Conservation Endowment Fund

Frequently Asked Questions

When can I apply for CEF funding?

The deadline for applications was April 2, 2007. Applications for the next funding cycle will be available in early 2008.

During the next stage of the review process, proposals are reviewed for completeness and sent to individual reviewers for a first-tier review. A second-tier review will then be conducted in June by the CEF Scientific Advisory Committee, and award recommendations sent to the AZA Board for approval in late August. Applicants will be notified of the outcome in early September and award money becomes available on 1 October 2007.

How do I submit a CEF application?

Starting in 2007, CEF applications must be submitted electronically.

applications must be completed and saved in word-processing format
all application materials must be attached to a single email sent to
the subject line in the email must be the project name

Hard copy submissions will not be accepted.

For more detailed application instructions, please read Application Instructions (in RTF).

Who can apply for a CEF grant?

Anyone who is an individual member of AZA is eligible to apply for a CEF grant. Individuals employed at an AZA accredited facility must also be individual members of AZA to apply. [how to become an AZA member]

What can I do to improve my chances of being funded?

Please see Tips for Success for suggestions.

What types of projects are supported by the CEF?

Animal Health
Research projects, symposia, or publications that increase knowledge of or develop new approaches to assessing or treating medical conditions affecting animals in managed environments or in the wild.
Animal Welfare
Research projects, symposia, or publications that increase knowledge of or develop new approaches to assessing the physical health and psychological well-being of individual animals in a captive environment.
Breeding and Reintroduction
Zoo and aquarium-based programs for breeding, reintroducing or translocating endangered or threatened wildlife.
Education
Programs that raise public awareness and appreciation of wildlife conservation issues or stimulate conservation action.
Field Conservation
Initiatives on behalf of endangered and threatened species and their habitats.
Professional Training
Programs that transfer skills and technology and empower new conservation leaders, particularly in developing countries.
Wildlife Biology and Conservation
Research projects, symposia, or scholarly publications that increase knowledge of or create new approaches to wildlife conservation.

Does CEF have any funding restrictions?

Yes. Costs that are not supported include:

Salaries for staff appointed to regular, full-time positions. Exceptions include graduate student stipends or technicians.
Tuition fees, or fringe benefits associated with graduate students or other collaborators.
Administrative costs, including institutional overhead and submission costs for the publication of journal articles;
Travel unrelated to completion of the project (e.g. conference presentation expenses).
Planning meetings that define, rather than implement, conservation goals.

Are certain types of projects given preference in CEF reviews?

Yes, projects are given preference if they:

Reflect the priorities of related AZA C&S committees (SSP, TAG, CAP or SAG) or the AZA Board of Directors.
Provide a direct link between zoo and aquarium animal collections and the conservation of endangered or threatened wildlife and ecosystems in the North America and worldwide.
Implement, rather than define, conservation goals.
Improve management, welfare, and care of endangered and threatened wildlife in a zoological setting.
Are less likely to receive significant support from sources other than the CEF.
Are collaborative in nature.
Are likely to have a high conservation return for the investment.
Are logistically feasible and fiscally and scientifically sound.
Benefit a large number of animals, institutions or programs.

I received CEF funding in the past, can I apply for another grant?

Yes. CEF grants are intended as seed money to attract other funding sources, and only cover one year of a project's budget at a time. The same component of a project can be funded for a maximum of two cycles. However, different components of the same project will be considered and previous recipients may certainly apply for funding to support a different project. Since CEF proposals are reviewed based on their individual merit, there is no limit to the number of times a principal investigator (PI) can apply for CEF funding.

Does CEF fund multi-year projects?

Each CEF grant is for one year only. PIs can apply for a second year of funding, but must do so by submitting a new application. The same component of a project can be funded for a maximum of two cycles. However, different components of the same project are eligible for consideration as new project submissions.

Can I apply for CEF funding while waiting to hear from another potential funding source for my project?

Yes. You may apply for CEF funding even if you've already applied to other funding sources. You must indicate in the budget section of your CEF application which items (if any) were also requested from other sources and identify all other pending grants. You are required to alert the AZA C&S office if funding is received that overlaps with the part of the project for which CEF support is requested. The Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) retains the right to revoke any portion of a CEF award if additional funding that overlaps with the CEF portion is accepted.

