FAIC/Kress Conservation Publication Fellowships

Applicants should provide concrete evidence of their readiness to write a book-length manuscript that would represent a substantive contribution to the conservation literature. The applicant is expected to have completed all basic research on the proposed topic prior to the application so a publishable manuscript can be completed within the grant period.

Applicants must be current AIC members with Professional Associate or Fellow status and who are employed in educational or cultural institutions, regional centers, or private practice. (Honorary members who are also Professional Associates or Fellows are eligible.) 

Projects involving multiple authors are eligible for funding. However, no more than two authors can receive fellowship payments directly from FAIC. Authors may choose to compensate other contributors, but please note that fellowships are generally considered taxable, and fellowship payments are required to be reported to the IRS annually by FAIC.

Review the full FAIC / Kress Conservation Publication Fellowship Guidelines.

In reviewing applications, panelists consider the completeness of the application package and the following:

1. Effectiveness of the proposal at fulfilling the guiding principles;
2. Quality of information - the handling of the subject matter should be accurate, comprehensive, unbiased, and insightful;
3. Quality of writing - the ability to express complex issues in a clear and lively manner is essential. Each applicant must provide as much concrete evidence as possible of his or her ability to organize and write a full-length book within the time allotted. Submission of one or more sample chapters from the proposed are highly recommended;
4. Readiness of the applicant - previous publications in peer reviewed journals relevant to the topic and/or curricula or hand-outs developed for teaching courses will be considered evidence of the applicant's level of readiness and expertise. Applicants will be judged by their professional background and educational qualifications as well as their breadth of knowledge and experience particularly as they relate to the topic of the proposed manuscript, including the length of time the applicant has dealt with the topic; and 
5. Significance to the field and applicability of the proposed topic - these will be considered but will not be given priority over other criteria.

Applications are submitted through our online application portal. When you enter the portal, you will be prompted to login to the system using a login ID and password. If you do not have an account in the system, you can quickly set one up before you begin your application.

You can save and return to your application later to complete it. When you are satisfied with your responses, “save and finalize” to submit your application. Once the application has been submitted, you cannot return to edit the form.

Applicants will be asked to complete the following:

1. Answers to all applicable questions on the application form. For "Description of Book Manuscript," briefly summarize the project within the space provided. The "Summary of Professional Experience" section of your application should relate to the activity for which support is requested.
2. Upload a detailed description of project. Provide a full description of the project including the following:
   1. Working title and general description of the manuscript to be written including the general summary of approach/methodology of handling the subject;
   2. Need and usefulness of the information in the proposed manuscript to the conservation field (e.g., contribution it will make to the extant literature);
   3. Qualifications of applicant to write on the proposed subject, including writing skills;
   4. Proposed Table of Contents including paragraphs describing the content of each chapter;
   5. Approximate number of text pages and illustrations;
   6. Plan of work including a timetable for completion and how you would use release time to prepare a publishable book-length manuscript;
   7. The names of at least two colleagues who have agreed to review drafts of the manuscript;
   8. If the project involves multiple authors, include information on each author, evidence of their willingness to contribute to the work, and a description of your ability to manage and edit the project.
3. Evidence that you would be granted release time for the period of time specified in your application must be provided prior to distribution of grant funds; you may also include this information in the application if desired.
4. Upload a resume or Curriculum Vitae.
5. Upload writing samples. Applicants should submit a published writing sample or other evidence of their writing skills. A text of substantial length as close as possible to the style and subject matter of the proposed manuscript would be helpful to the review committee; one or more draft chapters from the project would be ideal.
6. Letters of recommendation in support of your application from two (2) conservation professionals who have reviewed your proposal. These recommendations should address the merits of your proposed project and its potential effect on the conservation field. References will upload letters directly to the application portal. Please enter the names and email addresses of your references on the Letters of Reference section of the application as soon as possible so your references have sufficient time to prepare and upload their letters before the listed deadline. Once you submit your references' information, your references will receive an email with instructions on how to upload their letter of support. Two (2) letters of support must be submitted electronically.

Note: For your application to be considered by the review committee, the entire application, including two (2) recommendations, must be received in the online portal by the listed deadline. If the date falls on a weekend, applications should be submitted by the Monday directly following the deadline.

Applications are reviewed by members of the AIC Education and Training Committee and a recommendation is made to the FAIC board for approval. Reviewers will follow the Reviewer Guidelines and an established evaluation rubric based on the criteria for review to evaluate all applications. Applicants will be notified of the results by the Review Committee within 8-10 weeks of the application deadline.

All applicants will receive a notification letter via email to notify them of the status of their application following the review. Awardees will also receive their letter via DocuSign and must sign and return their letter in order for the funding to be sent. Awards of $600 or more require a W9 form from awardees who are US residents, as these funds are subject to taxes (awardees will receive a 1099 tax form at the beginning of the calendar year for taxable funding received the previous year). Awardees within the US will receive a check in the mail shortly after the documents are submitted to FAIC. Awardees outside the US must complete a wire transfer form and the funding will be sent via wire transfer shortly after the documents are submitted to FAIC.

The Fellowship provides a $30,000 stipend for up to an 18-month period. Three (3) $10,000 payment stipends will be sent as outlined in the award notification letter, and after the signed agreement and W9 form are submitted, and funds have been received from the Kress Foundation. 

To receive the final payment, the final manuscript must be submitted no later than eighteen months after the start date.  Peer review of the chapters as the work progresses should help ensure that the content of the final manuscript meets the highest professional standards.