Awards
Judith A. Towle Environmental Studies Fund
The Judith A. Towle Environmental Studies Fund was established in 2003 at the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands in recognition of the work, interests and commitment of Judith Ann Towle in increasing environmental awareness in the Eastern Caribbean. The Fund—in perpetuity—will support studies and activities that address environmental concerns that transcend the boundaries of any single island or island state, particularly in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and in the dual-island state of St. Kitts and Nevis.
Donations of $70,000, primarily donated by the Mukti Fund, a private, U.S.-based philanthropic foundation, provided initial funding for the endowment. Judith Towle was a member of the board of trustees of the Mukti Fund from 1991-2004, serving as its chair for six of those years.
Who Is Eligible?
Any individual who is a resident of, or a not-for-profit institution based in, the U.S. or British Virgin Islands or in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis may submit a grant application.
Graduate students whose research focuses on the U.S./British Virgin Islands or St. Kitts and Nevis may also submit grant applications. Preference will be given to graduate students who are nationals of the U.S. or British Virgin Islands or of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.
What Activities Are Eligible for Funding?
The Judith A. Towle Environmental Studies Fund will provide support for:
- Internships
Sponsored by an institution of higher education, a public sector agency, or an NGO based in the U.S./British Virgin Islands or in St. Kitts/Nevis - Research studies by graduate students
Focused on transboundary environmental issues in the U.S./British Virgin Islands or in St. Kitts/Nevis - Workshops, seminars and lectureships
Sponsored by an institution of higher education, a public sector agency, or an NGO based in the U.S./British Virgin Islands or in St. Kitts/Nevis - Publications
Focused on transboundary environmental issues in the U.S./British Virgin Islands or in St. Kitts/Nevis
Application Process
Applications, not to exceed three single-spaced typed pages, should include the following information:
- Name, address, telephone number and email address of the applicant.
- Indicate how you heard about the Towle Fund.
- A brief introduction to the applicant, highlighting the applicant’s qualifications for undertaking the proposed project.
- Description of the proposed activity, including who will do what within what timeframe, and what are the anticipated accomplishments, results or products of the activity.
- Assessment of how the proposed activity furthers the overall goal of the Towle Environmental Studies Fund.
- Amount of money requested and how it will be expended.
- Names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of 3 persons familiar with the applicant’s work and accomplishments and who could be contacted for additional information.
Attachments which support the application (for example, press clippings, testimonials, copies of publications, and letters of endorsement) may be provided in addition to the 3-page application but are not required and cannot be returned.
Grant Award
One or more grants will be made annually, not to exceed a total of $3,500 in any single year.
Grant Criteria
The annual grant award will be based on an assessment of how well the applicant has met some or all of the following:
- The potential of the proposed project to promote a more integrated approach to the study of shared environmental issues in either:
- the U.S. and British Virgin Islands (a shared marine ecosystem separated by a political boundary), or
- St. Kitts and Nevis (one political entity comprising two contrasting and separate islands).
- How successfully the proposed project identifies, examines, and disseminates information about an environmental issue, development impact, or resource management strategy that transcends the boundaries of a single island.
- The project’s capacity to increase public awareness about conservation and environmental issues that transcend single-island boundaries or single-island solutions.
- The potential of the project to contribute to solutions for transboundary environmental problems that threaten long-term ecological sustainability among islands or island groups sharing common or similar ecosystems.
Application Submission
The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands is currently accepting applications for 2007. Please forward your application to:
Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands
Attention: Dee Baecher-Brown, President
Post Office Box 11790, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 00801
Telephone: 340-774-6031 t Fax: 340-774-3852
Email: dbrown@cfvi.net t www.cfvi.net
