Empowering the Next Generation of Ornithologists

1. Purpose and Overview

The Dr. Bhavbhuti Parasharya Ornithology Fellowship is administered by the Voluntary Nature Conservancy (VNC). It provides seed grants, mentorship, and professional networking to early-career researchers working on avian ecology and wetland conservation in India.

2. Grant Summary

Key parameters of the fellowship:

3. Eligibility

1. Nationality and residence: Applicants must be Indian nationals and residents of India at the time of application.
2. Age: Applicants must be 25 years of age or younger at the time of application.
3. Prior funding: The applicant must not have received, or be in receipt of, grant funding for the same project from any other agency or organisation and must not have access to major external funding for the proposed work.
4. One application per year: Only one grant application per applicant per calendar year is permitted.

4. Application Channel and Language

1. Submission portal: Applications are accepted only through VNC\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s online application portal at www.vncindia.org/grants.
2. Language: Applications must be submitted in English. Language proficiency will not be used as a selection criterion; scientific merit and clarity of thought are paramount.

5. Project Eligibility and Focus

1. Native species and habitats: Grants are awarded only for the conservation of native species and natural habitats. Projects focused on non-native or exotic species will be disqualified.
2. Priority focus: Preference will be given to projects involving threatened or data-deficient species and underexplored habitats in western India.
3. Measurable impact: Projects must include clear and appropriate indicators of conservation impact together with a monitoring plan.
4. Budget currency: All budgets must be presented in INR (Indian Rupee).

6. Eligible Activities and Ineligible Costs

7. Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria

8. Reporting, Monitoring and Review

1. Reporting obligations: Fellows must submit monthly progress reports and a final project report using VNC\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s prescribed templates and schedules.
2. Weekly review meetings: Fellows will participate in a weekly online meeting with their assigned VNC supervisor or co-supervisor to assess progress and discuss challenges.
3. Publications: A digital copy of any resulting publication or thesis abstract must be submitted to VNC upon availability. All publications must acknowledge VNC and any collaborating organisations.

9. Supervision, Mentorship and Network

1. Supervisor requirement: All fellows must have an approved academic supervisor. Where no academic supervisor is in place, VNC will appoint its own supervisor. Fellows who already have an academic supervisor must additionally have a VNC-appointed co-supervisor.
2. Mentorship: Fellows are embedded in VNC\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mentorship network and will receive guidance from experienced conservation practitioners throughout the fellowship.
3. Publication support: VNC supports fellows in publishing results in peer-reviewed journals and other scientific platforms.

10. Financial Management and Compliance

1. Budget detail: A detailed line-item budget in INR, with justification and clear linkage to project activities, must be provided at the time of application.
2. Use of funds: Grant funds must be used exclusively for approved project activities. Any significant reallocation of funds requires prior written approval from VNC.
3. Records and audit: Fellows must maintain all receipts and financial records and make them available to VNC upon request.
4. Permits and approvals: Applicants are responsible for obtaining all necessary permits, institutional clearances, and ethical approvals before fieldwork commences.

11. Ethics, Legal Compliance and Termination

1. Legal compliance: All project activities must comply with applicable national and state wildlife and environmental laws, and with VNC\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s ethical guidelines.
2. Authorship and data sharing: Due authorship credit must be given to all contributors in accordance with their contribution. All relevant datasets must be shared with VNC upon request. Any authorship disputes will be resolved jointly by VNC management, the supervisor, the co-supervisor, and the fellow; VNC\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s decision shall be final.
3. Termination: VNC reserves the right to discontinue funding or terminate the fellowship at any time, without prior notice, in the event of a breach of these terms and conditions.

12. Administrative Rules and Appeals

1. Application completeness: Incomplete applications, and any applications submitted outside the designated portal, will not be considered.
2. Appeals: Decisions of VNC\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s selection panel are final. VNC may provide feedback on unsuccessful proposals at its discretion but does not operate a formal appeals process.

13. Definitions

1. Applicant: An individual applying for the fellowship who meets the nationality, age, and academic status requirements set out in Section 3.
2. Project: The set of activities proposed for funding, to be implemented within India, with defined objectives, methodology, timeline, budget, and measurable conservation indicators.
3. Fellow: A successful applicant awarded the fellowship and bound by these terms and conditions.

14. Contact and Application Portal

1. Applications: Submit your application exclusively via www.vncindia.org/grants
2. Queries: For application queries and technical support, use the contact details and help resources available on the portal.