NSS Conservation Grants

Purpose

The Conservation Committee is authorized to award up to $5,000 annually from the Save-the-Caves Fund to make grants of up to $1000 to Internal Organizations, Conservation Task Forces, Conservancies, or to individual NSS members for specific projects that involve cave or karst conservation, restoration, or cleanup. The Conservation Committee is responsible for establishing the application, review, and award process. Recipients of these grants shall submit written reports to the Society as stipulated by the Chairman of the Conservation Committee. To be considered for a grant award, applications must include adequate description of one or more of the following:

• scientific investigation of cave or karst conservation problems;
• speleological research that will directly contribute to cave or karst conservation;
• the remediation of ecological problems in cave, karst, or pseudokarst areas;
• hands-on, in-cave efforts to restore cave passages to a former ecological state;
• equipment and supplies for conservation or restoration projects that include hands-on participation from cavers;
• or public outreach to inform and raise awareness of cave and karst values. 

Conservation Grants are awarded throughout the year, subject to availability of funds and number of applications received.

Save the Caves Conservation Grant Application Process

Awards are based on the nature of the project and available funds. For relatively uncomplicated grants to NSS members and activities, send an e-mail application that includes the following points. Institutions and foundations should submit the more formal NSS grants application (insert link ). Priority is sometimes given to conservation projects that provide quantitative research data.

Please specify in your application:

• who the applicant is (name, address, telephone number and other contact information)
  
• who the official grant recipient is to be (name or organization, title, address, etc.)
• what, specifically, the project and/or research will entail
  
• what benefits are expected
• when the work is to be done
  
• dollar amount being requested from the NSS, including how that money will be used
• a statement assuring the NSS that an article for publication, video, powerpoint, presentation, and/or other comparable account of the completed project or research will be provided in a form accessible to the membership to account for expenditure of NSS funds
  

Please call or e-mail the Conservation Grants contact person if you need more information.

Contact Information:
Val Hildreth-Werker
P.O. Box 207
Hillsboro, NM 88042
(575) 895-5050
werks@cunacueva.com