2025 Grant Application Cycle Now Open
Application deadline - December 31, 2024
The Oregon Chapter of The Wildlife Society (ORTWS) awards small grants in support of wildlife outreach and education in the Pacific Northwest, consistent with our mission and goals. The mission of ORTWS is to “Inspire, empower, and enable Oregon's wildlife professionals and students to promote science-based wildlife conservation and management through the participation and leadership of an open and inclusive community of members."
Through the grant program, ORTWS has provided funding for a variety of projects including workshops, birding festivals and other educational events, publication of symposia proceedings, media production for educational purposes, professional development opportunities, and more. Grant funds are not intended to support field research.
Funding Availability: Funding is competitive, and awards typically range from $200−$2,200 (US dollars).
Grant Review Criteria: When reviewing grant applications, the ORTWS grant committee will take the following topics into consideration. Please incorporate any applicable information into your application materials:
- Consistency with ORTWS mission and goals
- Impact on outreach and education related to wildlife conservation
- Demonstration of a clear link to furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion within the field of wildlife conservation
- Demonstration of a clear link to Oregon or the Pacific Northwest
- Feasibility of the project (does the timeline and workload seem realistic)
- Appropriateness of budget
- Financial need of the applicant
Funding Guidelines: Proposals are reviewed by the ORTWS grants committee and recipients are approved by the ORTWS board prior to notification. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions shortly before the next annual conference. Funds must be deposited within two months of receipt. All funded projects must be completed by the end of the calendar year in which the funding is granted.
Reporting: Recipients must fill out the ORTWS Grant Reporting Form no more than 2 months after completion of the project. Photographs of the event/project should be sent to ortws@ortws.org when submitting your report.
2024 Grant Recipients
Portland Urban Coyote Project 2024 Grant Recipient - Coyote-palozza Project
The 2024 Coyote-palozza project, a large-scale outreach event for spring 2024, will spread awareness and information amongst the public about Portland’s urban coyote population. A full report is available at the following link.
Forests Today & Forever 2024 Grant Recipient - Wildlife Education Program
The 2024 Wildlife Education Program is field-based wildlife education to teach about wildlife in the field. Funds will also be used for educational props to enhance the Wildlife Station at Forest Field Days. A full report is available at the following link.
2023 Grant Recipients
Elakha Alliance 2023 Grant Recipient - Sea Otter Pelts for Education
The 2023 Sea Otter Pelts project grant was awarded by ORTWS to stimulate public awareness of and support for sea otters and marine wildlife in general and to elevate the story of coastal Indigenous people and their relationship with sea otters. A full report is available at the following link.
Forests Today & Forever 2023 Grant Recipient - Owl Pellet Dissection Program
The 2023 Owl Pellet Dissection Program grant was awarded by ORTWS to foster programs in support of wildlife outreach and education in the Pacific Northwest. A full report is available at the following link.
Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences Oregon State University 2023 Grant Recipient - Tufted Puffin Children's Book Project
This 2023 Tufted Puffin Children's Book grant was awarded by ORTWS to foster programs in support of wildlife outreach and education in the Pacific Northwest. A children’s book that represents original ideas and will provide young readers and their consequent family members with a deeper understanding of a threatened wildlife species and its habitat, and how climate factors might play an important role in this relationship. A detailed timeline is available at the following link.
Fisheries and Wildlife Graduate Student Association 2023 Grant Recipient - Winter Wildlife Field Day
This 2023 Winter Wildlife Field Day grant was awarded by ORTWS for an annual outreach event that encourages kids of all ages to learn about science and wildlife, including birding walks, owl pellet dissection, building bird feeders, DNA extraction and more. A full report is available at the following link.
Previously Funded Projects
Through the grant program, ORTWS has provided funding for a variety of projects. Grant funds are not intended to support field research. Examples include:
- Funding for student chapters for educational trips related to wildlife management and conservation
- Support for a research conference organized by graduate students
- Support for special symposia or other activities related to the TWS national meeting
- Outreach workshops and activities to schoolchildren