New call to promote the mobilization and use of biodiversity data in Asia

Biodiversity Information Fund for Asia (BIFA) programme invites new round of proposals from the region

Green Button Polyp
Green button polyp (Palythoa mutuki) by Gaurav Patil via iNaturalist. Photo licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.

This call is now closed.

The fourth call under the Biodiversity Information Fund for Asia (BIFA) programme invites proposals that

  • Enhance knowledge of Asian biodiversity through access to data from biological collections and monitoring programmes in the region
  • Engage research and policy communities in the use and application of data mobilized through GBIF

GBIF invites the submission of proposals under the fourth phase of the Biodiversity Information Fund for Asia (BIFA) programme, funded by the Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan.

This call for proposals aims to address key challenges that GBIF nodes in Asia have identified in connection with the mobilization and use of biodiversity data in the region. The total potential funding assigned to this call is approximately €71,000, and applicants may request a maximum of €15,000 through BIFA for each project.

Three types of grants are included in the call:

These grants are open to any institutions based in eligible countries in Asia. Concept notes must be submitted to the GBIF Secretariat by 06 January 2019, using the appropriate template. For more information, contact bifa@gbif.org.

Application process and timeline

A selection panel convened by GBIF Secretariat will evaluate applications through a two-stage process.

  • Initial concept notes, using the template provided, must be submitted by 06 January 2019
  • Selected applicants will be invited to submit full proposals in February 2019
  • Following a final review and selection, funded projects are expected to start in May 2019. The project implementation period will be approximately May 2019–March 2020.

Applicants for all grants will be required to send a project team member to a capacity enhancement workshop and obtain certification for the skills acquired. This workshop will take place in June or July 2019, and the cost of participation will be met separately from BIFA funds (applicants need NOT include it in the project budget).

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Available grant types

BIFA collections data mobilization grants

Purpose

Projects funded by a BIFA collections data mobilization grant target Asia’s natural history collections. They should address the priority challenge for GBIF in Asia of filling taxonomic and geographical gaps in the availability of accessible data on the occurrence of species in the region. The following activities are envisaged under this type of grant:

  • Digitizing and publishing georeferenced species occurrence data based on specimens held in Asian collections
  • Organizing workshops(s) aiming to enhance national or regional capacity within biodiversity data mobilization
  • Preparing data papers to improve the reusability of the mobilized biodiversity data

Learn more about the relevant data types and the process of publishing data through the GBIF network.

Eligibility

The GBIF Secretariat welcomes proposals from natural history collection institutions in any Asian country eligible for BIFA grants. Joint efforts between institutions targeting national, regional or thematic data mobilization are encouraged.

Funding

A maximum of €15,000 may be requested through a BIFA collections data mobilization grant. All proposals must include co-funding from other sources, either directly or in-kind including staff time. No overheads may be charged to BIFA. A maximum of €3,000 may be requested from BIFA for IT services or purchase, covering a maximum of 50% of total cost for these items.

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BIFA ecological monitoring data mobilization grants

Purpose

Projects funded by a BIFA ecological monitoring data mobilization grant target the various institutions, projects and networks in Asia engaged in surveys and inventories of biodiversity using standardized methodologies and protocols. They should address the priority regional challenge for GBIF in Asia of filling taxonomic and geographical gaps in the availability of accessible data on the occurrence of species in the region, including relative abundance and changes over time. The following activities are envisaged under this type of grant:

  • Mobilizing species occurrence and sampling-event data from observation networks and monitoring systems
  • Preparing data papers to improve the reusability of the mobilized biodiversity data

Learn more about the relevant data types and the process of publishing data through the GBIF network.

Eligibility

The GBIF Secretariat welcomes proposals for mobilizing ecological monitoring data from any institution, NGO or network that is a legal entity in any Asian country eligible for BIFA grants.

Funding

A maximum of €15,000 may be requested through a BIFA ecological monitoring data mobilization grant. All proposals must include co-funding from other sources, either directly or in-kind including staff time. No overheads may be charged to BIFA. A maximum of €3,000 may be requested from BIFA for IT services or purchase, covering a maximum of 50% of total cost for these items.

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BIFA data use support grants

Purpose

Projects funded by BIFA data use support grants target Asian institutions and organizations that can promote the use and application of biodiversity data mobilized through GBIF by Asian research and policy communities. Projects will need to demonstrate tangible outcomes in terms of specific uses of GBIF within a research or policy context. Activities encouraged under this type of grant include:

  • Developing tools and information materials facilitating the use of data mobilized through GBIF by research and policy-making communities, especially addressing language barriers currently preventing more uptake in Asia
  • Workshops, symposia, and advocacy engaging research and policy-making communities with the aim of enhancing the understanding of the benefits of open biodiversity data and the applications for which GBIF-mediated data may be used.
Eligibility

The GBIF Secretariat welcomes proposals for data use support from any institution, NGO or network that is a legal entity in any Asian country eligible for BIFA grants. Where the proposed activities are taking place in a country or area that is a GBIF Participant, the proposal will need to be endorsed by the GBIF node manager or Head of Delegation for the country concerned. Node managers themselves are also of course welcome to apply for this category of grant.

Funding

A maximum of €15,000 may be requested through a BIFA data use support grant. All proposals must include co-funding from other sources, either directly or in-kind including staff time. Neither overheads nor IT services or purchase may be charged to BIFA.

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Eligible countries and economies

Institutions from the following countries/economies are eligible to apply for 2017 BIFA grants for mobilizing collections and ecological monitoring data.

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