-2025 that will fund one or more of the following proposal activity requests relating to EDGE species in Assess and Plan:
Assess: Red List assessments and research activities.

Proposal activity 1: assess high ED species that do not yet have a Red Listing.
Proposal activity 2: assess EDGE species with out-of-date Red Listings.

Plan: Development of conservation action plans and also policy initiatives which influence positive conservation outcomes for species.

Proposal activity 3: develop conservation action plans for EDGE species where these do not exist or are in genuine need of updating.

Species eligibility

The following species are eligible for funding:

On the Species Eligibility list are species that are considered highly Evolutionarily Distinct (in the uppermost quartile of ED scores). One list (‘action plan’) covers EDGE species eligible for action planning activities (species that are highly evolutionarily distinct and classified as VU, EN, CR). The other list (‘DD-outdated’) covers highly Evolutionarily Distinct species which either have no Red List Assessments (classified as DD or NE), or classified as VU, EN, CR with outdated (>10 years) assessments.
Species that are not on the attached lists because they do not have an assessment of their Evolutionary Distinctiveness, but where evidence is provided that they could reasonably be distinctive because they are monotypic (the only one in their genus or family), or species where the entire genus (or family) is threatened and/or data deficient and/or not evaluated.

Requirements

This grant opportunity will be open for all our Specialist Groups, Stand-Alone Red List Authorities, Task Forces and Conservation Committees. Any SSC group interested in applying should:

Have submitted the 2021 SSC Data annual report.
Have registered and set their targets for the current quadrennium (2021-2025) within the SSC Data Information System.
Clearly specify the activity which requires financial support, to be carried out in 2022, and contributes to a target set for the current quadrennium (2021-2025). Priority will be given to those targets set for completion during 2022-2023.
Include supporting information related to the activity to be carried out e.g., clarify what activity is to be carried out and how the funds will contribute to it (website links, promotional information, etc.).
All the activities and workshops should include involvement from range-country scientists and/or conservation practitioners where the species or group of species occur. At least 33% of participants in project activities, assessments and planning, must be range-country participants. The proposal should include a description of how this will be achieved.

How to apply

Use the following template to develop your proposal. Please read the instructions carefully.
All applications must be submitted through the following [Google form]. Please note that each SSC group (excepting those that represent >1000 species) can submit ONE application only and applications by email will not be accepted.
Grant amount: Up to $10,000 US. Funds can be used to cover the partial or total cost of the proposed activity.

Timelines and eligibility

The current round will be open from August 30th to September 30th, 2022 —11:59 PM (GMT-4) Caracas, Venezuela—, and approvals will be announced by the end of October 2022.

The SSC Chair’s Office will select Specialist Groups. Consideration will be given to the assess and plan priorities of the Species Strategic Plan 2021-2025, the funds available to allocate yearly, as well as the groups/activities determined to have the more urgent support needs and the emphasis on range state participants.