2023 Corporate Sponsor Applegate Lapidary
This grant was established in honor of Dan Rigel, who operated Caveman Lapidary with his wife, Hope. Following Hope’s passing in 2020, the grant was renamed to honor them both.
Grant funds are available to support student collecting trips or the purchase of rock, mineral, and fossil specimens for educational purposes. The $1,000 annual grant may be divided into two, three, or four awards at the discretion of the AAPS Board.
Applicants must submit a letter describing their proposed use of the funds. Recipients will be selected by the AAPS Grants and Scholarship Committee based on demonstrated need and the proposed use of the grant.
When possible, awardees will be asked to provide photographs of students participating in collecting trips or using the specimens in the classroom. Applications need to be received by December 31 to be considered for the following year.
Recognizing the valuable educational opportunities this grant provides, AAPS encourages contributions to the fund throughout the year. AAPS strives to distribute all funds donated to the grant annually. Donations specifically designated for this grant cannot be transferred to the general fund. AAPS sincerely thanks all who have contributed and looks forward to helping educate young people about the wonder and beauty of rocks and fossils.
Applicants are not required to be members of the Association of Applied Paleontological Sciences (AAPS).
To apply, interested individuals must submit a letter describing their proposed use of the grant funds.
The following materials must accompany the application letter:
A current photograph of the applicant, which may be submitted by email. The photograph must be at least 400 × 600 pixels with a resolution of 72 dpi.
A letter from the applicant’s school, on official school letterhead, acknowledging their application for the grant.
A copy of the applicant’s faculty identification card.
Applications must be received by December 31 to be considered for the following calendar year. Incomplete submissions, those missing required documentation, or submissions received after the deadline will be rejected. Please email your application to Jon Porter at jonporter314@gmail.com, or mail it to AAPS at 13170 Central Avenue SE, Suite B, Box 501, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87123.
Funding for this Grant will come from AAPS, private donations, as well as annual Individual ($100.00), Company ($500.00) and Corporate ($1,000.00) sponsors.
*We encourage applicants to include a photo of themselves with their application for the AAPS to use when announcing recipients or promoting our grants and scholarships on our website, social media, and other publications.
The Association of Applied Paleontological Sciences, AAPS, is a public charity under IRS section 501(c)(3). As such it is tax-exempt for income tax purposes and is permitted to receive tax-deductible gifts pursuant to the Internal Revenue Service. It is also able to receive tax-deductible bequests for Estate Tax purposes. Donations to any of our scholarships and Grants are totally tax-deductible here in the United States. 100% of all Scholarship and Grant donations are used for those purposes only. Specimens donated for our annual auction may also be deductible, but you need to check with your tax and estate planner.
Recipients
| Recipient | Year | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| Jim Cosby | 2015 | Summit Ridge Middle School. Littleton, CO |
| Erin LaCount | 2017 | Friends of Dinosaur Ridge. Morrison., CO |
| Loretta Zarow | 2018 | Fontana School District. Fontana, CA |
| Jacquelynn Auchard | 2021 | Ruch Outdoor Community School, Jacksonville, OR |
| Kelly Pierson | 2022 | The Logan School for Creative Learning, Denver, CO |