Guidelines

Applications are due by December 31, 2012.

The Kleinhans Fellowship supports research to better understand and improve the impacts of non-timber forest product (NTFP) harvest and marketing on rural livelihoods and tropical forest ecosystems. A successful application will outline the need for research, its potential applications and its likely impact on local communities and forest ecosystems.

Examples of potential research topics include:

  • The development of new markets for NTFPs, and/or the expansion of existing markets;
  • The development of Best Management Practices for commercial NTFPs;
  • The impacts of NTFP harvests and/or their commercialization on rural livelihoods, biodiversity or land tenure; and
  • Means of integrating NTFP harvests and timber forest management.

The Fellow will be expected to submit quarterly progress reports throughout the duration of the fellowship, and a paper suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal when the fellowship is completed. Fellows are also expected to summarize and disseminate project results in the local language to communities in and around the study area.

Geographic Focus

The Kleinhans Fellowship research area is restricted to Latin America. Applications for projects conducted in the Petén region of Guatemala or Southern Mexico are especially encouraged.

Eligibility

Applications for any tropical forest type are eligible. The successful applicant will have a master's degree in forestry, ecology, botany, environmental science or an appropriate related field. Doctoral candidates or post-doctoral researchers are preferred. Applicants may substitute relevant experience for degrees.

Award Amount

The fellowship provides a grant of $16,000 (US) per year, for two years. Please note that the Fellowship will not subsidize academic tuition and fees, nor will it cover costs of purchasing transport vehicles, or unnecessary or unreasonable equipment.

Selection

Each application will be judged on the merits of the proposal, the feasibility of the plan and the qualifications of the candidate. Judging is conducted by a panel of forestry and botany experts and tropical conservationists. The following are some of questions the committee will consider:

  • Can the research be carried out as proposed?
  • Does the investigator appear to have the necessary skills and experience to bring the research to a fruitful conclusion?
  • Is the proposal practical and is it for a project that can eventually have commercial potential?
  • Will the research help provide a livelihood for communities in and around tropical forests without causing destruction of the forests?
  • If the research is site-specific, can the methodology be adapted and applied by people in other countries?
  • Is the project new and entrepreneurial?
  • Will the research be useful to someone with no business experience and with little or no venture capital?

Application Format

There is no official application form. Completed applications must include the following (in English):

  • A proposal that cannot exceed seven (7) typed pages in length. Proposal should include an abstract, a review of the relevant literature, detailed methodology, and a discussion of the project's practical applications;
  • A budget;
  • A copy of the candidate's curriculum vitae or resume;
  • Two letters of recommendation; and
  • A list of past, current and potential funding sources for both the applicant and the project.

Applicants are required to submit their completed application in digital (electronic) form by email to Deanna Newsom at dnewsom@ra.org or by regular mail to:

Rainforest Alliance
Kleinhans Fellowship
233 Broadway
28th Floor
New York, NY 10279
United States

Please do not fax applications. Please do not send videos. Photos, maps and other visual materials are encouraged but cannot be returned.