Sources of Funding for Digitization
and Georeferencing
Natural History Collections
Presentation and
Discussion
HerpNET Current Sources
US National Science Foundation
 GBIF DIGIT Seed Grant
 Supplementary Funds
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Sources of funds for digitizing
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Volunteer and Student programs:
- HerpNET uses URAP (Undergraduate
Research Apprentice Program) – 38
volunteers since 2003
- Students obtain class credit and gain some
experience in a research atmosphere
- Are there students from local universities that
could volunteer each semester?
GBIF DIGIT Seed Grant
2007-2008 approximately 400K€
budgeted for seed money program
 Formulation of target groups etc. will be
determined through a consultative
process early 2007
 Request for proposals mid-2007
 Funding available early 2008
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Efficiency and cost effectiveness of
data capture
Industrialized workflow process
 Imaging of labels
 Using appropriate skill level for each
task
 Built in quality control checking
 Georeferencing
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GBIF National Nodes
80% of GBIF related investment is
expected to be provided at the National
Level
 By signing GBIF MOU National
Governments have made a commitment
to invest
 Examples: Belgium, Canada,
Netherlands, and others

Belgium Call for Expression of Interest
2nd Biodiversity Platform Digitization Project Call
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Deadline Jan. 16, 2007
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Targeted at small well curated collections
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40000 € available
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http://www.biodiversity.be/News/digitization-projects-2007
Global Biodiversity Information Facility
Policies on Open Access to biodiversity data
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In light of the importance of mobilizing biodiversity
data around the world, the GBIF Governing Board
made a recommendation to research councils,
funding agencies and private foundations on Open
Access to biodiversity data (January 2006) to:
 Promote that species and specimen level data and
associated metadata that are generated in funded
projects are made publicly available through
mechanisms cooperating with GBIF, within a
specified period after completion of the supported
research.
Convention on Biological Diversity
Decision VIII/11. Scientific and technical cooperation and the clearinghouse mechanism
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Paragraph 3. Invites Parties and other
Governments, as appropriate, to provide
free and open access to all past, present
and future public-good research results,
assessments, maps and databases on
biodiversity, in accordance with national
and international legislation;
Possible Sources in Europe and
Other Countries ?
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Your countries GBIF node
Societas Europeae Herpetologica
Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles
Synthesys
Your countries’ scientific funding agency
EU directly – Inspire, LifeWatch
2010
In-house matching funds along with
volunteers from local universities (biology and
geography students)
Leverage Funds from Available
Resources:
By putting your institutions’ data online
through HerpNET and GBIF, this shows the
scientific worth and accessibility of these
collections to the public, shows your
commitment
 Use these national and international
connections to improve chances of obtaining
funds (CAS, MCZ, UCSB, MVZ are doing
this).
 A limited amount of digitizing and
georeferencing can open doors to obtaining
further funding
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Discussion:
What sources of funding or volunteers
available in your country?
 How much digitizing/georeferencing
have your completed so far?
 Do you have servers already available
to help these connections?
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