A timely reminder from Marydele Donnelly on CTURTLE:
I would like to remind you that applications for international US Marine Turtle Conservation Act grants are due on 1 October 2007. The next deadline will be 1 April 2008. As many of you know, the MTCA has been a great source of funding for the sea turtle conservation and research outside the United States since it was passed into law in 2004, providing over $1.5 Million to date.
Each year a group of U.S. organizations lobby the U.S. Congress to increase funding for the program significantly. You can help us by demonstrating the need for MTCA funds is far greater than the money appropriated. This year the program that starts on 1 October will receive between $1 Million and $1.5 Million, depending on negotiations between the House of Representatives and the Senate. Next year the ngos will be requesting $2 million for the program, if we can show there is a need for this level of support.
If you work outside the United States, I encourage you to apply for a grant. Please remember that projects not funded in this round of grants will have a better chance of receiving support next year if everyone continues to submit proposals and demonstrate the need for more money. Those who award the grants every year have told me that they would support 99% of the proposals received to date if they had enough money. That's very encouraging!! So if you have not already dusted off your old proposal or submitted a new one, you have nine more days until the submission deadline.
Go to http://www.fws.gov/international/rfps/marineturtlehow.htm for more information.