Birds of Indiana by Mumford and Keller.
The Mumford and Keller Grant/Scholarship Program is used to award funds to individuals and organizations seeking funding for activities related to Indiana’s natural resources, particularly those related to Indiana’s avifauna, that-promote the Indiana Audubon Society’s mission. This program was created in 2010, and receives annual funding from the Indiana Audubon Society annual budget, as well as proceeds from the Indiana Dunes Birding Festival silent auction and raffle. Competitive funds are set aside in the following categories:
● Individuals who are students, scientists, individuals, or non-profit organizations, that are promoting a project that supports the study of natural resources, particularly those related to Indiana’s avifauna, and their relation to the natural environment; projects which contribute to preservation of birds; and/or projects which disseminate knowledge of birds. Priority is given to Indiana and Great Lakes projects.
●Individuals interested in birds and wish to attend summer camps, workshops, classes, training programs, conventions, and other bird related activities (both IAS sponsored and non-IAS sponsored). This category of awards is of particular interest for the Indiana Audubon Society’s Indiana Young Birders Network.
●Individuals wishing to attend workshops, classes, training programs, conventions, and other bird related activities (both IAS sponsored and non-IAS sponsored).
●Indiana Audubon is prioritizing projects that aid in conservation, research, or education efforts for 20 priority species with the highest percentage of worldwide population nesting in Indiana, as identified by eBird status and trend datasets. View the list of species here. Additionally, funding is prioritized for wintering locations that share unique species connections with Indiana. View the species connection map here.
Some past award recipients include:
- Bethany Land Institute 2022. Institute staff will provide binoculars for the Lazarus Tree Project in Uganda, promoting natural areas and bird study.
- Humane Indiana Wildlife 2022. Funding will provide training within the National Rehabbers Association conference.
- Richmond Parks & Recreation 2022. Owl and bat boxes are being constructed and installed throughout the city park system.
- Institute for Bird Populations 2022. Wintering neotropic bird survival is being funded and studied at the Momotombo Volcano in Nicaraugua (MoSi)
- Eagle Creek Ornithology Center 2022. Staff will continue specialized educational raptor training for workshops and events at the park.
- Dunes Calumet Audubon 2022. Funds will support northwest Indiana heron rookery surveys using drone technology.
- Birds, Skulls, & Feathers. Indiana Young Birders Club- North Chapter. Educational interactive materials. The activities provided will engage young birders at booths and monthly events.
- Workshop at Natural Encounters, Inc. –Contemporary Animal Training & Management. $1000. Jemma McElroy. State-of-the-Art hands-on course will update the skills of the Assistant Manager at Eagle Creek Ornithology Center.
- Field Guides for Farm Kids. (DNR). Twenty Kauffman Bird ID Guides will be distributed to farm youth to encourage birding as a way to preserve habitats for birds like the Loggerhead Shrike.
- Birding Eco-tourism Interpretive Signs. Lifer Nature Tours and National System of Conservation Areas of Costa Rica will place signs that describe the conservation of the area and the migration story of birds from North America.
- The Value of Small Birds. Funds given to encourage production of an educational power point presentation to groups in Northern Indiana.
- Equipment and materials to establish avian pollinator field study at Wabash Middle School
- Assist Sassafras Audubon Society with funding to establish a MOTUS Tower at Goose Pond FWA
Application Deadline is August 15th each year.
