More than fifty Tibetans apply for Rowell Fund grants

Fifty-six Tibetans have applied for grants from the Rowell Fund for Tibet for projects ranging from environmental research in Tibet to leadership training for women.

The application deadline for Rowell Fund grants ended on 30 September 2003. Twenty-eight applications came from India, seventeen from the US, three from Canada, two from the UK and one each from Tibet, Nepal, Taiwan, South Africa, Thailand, Switzerland and Germany.

“We are pleased with the response from the Tibetan community and the diverse range of grant proposals,” said John Ackerly, ICT President. “However, next year we hope to have more gender balance in applicants,” Ackerly said.

Only five of the 56 proposals were submitted by Tibetan women. Unfortunately, four proposals were received the day after the deadline and could not be considered this year, according to the Fund’s guidelines.

Applications will be initially screened by ICT and presented to the Advisory Board who will make the final determination in November. Applicants will be notified in early December and funds will be distributed in mid-December.

ICT has currently raised more than $40,000 for the Fund and thanks all contributors. ICT is particularly grateful to John Jancik of Echo Geophysical Corporation for an extremely generous gift of $25,000.

The purpose of the Rowell Fund for Tibet is to support the work of Tibetans communicating issues of importance to broader Tibetan or international audiences through photography, film-making, writing, journalism, and other projects.

The Rowell Fund for Tibet honors Galen and Barbara’s legacy by providing small grants to Tibetans in the language and visual arts able to make significant contributions to society. Galen Rowell was the Co-chair of ICT’s Board of Advisors and a longtime friend of Tibet. Together, Galen and Barbara produced the book “My Tibet,” with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and introduced Tibet to countless people around the world. Through photographs and writing they documented and brought attention to many threatened ecosystems and cultures.