Lois Webster Fund Application Process and Guidelines

    • Home
    • Lois Webster Fund Application Process and Guidelines

Lois Webster Fund Application Process and Guidelines

2025 FUNDING APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Description:

The Lois Webster Fund (LWF) was established in 1995 as a committee of Denver Audubon to support Colorado non-game wildlife research and education projects that lead to the conservation of these species and their habitats. LWF typically funds projects ranging from $500-$5000. This year the LWF has a total of $16,400 to award.  Awards are for one year, but successful grantees may reapply for additional year(s) of funding. See this link for previously funded projects and final reports.

Proposal Requirements:

  • The project has the potential to influence management of populations and/or habitat in a way that effects conservation of vulnerable non-game species or biological communities.
  • The grantee must be affiliated with a local, state, or regional nonprofit organization, an academic institution, or government agency.
  • There must be at least one additional partner organization contributing to the project.
  • LWF funds cannot be used to cover student tuition, indirect costs, or overhead of the sponsoring organization.

Reporting Requirements for Grantees:

  • Brief mid-season report: Due August 1, 2025
  • Final Report:  Due December 1, 2025 to be posted on the LWF website
  • Public Article: Due  December 1, 2025 for publication by Denver Audubon
  • Presentation: Zoom or in-person presentation for LWF/Denver Audubon in spring 2026

Review Criteria:

  • Adheres to all Proposal Requirements and includes each item required in Proposal Contents with appropriate formatting and length
  • Importance of the problem, need for the project, and approach to address the problem
  • Validity of science methods or educational approach
  • Potential to influence management of populations and/or habitat in a way that promotes conservation of vulnerable non-game species or biological communities
  • Plans for disseminating findings to relevant audiences with a wide reach
  • Proposed budget and use of requested funds
  • Qualifications of Project Manager
  • Partner commitment and evidence of support, including letters, from partners, advisors or other authorities, as applicable

Proposal Contents

Proposals must be 3 pages or less, using no smaller than 11 point font

  1. Project title (concise title)
  2. Project Manager(s) (name, affiliation, and contact information)
  3. Project description
    1. objectives that address the conservation of vulnerable Colorado non-game species, biological communities, or their habitat
    2. methodology (including location)
    3. significance to conservation of vulnerable Colorado non-game wildlife and/or habitat
    4. plans for communicating findings to a broad audience
  4. Timeline of activities for the project
  5. Budget table (itemized expenses and funding sources for the entire project, including amount requested from LWF)
  6. Partners (list partner organizations and their contributions to this project)
  7. Copy into your proposal and sign the following statement:

If the LWF provides funding for this project, I will be responsible for assuring the proposed work is conducted as stated; making sure the budget is adhered to; providing the LWF representative with interim and final reports during the grant period; presenting findings at a LWF public program; and writing an article concerning the project for Denver Audubon’s publication and dissemination.

Project Manager: ___________________________

Date: __________________

Additional Requirements (not counted toward the 3-page limit, but must be combined with the rest of the proposal into a single PDF document)

  1. Project Manager’s qualifications (CV, resume, or list of qualifications)
  2. Letters of support (evidence of grant award from each financial partner, as well as recommendations of advisors or consulting authorities as applicable)
  3. IRS letter of determination (necessary only if recipient organization is a 501(c)(3))

Grantee Consent to use Final Report: We encourage you to include in your final report at least one photograph of the species or habitat being studied and one photograph of project participants in the field with a title for each photograph and photographer’s name. Submission of the final report shall constitute consent for the LWF and Denver Audubon (DA) to post it on the DA website, to include submitted photographs (with credit to the photographer) in other parts of the DA website, and to use project summaries and photographs in fact sheets, a LWF brochure, and/or signage at LWF or DA events. Information from final reports, including submitted photos, will only be used by LWF and DA for the purposes of demonstrating accomplishments and work resulting from LWF grants, will acknowledge authors and photographers, and will never be used for commercial purposes. The grantee shall obtain consent for these purposes from all persons shown in any photograph.

Submission Instructions and Deadline: Submit your application as a single PDF file named ApplicantLastName_ShortProjectTitle_2025. The file should include the proposal, Project Manager’s qualifications, letters of support and any additional documentation. Send to Polly Reetz (polly.reetz4@comcast.net) by January 31, 2025.

Applicants will be notified of funding decisions by March 15, 2025.

Failure to follow these requirements will result in disqualification of the application.