A core mission of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) is to foster the appreciation and understanding of vertebrate fossils and fossil sites by student and avocation paleontologists, as well as the general public. To promote these ideals, The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Outreach and Education Fund offers support to our members in designing, implementing, and evaluating programs and activities focused on education and community engagement. Through this Fund, SVP hopes to capitalize on the creativity and passions of our membership to disseminate information about vertebrate paleontology that is engaging, effective, and scientifically accurate.

The subject matter of funded proposals may fall within any sub-discipline of vertebrate paleontology. Projects may include, but are not limited to, field trips for teachers and pre-college students to fossil sites or museums (virtual or in real life), educator training and curricular development, participation in local community initiatives, development of educational materials for classroom use or informal education settings, and development of websites, apps, or other technologies. Research experiences for the public (citizen science), including those in primary and secondary education, are also encouraged. Projects that produce educational materials that could be broadly distributed via the SVP website or other online resources are particularly encouraged. The Education and Outreach Committee values the development of undergraduate education and fostering research experiences, though we also recognize that SVP members’ home institutions often support such activities. As such, proposals focused broadly on undergraduate audiences should include explicit justification for why SVP resources are necessary. Proposals seeking to increase the diversity of those engaging in vertebrate paleontology, at all levels of education, are strongly encouraged.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• Applicants must be members of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology at the time of application. Graduate student applicants should provide a letter from a professional member documenting their willingness to serve as a project advisor.
• Prior recipients of the SVP Outreach and Education Award must wait one year before becoming eligible for a subsequent award (e.g., a 2020 grant recipient must wait until 2022 to submit another proposal). Prior recipients must also submit their required final report on the funded project before being eligible to apply for a subsequent award.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications to the SVP Outreach and Education Fund must include:

1. A project proposal, three to five pages in length, which must include:
   1. a project title
   2. names and contact addresses of participating personnel
   3. a brief synopsis of the project
   4. target audience (e.g., grade level, in-service teachers, the public)
   5. goals of the project
   6. project description
   7. expected outcomes (including how they will be assessed)
   8. a discussion of the significance to the scientific and/or science education community
   9. timeline
2. A detailed, itemized budget with justification of the uses of the SVP Outreach and Education Fund support. We cannot pay overhead or indirect costs. Matching funds from other sources are strongly encouraged.
3. A one page CV for each of the project personnel.
4. A letter from a professional member documenting their willingness to serve as a project advisor (only for graduate student applicants).

Applications for the 2023 Outreach and Education Award are now closed. 

QUESTIONS?

Joshua Miller, Chair, SVP Outreach & Education Committee