The CEF only funds certain types of salaries, so how do I know if the salary in my proposal is acceptable?

It's often difficult to know whether a salary is acceptable under the CEF application standards. The CEF cannot fund project-related salaries for staff who are already employed elsewhere, providing them with a "second salary", nor can CEF support their long-term, regular employment. Salaries for graduate students and technicians may qualify for funding. Please refer to the examples listed below for details. If you are still uncertain about whether a salary in your proposal is acceptable, please email or call 301-562-0777 x245 for guidance.

Examples of Acceptable Salary Requests

A project intends to hire a local resident of Belize to provide support for an in situ conservation education program.
A field technician in Kenya will be hired to help track cheetahs for a 3-month field season. This position is essential to the project's local capacity-building goals.
Zoo X intends to hire a graduate student from the local university to help with lab work during the course of the project. The student will receive a stipend as compensation.

Examples of Unacceptable Salary Requests

Professor X will be performing field research over the summer and requests monetary compensation for his time spent working, even though he is already employed by the university.
A zoo veterinarian is requesting hourly or lump-sum funds for performing assays for a research team, in addition to her normal salary. However, support for equipment or lab analysis costs might be eligible.

If I want to include references and citations, where should I place them in the application?

Applicants are encouraged to list references for statements made within the proposal. References may be an appendix, attached as a separate document to the CEF application email.

Do I need to get an endorsement from a related AZA committee?

No. Endorsements are no longer suggested or required as part of the CEF application, starting with the 2007 grant cycle. Instead, at least one relevant AZA C&S program and/or AZA Board-level Committee will review each complete proposal during the review process. This will ensure that the committees will be reviewing complete proposals rather than drafts, adding another expert opinion to the proposal review.

How do I know if I need approval from an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)?

IACUC approval is desirable for any proposal, but it is required for any project in which animals are to be involved in invasive procedures or procedures that may result in pain, harm, distress, or altering of behavior. This includes sedating or anesthetizing animals in the wild, but generally excludes samples obtained during regularly scheduled veterinary or husbandry procedures or emergency medical procedures.

IACUC approval is required for both in situ and ex situ projects.

Every institution involved in a project must submit the project proposal to its own IACUC for review. All CEF proposals must include the Statement of Institutional Support from each participating organization to certify compliance with all IACUC approval guidelines. This form can is included in the CEF application.

If an institution is not registered as a research facility or similar facility and therefore does not have an IACUC, the institution must become affiliated with a university, zoo, or other body that has an IACUC in order to obtain approval.

Is it possible to have my proposal checked for logistical errors prior to the deadline?

Each year, proposals are disqualified due to simple mistakes. The AZA C&S office is happy to check over proposals received at least one week before the deadline. We strongly encourage applicants to submit their proposals as early as possible to allow time for corrections. CEF administrators are not obligated to alert applicants to errors or omissions in proposals received less than a week before the application deadline.

How does the review process work?

The CEF application review is a two-tier process, ensuring that only the proposals of highest quality and relevance are selected for funding. More information and a detailed description of this process can be found in Information for Applicants.

When will I find out if my project was funded?

First, the CEF Scientific Advisory Committee submits a list of funding recommendations to the AZA Board of Directors in July. The AZA Board then makes a final decision regarding which projects receive funding, typically in late July or early August. Following this decision, award and rejection letters are sent to applicants at the beginning of September and the CEF awards are announced publicly at the AZA Annual Conference in September.

Where does the money come from?

The CEF has been funded by AZA as a critical part of the AZA's effort to meet its conservation objectives. Beginning in 1995, additional funds have been made available through an annual grant to AZA from the Walt Disney Company Foundation / Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund.

Additional funding for the CEF comes from our annual fund raising appeal to AZA members, special events at the Annual Conference and from the general public. The AZA Board of Directors determines the actual amount available for disbursement each year.

How can I donate to the CEF?

Each June, we send out an annual fund raising appeal to AZA members. Members donating at least $200 will receive an invitation to the CEF Dessert Reception at the Annual Conference. All contributors to the CEF are acknowledged in our publication Communiqué each year. Please contact for information on contributing to the CEF.

Is my contribution tax deductible?

AZA is a non-profit organization exempt from federal income tax under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to the CEF or any fund of the AZA are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.

Didn't see your question?

Please email or call (301) 562-0777 x245.