Mazuri® Exotic Animal Nutrition Research Grant - Awarded

The 2023 grant application period has closed.  The Mazuri Exotic Animal Nutrition Research Grant Program would like to congratulate 2023's awardee:

  • Dr. Cayla Beebe-Iske and Morgan Kienzle, principal investigators at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo, for the project “Evaluation and comparison of nutrient composition in fresh, frozen, and ensiled browse over time”
  • Drs. Kimberly Ange-van Heugten, Anneke Moresco, Enrique Yarto Jaramillo, & Francisco Sanchez Murillo, investigators at North Carolina State University, Colorado Mesa University, Instituto Mexicano de Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Compañía, and the International Animal Rescue Costa Rica, for the project “Investigation of nutritional serum biomarkers in sanctuary housed golden mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata palliata)”
Keep an eye out for the 2023 Grant cycle information!

 

PMI Nutrition International’s Mazuri Exotic Animal Nutrition is proud to support research in the discipline of exotic animal nutrition. Mazuri® is dedicated to advancing comparative animal nutrition research and enhancing the health and well-being of exotic species, both free-ranging and under human care. Grant proposals may be submitted for up to $10,000. One or more grants may be awarded, but the combined total will not exceed $10,000. Only direct research expenses (as determined by Mazuri®) will be supported by this Research Grant. Funding will be considered for basic or applied research projects in the area of non-domestic animal nutrition; a list of prior proposals awarded is available here.

Research Grant Application

To apply for the Mazuri Exotic Animal Nutrition Research Grant, provide a short proposal (no more than 5 pages, not including literature cited) including all information described below. Only completed proposals will be evaluated.

Proposals will be reviewed and grants awarded based on:

  • Quality of the proposed research(40%)
  • Importance of the research(20%)
  • Likelihood that the research will be accomplished and disseminated(15%)
  • Required items(25%)
    • Title
    • Principal Investigators, Co-Investigators and Collaborators: 
      • Please describe the responsibilities of each investigator towards the proposed research.
      • This section is for Mazuri® internal use onlyand will be redacted before proposals are forwarded to the independent review panel. 
      • Please note suggestions in the section below titled “Anonymous proposal reviews.” Because credentials will not be apparent to the reviewers, be sure that the elements that will make the project successful are clearly but anonymously explained in the remainder of your proposal.
    • General Abstract: A brief (250 words or less) overview of the project, its relevance, and future applications written to a lay audience.
    • Objectives & Background information: Detailed overview of research objectives and necessary background information to justify the research need.
    • Impact Statement:Describe the relevance of this work to the field of comparative animal nutrition and health, and its potential impact.
    • Materials and Methods:Hypothesis, experimental design (including study population and treatments), samples to be collected, analytical methods, expected results, and potential pitfalls should all be addressed.
    • Timeline of Activities: Please provide a timeline for major activities.
    • Dissemination: Please provide methods and timeline for dissemination of results.
    • Budget and Justification: Provide rationale for each budgetary item. Provide information regarding additional support if the proposal is also supported by other funding sources.
    • Literature Cited

For the project(s) awarded, all photos and summary of the projects may be used by PMI Nutrition International, LLC as provided in a signed Release, a copy of which will be provided upon notification of award. Investigators awarded may also be contacted by Mazuri® team members for an informal interview about their work, for the sake of short articles appearing on our website to help inform future applicants.

Striving for equity in scientific funding

We recognize that access to funding can present a barrier to diversity and inclusion in the sciences. To improve fairness in the application process, our program includes the following:

  • Independent review panel
    • As throughout the history of the Mazuri® Research Grant, applications will be evaluated and funding recommendations made by an independent panel, comprised of experts from the animal nutrition and physiology community that are not employed by Mazuri® or any Land O’Lakes subsidiary.
    • Independent reviewers are instructed to review and award on the basis of scientific merit, research impact, and proposal completeness. See review criteria below.
    • Review panel members and their institutions are not eligible for grant funding during the funding year.
  • Anonymous proposal reviews
    • To reduce the effect of unconscious bias, grant proposals are presented anonymously to the review panel. Investigator and collaborator names and affiliations are removed from applications prior to forwarding for review. This includes any identifying information in the body of the proposal.
    • For best proposal flow, we recommend refraining from any mention of your institution, geographical location, or any other identifying information that would be redacted to maintain anonymity.
    • We recommend neutral language. For example, rather than using phrases such as “our previous research shows…”, citing the paper or proceedings in which the information appears.
  • English-language assistance program available
    • To enhance equity for the international community of comparative animal nutritionists, we provide a language assistance program for applicants who are not native English speakers.
    • See program details and associated due dates below.

Language Assistance Program for the International Research Community:

Mazuri® provides high-quality nutrition for exotic animals around the world and encourages diverse perspectives from the international research community. We offer an optional peer advisor program to those who do not speak English as their first language and would like assistance with language, grammar, and flow in their proposals.

Program participants will be paired with a native English speaker, who is a member of the comparative animal nutrition research community, to provide feedback on near-final proposals. Peer advisors will provide suggestions on language only, and will not make recommendations regarding the scientific design, quality, or merit of the research. Language-assistance advisors are not employees of Mazuri® or any Land O’Lakes subsidiary. Advisors are available in limited number and are randomly paired with grant applicants on a first-come-first-served basis.