Jean and Dick Grove Conservation Grant

Award objectives

• Have clear aims and objectives with the potential to make a sustainable impact for geoconservation;
• If applicable, consider a long term plan for the geoconservation outcome;
• Have a structure in place to evaluate and review the success and impact of the project;
• Have a structure in place for disseminating the outcomes of the project as widely as possible (e.g. by writing the project up in Quaternary Newsletter and/or Earth Heritage Magazine and/or via a QRA field meeting, conference or workshop).

Applying for a Geoconservation Award

Completed QRA Geoconservation Award application forms must be submitted electronically. Please note that:

• Repeat requests for sponsorship will be considered but there is no guarantee that repeat requests will be funded;
• Retrospective applications will not normally be considered;
• We are happy to co-sponsor/be one of many funders;
• Eligible projects should normally be based in the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland). For projects overseas please contact that country’s Quaternary research society in the first instance for advice on potential funding opportunities;
• We are happy to consider applications for follow-up funding to previously funded projects. However, applicants should not assume that follow-up funding will automatically be forthcoming, and we recommend discussing potential follow-up funding with the QRA Conservation Officer prior to submitting an application;
• Applicants should normally be members of the QRA. If this is not the case please state the reason (e.g. an organisation is applying), and give names of QRA members who are involved in or are being consulted about the project;
• Approved QRA field meetings are entitled to receive a QRA Meetings award that can be used for conservation work including site clearance. If additional funds are required for conservation work in connection with a QRA field meeting, a Geoconservation Award can be applied for in addition to a QRA Meetings award;
• Applicants must comply with all of the relevant Health and Safety requirements and must ensure the relevant permissions are in place for site based works (e.g. SSSI and/or Scheduled Monument consent from the relevant conservation agency for designated sites, landowner permission etc.). Please attach any method statements/applications for consent for works on designated sites;
• The offer of an award normally remains in place for two years. At the end of two years any award not claimed will normally be withdrawn;
• The usual 12 month moratorium on further applications does not apply, i.e. recipients of QRA Geoconservation Awards are not precluded from applying for other QRA Awards e.g. Quaternary Research Fund;
• If outreach, education or interpretation is part of the same project, a joint application can be made for a QRA Geoconservation Award and a QRA Outreach Award. Please contact the QRA Geoconservation Officer and the QRA Outreach Officer for advice.

Obligations for award recipients

• Use the QRA logo on all materials, and acknowledge the QRA at all events. A high resolution version of the QRA logo is available from the QRA Conservation Officer;
• Disseminate the outcome of the conservation work. This could be via an event (e.g. a meeting, workshop or QRA field meeting), and/or via a publication (e.g. in Earth Heritage Magazine, Quaternary Newsletter etc.).
• Discuss any events with the QRA Conservation Officer, so that we can help with advertising using Quaternary Newsletter, the QRA website and the QRA email newsletter. Proposals for running QRA field or other meetings are particularly welcome;
• Comply with all of the relevant Health and Safety requirements for site based work, including any local requirements stipulated by the landowner/site operator, for example in quarries. Comply with any other requirements, for example the relevant requirements for obtaining and adhering to consent for work on designated sites, planning requirements for signage etc.;
• Produce a short report on the outcomes of the project, which includes relevant documentary evidence (e.g. photos) of the conservation outcome funded by the QRA. This can take the form of a short article summarising the project which is suitable for publication in Quaternary Newsletter and/or Earth Heritage Magazine. This must be submitted to the QRA Conservation Officer within 3 months of the project end;
• Produce a brief statement of accounts showing how the QRA funding was spent (if different to the original application). This must be submitted to the QRA Conservation Officer within 3 months of the project end.

Conservation information and good practice

Examples of projects: