Grant Application | Grant Guidelines
The Western Region maintains funds for sponsoring cave conservation and speleological research in the Western Region. The funds are awarded competitively to individual members or grottos of the Region. The grants are intended to be used for projects within the Region (California, Oregon, Nevada) but will be considered for projects elsewhere when organized and principally conducted by members of the Region.
Grants may be made up to twice per year. An individual award may be as much as $500. Grants in excess of $500 must be approved by the Regional Council of the Western Region. Funds are intended for expenses unique to projects, not for routine caving expenses. Examples of unique expenses are construction materials, instrumentation, scientific supplies, film, or printing. Routine expenses not covered are transportation costs, phone bills, food, or caving equipment.
Successful grant recipients are expected to publish an account of their project in the California Caver. Research grantees should submit a summary of their proposal once it is accepted then submit an article detailing the results of the project. Conservation grantees should submit an article on their project within a year of the completion of the project.
Grant recipients have accomplished both conservation and research projects. Conservation grants have been used to publish informational handouts on cave conservation and protection. Research grants have funded the purchase of equipment to measure cave temperatures and cave visitation. Another grant helped to fund the study of cave spiders. Many more projects are possible.
Contact the current grant chair at: grants@nsswest.org. You may contact the grant chair to submit an application, application, to find out more, or to make a tax deductible donation the grant fund. Please show “Western Region Grant Fund” in the subject line.