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Call for Proposals

Graduate Student Support

Dr. Frank Rohwer, Scientific Director
frohwer@lsu.edu or 225-578-4146

Dr. Elizabeth Loos, Research Director
eloos@deltawaterfowl.org

The Delta Waterfowl Foundation is a privately supported research and education organization.  Delta’s primary mission is to help conserve North American waterfowl and wetland resources by assisting in the graduate education of future resource professionals.  In the process, Delta achieves its secondary goal of discovering basic and applied information about waterfowl and wetlands.

Delta began in 1938 when University of Wisconsin student H. Albert Hochbaum and his supervisor Aldo Leopold first arrived at Delta Marsh to begin studies that would culminate in the publication of The Canvasback on a Prairie Marsh.  Since 1938, Delta has helped graduate students produce 219 Master’s theses, 126 Ph.D. dissertations, and over 700 scientific publications.

The Delta Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Station (DWWRS), Delta’s main research station, is located at the Delta Marsh, on the south shore of Lake Manitoba in south central Manitoba.  DWWRS has superb access to the 14,000 ha Delta Marsh and its adjacent forested dune-ridge, a system of 10 experimental wetlands (the Marsh Ecology Research Project), an extensive library, workshops, lab space, and comfortable lodging.  Previous studies at our main station have focused on captive waterfowl research, marsh ecology and management, and field studies of waterfowl and other wetland wildlife.  Please note that the captive facilities are currently closed and not available for research.

Delta also maintains a permanent field station in the Minnedosa Parklands of southwestern Manitoba.  Facilities there include bunkhouse style lodging, a workshop, and access to thousands of small wetlands in a privately owned agricultural landscape.  Many previous studies at Minnedosa have focused on the ecology or management of waterfowl and other wetland wildlife.

Delta also supports studies in other locations, provided they have relevance to North American waterfowl or wetland resources.  Delta students have conducted studies in North Dakota, Alaska, Northwest Territories, New Brunswick, Oregon, Minnesota, Virginia, Alabama, Louisiana, Hawaii, Wyoming, Sinaloa, Venezuela and even Latvia!

WHO CAN APPLY?

Delta will consider research proposals submitted by any student currently enrolled in a recognized graduate school program.  Delta may occasionally consider proposals from individuals that have not yet been accepted into a graduate program provided that a letter accompanies these proposals from the student’s prospective supervisor indicating that acceptance into a formal graduate program is forthcoming.  Delta does not fund amateur, post-doctoral, or faculty research, although research facilities are sometimes made available provided that research objectives are consistent and compatible with Delta’s overall mission.

WHAT SORT OF STUDIES WILL DELTA SUPPORT?

Delta will consider research proposals addressing any aspect of the ecology or management of North American waterfowl and wetlands resources.  The Delta Waterfowl Foundation is acutely concerned with the status of North American duck populations; hence, studies designed to address significant waterfowl or wetland conservation problems will be given highest priority.  In addition, studies that attempt to test fundamental ecological or evolutionary hypotheses pertaining to waterfowl or wetlands are strongly encouraged.  Delta also has a long history of supporting studies on non-game wildlife associated with prairie and wetland ecosystems.  A new arena for Delta is socioeconomic and policy-related studies on issues that affect the conservation of waterfowl or prairie and wetland habitats. 
If in doubt about whether a research topic is appropriate for Delta funding, please consult first with Delta’s Scientific Director, Dr. Frank Rohwer (frohwer@lsu.edu).

HOW DO I APPLY?

To apply for research funding, submit a proposal using the following format. Proposals that do not follow the format outlined below will not be considered.  Proposals may be reviewed by up to 3 external anonymous reviewers in addition to review by Delta’s scientific staff. 

Proposal Guidelines

To be considered for funding in calendar year 2101 proposals must be received by 30 November 2009.  Submit one hard copy of your proposal, including proposed budget (see following guidelines) and up-to-date C.V. (resume) which includes current contact information.  Also include an electronic version of all of your materials on CD or DVD.  Send your proposals to:  Dr. Frank Rohwer, School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803

Budget Guidelines

Budget requests are assessed on an annual basis and must conform to Delta’s fiscal year of 1 March to 28 February.  Students should submit tentative budgets for subsequent years of research with their initial proposal, with the realization that these budgets may need to be revised.

Categories: Try to use the following 5 categories.

