Applications will be reviewed by an expert selection committee composed of individuals
from the Audubon network and other organizations representing a wide variety of
fields including conservation planning, evaluation, science, education, social marketing,
and conservation biology.
Each proposal will be scored and ranked using the following criteria:
1. Project Description and Link to TogetherGreen Conservation Goals
Successful proposals will clearly outline how the project will engage people and
achieve measurable conservation results that contribute to one or more of the conservation goals of the TogetherGreen Program—Habitat/Land,
Water, Energy.
Given the diversity of organizations and capacity throughout the Audubon network,
we know that some projects will be designed to achieve measurable conservation results
within one year; others will be targeting the actions of participants with the intention
of achieving measurable conservation results in the future. And some will focus
on both behavior change and measurable conservation results. All successful proposals
will need to articulate what conservation issues are being addressed, how those
issues are related to the TogetherGreen conservation
goals, and how the proposed project will address those issues. (For more
on “people measures,” see frequently answered questions and the
Conservation Planning Guide.)
2. Innovation and Strategic Impact
Proposed projects should seek to advance the field of conservation by creatively
using innovative and strategic approaches to achieve community-based conservation
results. How will the project help move our thinking ahead in conservation? What
will the impact be beyond your community and this project? Will the results yield
new thinking in how we grapple with an issue or expand our reach and impact? We
are defining innovation as a new or better idea, practice, product, process, or
strategy that adds value to conservation and more effectively achieves the
conservation goals of this program. Innovation can include creative methods
for planning, implementing, and/or evaluating programs; the application of new technologies
or ideas for improving current technologies; creative ways of engaging new audiences,
and new ways to evaluate success. You should describe why you think your project
is innovative and how it will have strategic impact on conservation practice.
3. Diversity and Reach
Audubon believes that a diverse conservation constituency is essential to conservation
success and a sustainable future. TogetherGreen is designed to reach under-represented*
audiences, as well as new audiences to increase the diversity and number of people
taking part in conservation action. We are looking for projects that strive to do
both: engage diverse and under-represented audiences, as well as target large numbers
of individuals.
How will the project broaden opportunities and engage targeted citizens, including
under-represented communities? Which under-represented audiences will your project
target? And how many participants will be reached directly and indirectly?
*In this project we are defining under-represented participants as those who have
traditionally not been a part of the conservation movement and who have not had
opportunities to connect with nature or take part in conservation actions. Under-represented
audiences include people of color and low-income families, as well as those environmental
stakeholders who have not considered themselves part of the conservation movement.
4. Evaluation strategy
How will the project’s success be measured? Evaluation plans will be scored based
on the indicators selected by grantees to measure conservation and “people” outcomes
and the methods proposed to track them. The indicators should link directly to the
conservation goals of the TogetherGreen program.
The goals, outcomes, and indicators should be specific, measurable, and achievable
within the timeframe of the grant. The methods for tracking selected indicators
should be clearly articulated, methodologically sound, and realistic given staff
resources (staff and funding).
The application contains a link to a Conservation Planning Guide to help you think
more carefully about the design of your evaluation strategy. If your proposal is
selected for funding, we will work with you to refine the targets, threats, and
metrics to most effectively assess conservation results. In addition, we will work
with all funded grantees to finalize metrics and create consistent measures that
will allow for the collective evaluation of TogetherGreen’s success.
5. Project Budget
Is the project’s budget realistic? Are budget categories and justifications clear
and detailed? Have matching funds secured and/or in-kind support identified? Please
complete the budget narrative and worksheet as part of the application.
6. Project Team, Qualifications and Roles
How capable is the applicant? Does the project team have the collective experience,
education, and training to successfully implement the project? The application should
describe relevant previous experience on projects that have resulted in measurable
conservation results.
7. Partner Organization/s
Each applicant must identify at least one partner organization (local, regional,
national, or international) that will play a meaningful role in the proposed project.
What will be the role and degree of participation of each partner organization?
What qualifications does each partner organization have to perform this role and
add value to the project? Partners can include, but are not limited to, other non-profit
organizations, businesses, government agencies, and universities.
8. Sustainability/Replicability
If appropriate, describe how this project will be sustained beyond the grant period
including additional funding, staff resources, or partnerships. If this is designed
to be a one-year project, does it provide a replicable model that might be used
in other communities or by other organizations?
9. Risk and Challenges
Every project involves risk. Please describe the major risks and challenges you
anticipate facing in achieving your goals, and your strategies for overcoming the
challenges. Explain how you factored risk into your project plan.
The application will also ask for background information about your organization
and a general timeline.