Fund for biological recording in the voluntary sector
Natural England is managing a fund, on behalf of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to increase the quality and relevance of biodiversity data available to national and local users, to support decision making, research and conservation planning. The fund will support a series of partner projects to improve data management, pilot new approaches to voluntary recording, increase investment in local record centres and develop recorder skills, capacity and collaboration within the recording community.
The first phase of the Fund will extend until March 2014, with annual invitations to apply for specified elements. The current invitation covers the period up until 31st March 2012 and a more comprehensive programme will be produced for April 2012 – March 2014 in due course.
For the first phase of the Fund, applications are sought for work themes described below. The closing date is 24th February 2012.
We invite applications for funding for a small number of projects between £4,000 and £9,000 to support projects that will deliver one or more of the following by March 2012:
1. Increasing the capacity and number of volunteer recorders, especially for under-recorded groups such as non-vascular plants and invertebrates;
2. Improving biodiversity/species data capture and data management;
3. Developing taxon validation and verification capacity within Local Record Centres and National Schemes and Societies to support on-line recording;
Excludes: Marketing activities like designing, branding & printing brochures and other publications; events like conferences and exhibitions; website development; Public relations (PR) or advertising activities.
Criteria assessment
Bids will be assessed against the following criteria:
• A demonstrated commitment from funding beneficiaries to participate in focused recording and to make data available.
• Evidence of an increase in the number and availability of records through the NBN Gateway;
• Illustrates how funding will provide a sustainable way of continuing support for volunteers;
• Demonstrates contribution (time, money etc) partner themselves will be providing to any project receiving money from this fund;
• Focus on under-recorded taxa;
• Clear milestones which indicate a measure of the benefits of this funding e.g. X new volunteers trained in taxon group X; X new recorder trainers trained in X , data validation skills increased in X volunteers; provided equipment & helped X more recorders be trained or have equipment to complete more assessments etc
Timescales:
Applications to be submitted by February 24th 2012
Successful bids to be confirmed by 2nd March 2012
Invoice for payment required by 15 March 2012
Bids are to be sent to: Integrated.Monitoring@naturalengland.org.uk
Contact point in Natural England: keith.porter@naturalengland.org.uk Bids should NOT be sent to Keith.