APPLICATIONS SOUGHT FOR 2020 SPECIAL PROJECT GRANTS

The purpose of the APS Special Projects Program is to stimulate activities that promote knowledge and appreciation of Penstemons. The Society is particularly interested in funding projects that: 

1) Promote conservation of Penstemon species in the wild, especially rare or sensitive ones, through understanding of factors that affect their survival, or

2) Promote appreciation for the diversity and beauty of Penstemons in wild and domestic landscapes, through horticultural research, dissemination of information of interest to gardeners, or the construction or enhancement of educational display gardens.

All applicants must be current members of APS, and may join APS for the purpose of submitting a proposal. Maximum award amount is $1000; in the past three years, awards have ranged from $100 to $1000. Awards are not intended to pay wages or travel to meetings. The number of successful awards in any year will be determined by the number of high quality proposals, value of the awards, and the annual budget. Awardees are required to submit a final project report, due one year after the award is made, and provide either an article for the newsletter or the Journal, or an oral presentation at an annual meeting.

Proposal Format
Proposals should not exceed five pages, and must follow this format:
1. Project name
2. Name and contact information of submitter(s)
3. Requested funding amount
4. Objective of the project
5. Background and rationale
6. Proposed methods and timeline
7. Itemized budget
8. Description of submitters’ qualifications

Submit proposals to Dorothy Tuthill via email (dtuthill@uwyo.edu [3]) or mail (Biodiversity Institute, Dept. 4304, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071) no later than March 30, 2020. Receipt of proposals will be acknowledged by email, and successful awardees will be notified no later than April 30, with disbursements made in early May.

Graduate student scholarship grant

In addition to the program described above, we are pleased to announce a new program for graduate students researching Penstemon related topics, with a maximum award of $2000. Full details of this program, including instructions for proposal submission, are available at www.penstemons.org/index.php/grants [4].

More information about the American Penstemon Society can be found at www.Penstemons.org [5].