The Robertson Association (TRA) announces a request for proposals prior to the March 30th meeting of the TRA Board.
Since its incorporation in 1978, TRA has supported caving through grants. We are charged with existing “exclusively for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes, including the study and science of speleology, the development of safe caving techniques and equipment, the protection of caves and their natural content, and the promotion of fellowship among those interested therein,” according to our bylaws. Recently, the grants committee has been reorganized, expanded and charged with making our mission known to more caving organizations.
For this RFP only, we are looking for numerous projects that can be accomplished with $500 or less. Deadline is March 1, 2019. Any active caving organization recognized by the NSS or TRA is eligible to request a grant. Grants must support our mission, be specific, measurable, and completed within a year. You must be willing to participate in a panel discussion of grant recipients at our annual meeting, OTR, held each Labor Day in Dailey, WV.
Since our timeline is short for this first round of funding, please provide a brief outline of your project, identify the primary leaders and fiduciary officer, a timeline, desired outcome and expectations for future impact. How many people will benefit from your project? How many people will it take to complete your project? Are you receiving funds from any other source? What amount are you requesting?
General grant categories are for projects: education, training, conservation, building landowner relationships, protecting karst areas, and scientific purposes. Other ideas may be considered. A new application form will be developed by the committee and will later be available through the TRA website, but in the interest of time, please email your request to the committee chair, Sharon Brinkman-Windle at sharon.brinkmanwindle@gmail.com. If you have questions or need clarification, I will return your call promptly if you include a phone number.