Grants Awarded

" Those who dwell, as scientists or laymen, among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life." Rachel Carson
	Grant awarded: City of Gainesville, 2001 Recipient: Alachua Astronomy Club Purpose: Create a scale model of the solar system to aid as an educational tool for conceptualizing the solar system and beautify the city of Gainesville, Florida. Outcome: The project was completed in 2001 and can be used by elementary schools and the general public. See: www.floridastars.org
	Grant awarded: University of Florida, 2002 Project Coordinator: Florida Museum of Natural History Purpose: Supplement funding for the traveling exhibit “Tusks! Ice Age Florida’s Mammoths and Mastodons”. Outcome: The specimen – rich exhibit provided educational opportunities about ice age mammals and information revealed through fossil discovery. See: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/tusks/
	Grant awarded: University of Florida, 2003 Project Coordinator: Bruce J. McFadden, Ph.D. Purpose: To support informative talks with fossil clubs within the Florida area and facilitate proactive collaboration of events between groups. Outcome: As of 2006, Dr. Bruce McFadden has conducted numerous talks with fossil clubs as well as prepared and emailed an electronic brochure.
	Grant awarded: New Mexico Museum of Natural History, 2005 Researchers: Gary S. Morgan, Nicholas J. Czaplewski Purpose: Collection of small bats and other micro-vertebrate fossils to gain knowledge of early evolutionary history of bats, as well as other samples from the midwestern badlands. Outcome: The participants continue to gather specimens and research material from Midwestern Oligocene deposits.
	Grant awarded: University of Florida, 2006 Project Coordinator: Florida Museum of Natural History Purpose: Funding for the “Megalodon: Largest Shark that Ever Lived” exhibit. Outcome: The exhibition features a 60-foot-long walk-through shark sculpture and highlights the evolution, biology and misconceptions regarding giant prehistoric sharks. See: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/megalodon
	Grant awarded: University of Florida; Ben B. Coffey, Jr. Endowment Researcher(s): David Steadman, 2007 Purpose: Contribution made for further investigation of the Thomas Farm, Florida fossil site operated by the Florida Museum of Natural History. Outcome: Ongoing
	Grant awarded: University of Florida; Museum Bulletin Endowment Researcher(s): Dana J. Ehret, 2007 Purpose: Funding granted to the Museum Bulletin Endowment to help supplement the costs of publishing research involving fossil tortoises. Outcome: See: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/bulletin/bulletin_vols.htm
	Grant awarded: Sue and Steve Hutchens Collection, 2007 Project Coordinator: Bruce J. McFadden, Ph. D. Purpose: Curation of the private collection of fossils donated by Steve and Sue Hutchens Outcome: Fossil specimens collected in Florida and Nebraska were donated to the Florida Museum of Natural History and have been incorporated into the collection.
	Grant awarded: University of Nebraska Trailside Museum of Natural History Excellence Fund, 2007 Project Coordinator: N/A Purpose: Funding for the continuation of museum exhibits. Outcome: