AMCA® is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to providing leadership, information, and education leading to the enhancement of public health and quality of life through the suppression of mosquitoes.
The American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA) invites short, one page pre-proposals (white paper, letter of intent) for evaluating Culicoides control technologies and related topics for funding for calendar year 2025-2026. All submissions must be received no later than Friday, February 7th. From these, several projects will be selected for a full proposal phase. Currently, it is expected that multiple projects will be awarded that allow for approximately $100,000-200,000 in total funding for a 1 year project.
Any projects involving the evaluation of existing or novel management strategies for Culicoides are welcome. These strategies can be broadly defined as any tool/technology/approach (chemical, operational, formulations, etc.) that leads to increased efficacy and more targeted Culicoides control in the field. Projects that possess a semi-field or field component will be prioritized as they more readily demonstrate potential viability of the technology and will better inform a publicly available management guidance document. Priority will be given to project teams working with Culicoides species in specific geographic locations of interest, such as ports entry for travel related OROV cases. Additionally, due to the necessity to provide management guidance in 2025, it is expected that multiple projects, each with a singular focus, will be awarded to ensure project completion in Q2 2025.
Example topics include but are not limited to:
- Evaluation of currently available public health larvicide and adulticide application strategies against Culicoides spp.
- Novel means to apply chemical control formulations
- Specific operational techniques/approaches that prove to be effective against wild Culicoides populations, e.g. wide area larvicide and/or ULV adulticide applications
- Evaluation of currently available repellents against Culicoides spp.
- Evaluation of novel experimental molecules – e.g. active ingredients
- Evaluation of existing or experimental chemistries with the intent of bringing them to the field.
Pre-proposals will be evaluated on the following criteria:
- Will the project provide local vector control professionals guidance to properly reduce the risk of transmission and protect public health from biting midges?
- Are the background, methods, and objectives sections well-thought-out and well-supported?
- Does the project team have sufficient expertise and available Culicoides populations to carry out the proposed work?
How to submit your proposal:
- Submit your contact information and your pre-proposal in the form below.
- Your one pager pre-proposal should include an overview of the proposed project including high level budget information and how it will address the problems outlined in the RFP.
- The deadline for submissions is Friday, February 7th!
Questions of a technical or scientific nature should be directed to Dr. Edmund Norris (Edmund.Norris@usda.gov) or Dr. Rebecca Heinig (rheinig@thermacell.net). Questions of an administrative nature should be directed to Megan MacNee (MMacNee@mosquito.org).
NOTE: This is a special grant call separate from the AMCA Research Fund; the AMCARF call for pre-proposals will go out as usual this spring.