The Annetta Carter Memorial Fund honors Annetta Carter, who devoted the last 40 years of her life to studying the Baja California flora. Her special interests were floristics, history, biogeography, and Sierra de la Giganta ethnobotany.

Eligibility

Members of the California Botanical Society who are conducting or proposing to conduct botanical research on the green plants of Baja California are eligible for the Annetta Carter Memorial Fund Grant. Research within Baja California is eligible for this grant. However, studies outside Baja California will also be considered if they address questions directly related to Baja California.

Preference will be given to applicants who can demonstrate that they have or will obtain necessary permits before the grant is awarded and, for foreign scientists proposing fieldwork in Mexico, they are collaborating with local scientists. This award is not limited to United States citizen status.

Funding

Funds for research travel, supplies, and minor equipment may be requested. Requests for major equipment (>$500) will not be considered. Projects should be designed to produce a professional publication in a scholarly journal, preferably Madroño. The proposed budget should not exceed $1,000, and applicants are encouraged to prioritize budget items as only partial funding may be available.

Requests for travel funding should adhere to the following guidelines:

1. Land transportation in private vehicles should be stated in mileage, using the IRS business rate per mile, and
2. While in Baja, a maximum per diem of $100 for lodging and $50 for food will be awarded. For travel within the U.S., estimates for actual expenses should be made (meal allowance may not exceed $50/day).

Previous recipients of Annetta Carter Fund awards should include an additional brief (one page or less) summary of work accomplished with prior support. Progress on previously funded research and evidence of an effort to seek external funding will be considered favorably in reviewing proposals.

How to Apply

Application Materials:

• Application
• Resume or CV
• Project Proposal (500 words max, not including figures, tables, and references)
• Budget and justification (2000 characters max or ~ 300 words)
  • The budget should use the categories of travel, supplies, and other, with a brief description justifying the expenses in each category.
• Progress Report (500 words max; only for previous applicants who are reapplying for additional funding)

Review Process

A panel will review completed applications using the following criteria:

• Scientific merit (80%). This includes the feasibility of the study, including the acquisition of necessary permits, the adequacy of methods for addressing the key hypothesis or study question, and applicability to Baja California botany.
• Broader impacts (20%). These include collaboration with Mexican scientists (if work in Mexico is proposed), outreach/mentoring, involvement of underrepresented groups, broad dissemination of results, and conservation implications.

All applicants will receive decisions on their proposals within 2 months of the application deadline. Limited comments from the review panel will be provided via email.

Award Acknowledgement

Recipients of grants should acknowledge the Annetta Carter Memorial Fund of the California Botanical Society in any publications or presentations that result from research, travel, or equipment supported by the grant. Awardees are asked to contribute a short summary of their proposal to Nemophila, the Society’s online newsletter. Recipients are also encouraged (but not required) to publish their results in Madroño.

FAQs

If you have any questions, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Revised 2025.3