Applicant Statement
Applicant introduces her/himself/themself to the scholarship review team. Why is s/he/they applying for this scholarship/fellowship/research grant/internship, and how will it help further her/his/their career?
Education and Volunteer Activities
Does the applicant have the appropriate educational background (and volunteer activities, if relevant) to conduct the proposed activity?
Project Summary
The summary is a succinct description of the project. It should include:
Project Objectives
Can be bullet point objectives but should be clear in presenting the goals of the project and/or the hypotheses being tested, and how they directly relate to the description of the award.
Project Methods
Applicant should specify methods s/he/they will use to achieve each objective.This section should clearly describe HOW the applicant will do the proposed activity.
Project Budget
Applicant should detail and justify how grant will be spent. If project budget exceeds the stated award amount, source of funds for expenses not covered by grant should be indicated. This section can be a list of the supplies, or the expenses for field work, or other costs for doing the proposed project. The grant can NOT be used for salary, living expenses (except for field work),tuition, dive training, basic dive gear, or prior incurred expenses.
Other Financial Assistance
Does the applicant have other financial assistance for the proposed activity? If yes, does the applicant clearly explain how the financial assistance doesn't overlap with the requested funds?
Project Outcomes and Applications
Does the applicant explain how s/he/they will determine if the proposed objectives have been achieved? Is there a plan for disseminating or applying the results of the project? This is a very important component of the application. If applicable, does the applicant include a plan for how the results of the activity will be used by stakeholders and/or how results will be disseminated?
Letter of Recommendation from Recommender #1
This letter must be from applicant's supervisor, preferably on official letterhead stationery.
The supervisor should cite specific reasons why applicant is a good candidate, including her/his likelihood of successfully completing the proposed project within 18 months (i.e., by August 25, 2026).
Letter of Recommendation from Recommender #2
This letter should be from someone who is also familiar with the project the applicant is proposing, preferably on official letterhead stationery. The recommender should cite specific reasons why applicant is a good candidate, including her/his likelihood of successfully completing the proposed project within 18 months (i.e., by August 31, 2026).
Applicant Statement
Applicant's introduction to the grant review team. If a student, applicant should state what s/he/they are studying and her/his/their career aspirations. If employed, what kind of work does the applicant do? The applicant should include anything about her/himself/themself, especially as it relates to her/his/their interest in diving.
Why does the applicant want to learn to dive?
Applicant should explain why s/he/they want to learn to dive or increase their dive training certification as well as how s/he/they plan to use these new diving skills. Does the applicant convey her/his/their passion for wanting to learn to dive or increase dive skills?
Why does the applicant need a grant?
We know that this is a no-brainer: it's expensive to take dive classes and to buy dive gear. Why does applicant need the funds? In school? Paying tuition? Supporting her/his family? We don't need personal details--just a general idea of why applicant can't pay for the training without this grant. Note that if the applicant wants to travel to an exotic location for the training, the evaluator should question how the applicant can afford to travel, but not afford to pay for the dive training.
What dive course(s) will the applicant take?
This should be a specific response, along with the cost of the course(s) and the date(s) that the applicant plans to take the course(s). The award must be used by August 31, 2026 (i.e., 18 months after the award).
What dive gear will the applicant purchase?
This should be detailed--with the cost for each item and cannot exceed the dollar limit for the particular grant (usually $500). Cameras are not allowed, except for the Advanced Dive Training – Underwater Photography Grant. If the gear exceeds stated limit (usually $500), the applicant should indicate the source of funds to pay for the amount greater than the award.
Letters of recommendation
The two letters of recommendation cite specific reasons why applicant is a good candidate. The recommenders should comment on the applicant's ability to complete the proposed training by August 31, 2026. IF THE LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION IS NOT UPLOADED BY THE RECOMMENDER BY 5:00 PM NEW YORK TIME ON OCTOBER 31, 2024, THE APPLICATION WILL NOT BE REVIEWED.