The Frank M. Chapman Memorial Fund of the American Museum of Natural History was set up by Ms. Elsie M. B. Naumburg in memory of Dr. Chapman, a long-term Chairman of the Department of Ornithology at the Museum. Grants for research in several aspects of ornithology are supported by the Fund. A Committee composed of Curators in the Ornithology Department at the Museum, along with the Museum’s Office of Grants & Fellowships and other representatives of the Museum and non-Museum communities, handles the administration of the Fund and the grants.

Three categories of grants are available from the Fund, based on a competitive evaluation of the nature and quality of the proposed research.

1. Chapman Grants—Modest short-term awards for research in ornithology are available to advanced graduate students (and occasionally to post-graduate researchers) for expenses associated with their research. These awards are highly competitive (recent success rates are approximately 30%); they average approximately $1000, but occasionally are as large as $2000-$3000. Salaries and stipends are not funded. Wildlife management and other applied proposals are rarely funded. There is one competition per year with a submission deadline of 15 November. Awards are normally announced in early to mid April.
   
   application for Chapman Grant  in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format
   
   
2. Collection Study Grants—Collection Study Grants are awarded, competitively, to avian systematists without other funds who wish to perform research on the specimens in the Ornithological Collections of the American Museum of Natural History. There is no deadline for application for these grants; they are considered when they are received. However, it normally takes a month or more to evaluate and process the applications; so grants should be submitted at least two months prior to when the researcher would like to visit the Collection. These grants are for expenses only, no stipends, and cannot exceed $1500; if a larger sum is required to complete a project, then a researcher must apply under the Chapman Grants program with the once per year, 15 November deadline.
   
   application for Collections Study Grant   in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format
   
   application for Collections Study Grant   in Microsoft Word (DOC) format
   
   
3. Chapman Fellowships—One and two year Fellowships are awarded for research in avian systematics, evolution, and biogeography to be performed in residence at the American Museum of Natural History. These grants include a stipend and a budget that depends on the nature of the research. These Fellowships are highly competitive and normally only one or two are awarded per year. The single yearly competition has a submission deadline of 15 November. Normally, an applicant to this program will have had prior discussions with one or more members of the Ornithology Department concerning the research project; successful applicants to this program will work with one of the Curators in the Department of Ornithology as a mentor. Chapman Fellowships are normally awarded to recent recipients of a doctoral degree in avian systematics; however, such Fellowships are also occasionally available to senior researchers on sabbatical leave from their home institution—contact should be made with an AMNH Curator to discuss such circumstances. The Fellowships are awarded in early to mid April.
   
   application Chapman Fellowship   in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format
   

All these grants and other awards are described in a pamphlet titled "Grants & Fellowships of the American Museum of Natural History;" this pamphlet, in addition to the application forms for the three categories of awards, is available from the Office of Grants & Fellowships.