Michigan Botanical Foundation

Grant Application Guidelines

(Download these guidelines as a pdf by clicking on this link)

Our Mission

The purpose of the Michigan Botanical Foundation (MBF) is to provide support for Michigan botanical research, educational publications, and related activities that enhance the knowledge and preservation of Michigan’s flora.

Funding Goals

To help achieve the mission of the Foundation, grants will be made to support endeavors, both research- and community-based, that are consistent with the mission of the Foundation.  We are interested in funding the following types of projects:

1.     Research projects which involve the study of Michigan plants including but not limited to: (a) state or federally listed (rare, threatened, or endangered) species; (b) competition between invasive and native species; and (c) floristic surveys;

2.     Environmental projects which have one or more of the following features: (a) the project will raise public awareness of Michigan' s flora; (b) the project involves preservation, reclamation, or restoration of native habitat; (c) the proposed uses of the project site and access to it will result in public education;

3.     Educational efforts such as workshops, institutes, conferences, and exhibits which hold the promise of increasing public awareness and knowledge of Michigan 's flora. Student scholarships to attend valuable botanical conferences and educational programs are also considered for funding.

These grants will be made on a case-by-case basis upon application to the Foundation when adequate funding exists. Applications for grants must be shown to have educational value with respect to Michigan 's flora and may be funded in whole or in part.

General Overview

The Michigan Botanical Foundation welcomes anyone to apply for grants as long as such requests meet the Foundation 's purpose and funding goals. MBF makes grants in the range of USD $100.00 – USD $1,500; however, exceptions may be made. Geographic preference is the State of Michigan; however, funding for projects in the broader Great Lakes region may be considered. The MBF Board of Directors typically evaluates grants throughout the calendar year. All grant applications must be submitted electronically to the current MBF President. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that MBF received the electronic application. No more than one request per year from any individual or organization will be accepted. Please allow at least 6 weeks for the application to be reviewed. All applicants w ill receive a letter of acceptance or rejection following the review. Requests for additional information may delay processing.

Guidelines for Completing your Application

All grant applications must include the following:

1.     Cover letter that includes:

a.              A brief description of the grant proposal

b.              A statement of whether partial funding is acceptable

c.              Complete contact information

2.     Evidence of applicant' s ability to carry out the project (e.g. experience with the techniques, publications, evidence of past projects, copies of brochures you have prepared, or copies of advertisements for community events you have organized). Graduate and undergraduate applicants must have their faculty advisor submit a letter of support.

3.     Proposal that includes:

a.              Detailed description of the project for which funds are sought

b.              Statement of how the project fits the funding goals of MBF

c.              Proposed timetable for entire project from start date to completion date .

d.              Detailed budget for the entire project, including:

i.      A listing of all other sources from which funds are currently being sought for the proposed project

ii.     Any support already confirmed or received

iii.   Amount being requested through the application

Note: For those applicants applying for funding for work that is part of a larger project (e.g. Ph.D., multi-year), preference will be given to those applications which specify a particular, well-circumscribed part of the project which seeks funding by the MBF grant.

Funding Limitations

The Michigan Botanical Foundation will ordinarily not provide grants for the following:

1.     Materials that would ordinarily be provided by the applicant' s academic institution

2.     Payment for others to conduct or prepare one's own graduate or professional research

3.     Tuition

4.     Labor, salary, and/or compensation-related benefits

5.     lndirect cost

6.     Private business or for-profit organizations

7.     Legal fees

8.     Projects which are not likely to be completed within the specified time frame

Expectations of Grant Recipients

By accepting the grant, awardees:

1.              Agree to abide by the terms of the grant as outlined in this document and the official grant award notification letter;

2.              Recognize the Foundation's authority to withhold and/or recover grant funds in situations where grant funds are unused, or appear to be misused;

3.              Obligate themselves to uphold the following specific responsibilities:

a.     Awardees must have an e-mail address for correspondence and must provide updates regarding any changes that affect contact information.

b.     Awardees must acknowledge the Michigan Botanical Foundation in all publications, printed materials, press releases, and other relevant publicity efforts associated with the project. Copies of these publications must be submitted to the President of the Michigan Botanical Foundation.

c.     Awardees must submit, within one month of project completion, a final written report (preferably by e-mail) detailing the results of the project and providing an accounting of how all grant funds were used.

d.     Awardees must submit, within 6 months of project completion, a short article (with accompanying images if appropriate) for possible publication in the Arisaema, the newsletter of the Michigan Botanical Club (MBC). The article should not exceed one page (8.5" X 11") including images. The article should discuss the project and should demonstrate how MBF funds were used as well as the benefit of the project to the goals of MBF.

e.     Awardees conducting scientific research are asked to consider submitting an article for publication in the MBC's peer reviewed journal, The Michigan Botanist.