    1. Stipend support for yourself and your research assistants
    2. Travel (reimbursements for personal mileage, plane fares etc)
    3. Vehicle and fuel expenses (for rental or station vehicles only)
    4. Major Equipment (anything > $50 and non-expendable, i.e. reusable)
    5. Expendable supplies (notebooks, pens, etc)
    6. Miscellaneous (utility bills, services, etc)

Exchange Rates: If your research will be conducted in Canada, submit a budget in both Canadian and US dollars. Use the exchange rate of $1.00 CDN = 1.00 USD. If your research will be conducted in the US, submit a budget in US dollars only.

Stipend Support: The graduate stipend allowance is $1,300 USD/month. Stipend support is available throughout the field season, but Delta does not ordinarily provide stipend support during the academic year. Students receiving field season support of < $1,300 per month from other sources (e.g., RA or scholarship) may use Delta funds to augment their stipend up to, but not exceeding, $1,300 per month. Students are expected to cover their own living expenses using their monthly stipend.

Research assistants are normally hired through Delta’s undergraduate assistantship program for the equivalent of $1,400 -$1,700 USD per month. Delta typically commits to hiring assistants for a minimum of 2 months. Delta will hire your assistants from the pool of applicants we receive. Assistant salaries will be paid from your budget by Delta.

Travel Costs: Students may use their own personal vehicles for transportation. Travel costs are reimbursed at the rate of $0.44 USD/mile or $0.40 CDN/kilometer, including round-trip travel costs from the university to the field site. Use of Delta vehicles (trucks, ATV’s, boats) must be approved in advance, and expenses for operation and maintenance must be included in the budget. Delta will reimburse up to $400 each way for travel to your field site.

Equipment Costs: Any non-expendable equipment purchased with Delta funds becomes the property of Delta; however, such equipment remains the student’s responsibility until the study is completed. Students should budget to have equipment cleaned and repaired when necessary. Delta has a variety of equipment purchased in the past by other students. Contact Dr. Elizabeth Loos (eloos@deltawaterfowl.org) to see if any of the equipment you require is available.

Rent: Housing expenses should be included in your budget. All students living at remote field sites are responsible for providing housing for themselves and their assistants out of their project budget. All students living at the Minnedosa Field Station and Delta Waterfowl and Wetlands Station are responsible for paying rent for themselves and their assistants out of their project budget. Rent at Minnedosa Field Station is $75 per person per month. This helps cover the cost of hauling water, electricity, phone line, Internet and other services.

Division of Support: Students must specify any other sources of funding that have been received or applied for, including teaching or research assistantships, scholarships, fellowships, and other bursaries. Delta can rarely cover the full cost of a graduate student. All other things being equal, Delta will favor proposals demonstrating financial support of students by the home university during the academic year.

Overhead and Accounting: Funds are normally advanced directly to the student, who is then responsible for record-keeping and detailed accounting of all expenditures. Delta will not pay overhead, so funds can be advanced to universities only after assurance that all funds will be directed towards the student project. If funds are funneled through a university, Delta will still require a detailed accounting of all expenditures by the student. Please note that Canada and the U.S.A. regard research grants as income - research expenses are fully deductible, but you will be taxed on your stipend. To avoid paying taxes on your grant (excluding stipend), accurate accounting is essential as the taxation office will require proof (receipts) that the grant money was used for research.

Jane Doe, Budget 2009
Nesting Ecology of Lesser Scaup
(All Funds in US $)

2010 
2011
1)  Stipend and Wages 
1 April - 30 July; (4 months X $1,200)
4,800
4,800
1 assistant from 1 May to 30 July; (3 months X $1,200)
3,600
3,600
Sub-total 
8,400
8,400
2)  Travel
HSU to Delta and back (4600 miles x $0.365)
1,679
1,679
Field work (100 miles/day x 120 days x $0.365)
4,380
4,380
Visit by advisor (excursion air)
400
0
Sub-total
6,549
6,059
3)  Feed and Care of Birds
20 decoy hens x 365 days x $0.10/day
730
730
Sub-total
730
730
4)  Non-expendable Equipment
10 Hobo Temp data loggers (@ $65)
650
0
Welded-wire for nest fences
300
0
Sub-total 
950
0
5)  Expendable Supplies
Chest waders @ $100
200
100
Telephone/Postage
100
100
Film/Developing
100
100
Binders/Photocopies/Computer Disks 
100
100
Miscellaneous
300
300
Sub-total 
800
700
Total Request From Delta
17,429
15,889
Special Equipment Requests from Delta
10 Decoy Traps (15 April-15 May)
2 Spotting Scopes (all summer)
University Support
Research Assistantship
4,500
4,500
Admissions Scholarship
750
0
Non-resident Tuition Waver
2,400
2,400
Field Supplies
500
500
8,510
7,400