AFO is proud to offer multiple research and career achievement awards through our Bergstrom and Skutch memorial funds. Awards are offered for field researchers at all stages of their career. Information is available for each program below.
PLEASE NOTE: beginning in 2024, the grant programs have been reorganized and expanded in an effort to make more funds available to researchers, as well as honor the wishes of those who established the grant endowments. Materials for these restructured programs are currently being developed, so please bookmark this page to revisit for updates.
If you would like to help support these initiatives, we invite you to make a donation today.
Grant Programs
E. Alexander Bergstrom Memorial Research Grant
The Bergstrom Grant is designed to promote field studies of birds by helping to support research or analyses. Special consideration will be given to proposals dealing with avian life history, the use of data collected all or in part by avocational ornithologists, or that employ bird banding or other marking techniques. This grant opportunity is open to researchers in North America.
For more information: CLICK HERE
Skutch Research Grant
The Skutch Research Grant is a new award beginning in 2024, and is similar to the Bergstrom Memorial Research Grant for researchers based in Latin America that was offered through 2023. It is designed to promote field studies of birds by helping to support research or analyses. This grant opportunity is open to researchers based in Latin America.
For more information: CLICK HERE
Skutch Keystone Grant
The Skutch Keystone Grant for Studies in Avian Natural History is offered annually by the Association of Field Ornithologists. The Fund is intended to support the study of life histories, especially social relations and reproduction, of little known birds of the Continental Neotropics including Trinidad and Tobago, with a minimum of disturbance.
For more information: CLICK HERE
Career Achievement Awards
Alexander F. Skutch Medal
The Skutch Medal recognizes career accomplishments, particularly in, although not limited to, research relating to life history studies of Neotropical birds. Criteria may include encouragement and mentoring of students, particularly Latin Americans, and making research accessible to the public through popular publications, as well as publishing work in scientific journals.
For more information: CLICK HERE
In addition to the research and career achievement awards, AFO also offers a number of awards annually to students and early-career professionals, as well as sponsored memberships for students and researchers based in Latin America:
- Travel awards
- Caregiver awards (new in 2024; more information coming soon)
- Presentation awards
- Award for Best Student Publication
- Sponsored Membership
