Introduction by Lita Pauw
Introduction
The Foundational Biodiversity Information Programme (FBIP) herewith launches its semi-interactive online funding proposal writing workshop.
The FBIP provides research grants to academics for the generation of knowledge related to documenting South Africa’s biodiversity, mobilisation of species occurrence or distribution data, generation of DNA barcode data that will allow identification of biological material, and compilation of descriptive information on species.
The programme provides research grants for:
- Large, collaborative and integrated team projects which align with knowledge needs, or which involve participants along the entire value chain from knowledge generation to application for decision-making. These projects will also involve postgraduate students and emerging researchers, and the up-skilling of researchers and practitioners who use the data generated.
- Small strategic projects that address key strategic gaps in data/knowledge.
Annually, the FBIP calls for proposals for research grants through the National Research Foundation (NRF) One Call for Applications for funding.
The One Call includes applications for Concept Notes for Large Grants (Review Period 1) and FBIP Small Grants (Review Period 1 & 2) which must be submitted electronically via the NRF Online Submission System.
For more information and deadlines for the NRF One Call for Applications for funding, please refer to the NRF General Application Guide 2021.
Applicants applying for FBIP grants must read the FBIP Framework and Funding Guide and FBIP Concept Note Application Instructions and/or FBIP Small Grant Application Instructions to make sure that all the essential information is submitted through the proposals.
Proposal writing guidelines
Concerns about the misalignment of proposals with FBIP objectives prompted the need for a workshop to support academics in improving the quality of their research proposals.
However, the upcoming FBIP Proposal Writing Workshop (FBIP), aimed at academics planning to submit research proposals in response to the annual FBIP/NRF Call for Small Grants and/or Large Grants, has been cancelled due to the nation-wide lock-down.
To support academics in improving the quality of their research proposals for FBIP-NRF funding, the FBIP has developed a:
BEGIN: SEMI-INTERACTIVE FBIP FUNDING PROPOSAL WRITING WORKSHOP (Content by Prof Michelle Hamer)