Mini-Grants 2026

[allison...@gmail.com]

Hello Mini-Grants Committee!

The application window for the 2026 mini-grant season is officially closed. We have 11 applicants with proposals totaling approximately $9,200. As a reminder, we only have the funds for $7,500, so there are some proposals that may be only partially funded, or not funded at all.

Please take the next two weeks to read over the applications! They're already uploaded to our Mini-Grants Google Drive (link here). The folder is labeled "2026 Applications" with all the PDF applications inside.

This year I'm asking committee members to email me your rankings (1-11, with 1 being the highest priority to fund), and I will put them in our spreadsheet. Lowest cumulative score is awarded the overall #1 spot, and so on. This way the rankings will be done blindly. Once everyone has sent them in or we arrive at January 31st (whichever comes first), I'll send out the sheet to everyone for review.

Let's plan to meet virtually one evening during the first week of February (2-6). If no one has prior conflicts, we could maybe plan on meeting at 7 pm via Zoom on Wednesday Feb 4th? We will review the disbursement of funds amongst the applicants during this meeting, and it also a time for any committee member to advocate for (or against) any particular applications. We'll need to have our results to report to the board at our next meeting on February 9th. Please let me know if that date works and I'll set up the Zoom meeting.

Let me know if you have any other questions, and happy reading!

Allison

COA Mini-Grants Chair

[Allison Black]

Hi all,

A few things to keep in mind as you read through our Mini-Grant Applications:

1. We have a number of new applicants this year, as well as a couple previous awardees. Please see below for applicant history. Our guidelines state that preference will be given to new applicants, and grant awards may be limited to two consecutive years per applicant.

2. Which leads me to my next point...We'll need to decide what to do about Roaring Brook. They have been awarded a grant consecutively for the last 3 years, and 4 times since 2019.

3. Flander's Nature Center & Land Trust asked for $1125, and our limit is $1,000 per organization.

4. For the grant proposals that involve nest boxes our guidelines state, "Proposals for nesting or roosting boxes of any kind must include a list of planned measures to be taken for maintenance and for predator exclusion. Examples include baffles, hole guards, extra boxes for House Sparrows, etc. Proposals should also demonstrate an understanding of nest box requirements and appropriate placement for said species."

Click here for the link to our guidelines web page, in case you wanted to review them.

This year's applicant status:

Great Hollow Nature Preserve ($1,000): Previously awarded $1000 in 2018 and $500 in 2017.
H5N1 Prevention Initiative ($500): New applicant (discussed at 12/8 board meeting).
Southbury Land Trust ($1,000): Previously awarded $1000 in 2024.
Old Saybrook Land Trust ($1,000): New applicant.
Steep Rock Association ($850): New applicant.
CAS RTPEC ($1,000): Previously awarded $750 in 2024.
Flander's Nature Center & Land Trust ($1,125): New applicant.
Sacred Heart University ($1,000): New applicant.
Tom Baptist ($300): New applicant.
Columbia University ($1,000): New applicant.
Roaring Brook Nature Center ($500): Previously awarded $500 in 2025, $500 in 2024, $1000 in 2023, and $500 in 2019.

As always, if you have any questions/comments/concerns, please let me know! Looking forward to working with you all through this process! (And let me know if that Zoom date works for you).

Thank you,

Allison

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[Peter Grund]

Thanks, Allison! I look forward to taking a look. I unfortunately have a conflict on Wed. Feb. 4, but I could do the Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday evening of that week.

Thanks,

Peter

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[Corey Leamy]

Hi All,

Allison, thanks for those breakdowns. Helpful to know which are new applicants.

I could do Monday, February 2nd or Thursday, February 5th.

Cheers,

Corey

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/coa-minigrants/1171457319.1575160.1768832968031%40mail.yahoo.com.

