OREGON FUND FOR ORNITHOLOGY

The Oregon Birding Association is pleased to announce the availability of grants of up to $1,000 each for projects that align with our mission to further knowledge, education, enjoyment and science about birds and birding in Oregon.

Three grants of up to $1,000 each will be offered in each of two application periods each year. Application deadlines for the two grant cycles are February 1 and August 1 each year.  Applications will be reviewed and selections made at the OBA Board meeting that follows each application deadline (typically in March and September). To allow opportunities for a variety of projects, successful applicants with continuing projects may not apply during the next grant cycle but may apply again after that.

Please see the application form for submission instructions.

For questions about grants, please contact us.

History of the Fund

The Oregon Fund for Ornithology was established in 1988 by Oregon Field Ornithologists’ (now OBA) Board of Directors. Here is how they described it:

Earmarked monies will be set aside in the Fund for worthwhile projects related to the purposes of OBA, to be dedicated at the Board’s discretion. Examples could include special publications, improvements in Oregon Birds, ornithological research projects, etc. Establishment of the Fund was made possible by generous donations from Medford birder Otis Swisher, who is also a past OBA President. All donations are tax-deductible. A handy check box will be added to OBA subscription and ordering forms to make it easy to earmark contributions to the Fund.

Donate to the Fund

1) By PayPal




2) By check

Mail your check to:
OBA Fund for Ornithology
PO Box 675
Lincoln City, OR 97367

Recent Awards

Since  2015, grants have been awarded to:

2023

  • Cascades Raptor Center, for their Raptor Conservation Project in Lane County Communities
  • Lower Nehalem Community Trust, for their Lower Nehalem Migratory Bird Festival (report)

2022

  • Harney County Migratory Bird Festival, for community engagement projects
  • HawkWatch International, for a new Banding Blind on Bonney Butte (report)
  • Scappoose High School Birding Club, for their Young Birders Fund
  • Institute for Applied Ecology, for the Aves Compartidas project, a school partnership
  • Klamath Bird Observatory, for projects to make the birding community more inclusive

2021

  • Oregon State University’s “Bird with Fish” project, an Oregon coast community science endeavor
  • Dr. Paul Adamus, for a travel grant program to cover Oregon’s Breeding Bird Survey Routes
  • Vesper Meadow Education Program, for the Vesper Video Education Series (report)
  • Samantha DeJarnett, for the Always Be Birdin’ Podcast (report)
  • Institute for Applied Ecology, for the Aves Compartidas project, a school partnership (report, blog)

2020

  • Friends of Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area (La Grande) for a project on migration and distribution patterns of Sandhill Cranes captured at Ladd Marsh (report).
  • Kalmiopsis Audubon to support the Little Birders Nature Camp.
  • Malheur Field Station to build an observation blind (photos).
  • Friends of Haystack Rock for the Haystack Rock “Virtual Field Trip” (report and photos).

2019

  • Matt Hunter, for research on Meadow sizes used by Lincoln’s Sparrows in the Cascades of the Umpqua Basin.
  • Alan Contreras, for development of a History of Oregon Ornithology book.
  • Institute of Applied Ecology, for the Classrooms Across Borders project.
  • Dr. Kurt Trzcinski and Dr. Matt Orr for research on elevational range limits and interspecies correlations in bird diversity and abundance along an elevation gradient in central Oregon.

2018

2017

  • Deschutes National Forest for replacement equipment and supplies for 2 MAPS stations
  • Oregon Institute of Marine Biology for display cases for taxidermy bird mounts
  • Hawk Watch International to support raptor trapping and banding at Bonney Butte Raptor Migration Site
  • Kalmiopsis Audubon for creation and operation of the Kalmiopsis Audubon Little Birders Club
  • Rogue Valley Audubon Society for placement of 4 Great Gray Owl nest platforms in the southern Cascades. The last 2 Great Grey Owl nest platforms had been built and were scheduled to go up in the fall of 2019.
  • Umpqua Valley Audubon Society for printing an updated Birding Map of Douglas County.

2016

  • Azalea Middle School (Brookings) Birding Club for field trips
  • Toledo Jr/Sr High School to help fund the course “Oregon Birds”
  • Friends of Ladd Marsh (La Grande) to help fund Sandhill Crane satellite data collection
  • Oregon State University Bird Nerds to help fund their Spring 2016 field trip to SE Oregon

2015

  • Mildred Kanipe Memorial Park near Oakland, Oregon, to screen vent pipes on restrooms
  • Oregon State University’s “Bird with Fish” project, an Oregon coast community science endeavor
  • Dr. Paul Adamus, for a travel grant program to cover Oregon’s Breeding Bird Survey Routes