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Corey A. Leamy
Assistant Operations Manager, Ocean Surveys, Inc

Secretary, Connecticut Ornithological Association
leamy...@gmail.com | (860) 878-2645

[allison...@gmail.com]

Hi All,

I hope everyone is staying safe and warm through this doozy of a storm! I just wanted to send a reminder to please get your rankings to me by the end of the week, if you haven't already done so.

Also, would Thursday Feb 5th at 7pm work for everyone instead of the 4th? Let me know, and I'll send out a Zoom link if so.

Thanks,

Allison

[Corey Leamy]

Hi All,

Feb 5 @ 7pm would work for me.

Solid 11” here in Chester before the heavier stuff started to compact it down. Stay warm!

Cheers,

Corey

Sent from Somewhere in Connecticut 

On Jan 25, 2026, at 21:46, Allison...@gmail.com wrote:

Hi All,

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[Michael Audette]

Allison, 

Feb 2 or Feb 4 would work for me.  Regarding the rankings and doing a cumulative score, I would recommend that whatever the average score is for the Flanders proposal, you add that number (for me) to the other scores, that way there will be no bias and you will have an equal number of votes.

Michael

On Sat, Jan 17, 2026 at 8:02 PM allison...@gmail.com <allison...@gmail.com> wrote:

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Michael G. Audette

371 Carter Road

Thomaston, CT 06787

[Abby Sesselberg]

The 5th works for me.

-Abby

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[melissa baston]

Hi Allison,

Any date works for me.  Are there new guidelines regarding funding for nest boxes?  I know we talked about specific species (swifts and Barn Owls), but don't remember if something was added for other species, if they had to prove the boxes would be monitored and maintained in the future??

Thank you,

Melissa

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[Michael Audette]

Allison,

Here is my ranking of the proposals (minus the Flanders request).  You can take the cumulative score of the other committee members, derive an average and assign that score to my rankings.

1. Columbia University:  Examining Evolutionary and Molecular Mechanisms of Phenological Adaptation

in a Migratory Songbird: A Reciprocal Transplant Experiment

2. H5N1 Prevention Initiative; Jack Aronian

3. (CAS-RTPEC)Bird Friendly Windows -A Demonstration Site for Community

Education

4. Bluebird Nestbox Free Give-away; Tom Babtist

5. Steep Rock; Purple Martin Population Restoration and Habitat Enhancement in Northwest Connecticut

6. Great Hollow; Purple martin tower installation to encourage expansion of an established population in western Connecticut 

7. Sacred Heart University;  You are what you eat: Testing integrative effects of food supplementation on native and invasive backyard birds 

8. Roaring Brook Nature Center; Avian Care Essentials: Supporting Connecticut’s Wild Birds 

9. Southbury Land Trust; Spring Hill Farm Preserve Bird & Pollinator Garden 

10. Old Saybrook Land Trust; Purchase of Equipment for mowing/Stewardship Operations for the Ayers Point Property

Michael

On Sat, Jan 17, 2026 at 8:02 PM allison...@gmail.com <allison...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[allison...@gmail.com]

Hello Mini-Grants Committee,

Thank you all for submitting your rankings to me in a timely fashion, it is much appreciated! Let's plan on meeting via Zoom this Thursday, Feb 5th at 7pm. Below is a link to the Zoom meeting. I will also resend the link as it gets closer to the meeting.

Here are the results of your voting! This spreadsheet shows the ranked results and subsequent funding. We were able to fully fund all but three proposals, with one of those three being partially funded (highlighted in red and orange). I've compiled everyone's questions/concerns/comments for discussion on Thursday, and am looking forward to seeing you all then.

Thank you!

Allison

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Topic: COA Mini-Grants Committee Meeting
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[Corey Leamy]

Thanks Allison.

See y'all then.

Cheers,

Corey

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[Allison Black]

Hi All,

Just wanted to send the link for tonight's meeting again so it's easy to access.

See you all soon!

Allison

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Topic: COA Mini-Grants Committee Meeting
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