Plant Identification
Page 10
•
specialist services (layout, editing);
•
time needed to test and correct errors;
•
printing (pages, format, illustrations);
•
distribution of finished guide.
50 Plant Identification
CASE STUDY 3.5 FORMAT AND COST OPTIONS FOR A SMALL GUIDE
DESIGNED FOR FARMERS IN NORTHEAST BRAZIL
This case study reports on the costs of different options for producing a colour guide to 21
forage legumes in Bahia, Brazil (Costa et al, 2002). The research into costs was conducted towards the end of the process; but it is good to be aware of the choices available and the cost implications near the beginning of the project in order to avoid nasty surprises, or to find that you cannot provide what your users require.
The following specifications were decided upon in consultations and tests with the target audience.
Guide specification
•
Size: 22.5 x 15cm.
•
Binding: spiral.
•
Type of cover: thick and durable; preferably waterproof.
•
Cover: laminated, gloss, white, with colour printing.
•
Paper for the inner pages: matt, white and durable (weight: 80g–150g).
•
Number of pages (extent): 116.
When researching the budget to print the guide and trying to lower the costs as much as possible, we had to make other decisions. For example, in deciding how many pages would be in colour, we had to prioritize those for which colour was necessary for identification. The main points we had to consider were:
•
type of paper – thickness/weight, colour, finish, durability;
•
total number of pages;
•
he number of pages in full colour; and
•
number of copies to be printed.
Table 3.5 shows the range of options available to us from a range printers who supplied quotes, showing also the different services they offered and their prices. Note that some printing companies do not accept orders to print fewer than 1000 copies. We also realized that there was substantial variation in the quality of printing materials and in the finish of the cover, and that it is extremely difficult to compare budgets for exactly the same product (material and finish and format) between printers as they all use different materials.
Tips to help with publication budgeting
•
It is much easier to get estimates of the costs for printing the guide once you have a final mock-up. With the final draft, it is possible to define the number of pages in the guide, the number of coloured and single-colour pages, and other details that are important and directly affect the final value of the guide.
•
It is also much more likely that the final printed product will be closer to what you expected if you can get the quotations on the final draft.
•
Table 3.5 demonstrates that when a larger number of copies are printed at the same time (in a single print run), it is possible to reduce the individual cost of each copy, which leads to savings in the overall cost.
•
Generally, we found that the quotations were valid for 30 days; so the value of the product is subject to changes if you experience delays in the printing.
Planning and budgeting 51
Table 3.5 Printing options and associated costs
Description
Cost (US$ equivalent*)
500 copies
1000 copies
Option 1
Size: 22.5x15cm
Binding: spiral
Extent: 116 pages
Cover: 4 colour on 300gsm
cream card, laminated
Inner pages: 4 colour throughout
on 150gsm matt cream paper
2100
2826
Option 2
Differences from option 1: fewer
inner pages in colour (26 of 116);
inner pages paper 150gsm bright white
1618
1958
Option 3
Differences from option 1: the number
of photographs was an element of the
cost; fewer inner pages in colour
(20 of 116); inner pages paper 95gsm
matt cream; cover 170gsm with flaps
n/a†
3330
Option 4
Differences from option 1: fewer inner
pages in colour (26 of 116); inner
pages paper 150gsm bright white;
cover was hardback (very thick
cream card)
n/a†
4198
Option 5
Differences from option 1: fewer inner
pages in colour (26 of 116); inner pages
paper higher quality 250gsm; cover
was hardback with dust jacket; text
n/a†
3490
Option 6
Differences from option 1: fewer inner
pages in colour (26 of 116); inner pages
paper 350gsm; cover was printed both
sides, laminated and ultraviolet resistant
3316
3682
Notes: * Original costs were in Brazilian reals; conversion rate US$1 = 5 reals.
†Printer does not print fewer than 1000 copies.
•
When choosing a printer or a particular type of printing, be certain of the service you are contracting and of the material that will be used for the final product. Wherever possible, check a sample of materials with the printers themselves, and ask to see other types of guides that the printers have prepared in order to be sure of the overall quality.
•
Some printers include in their quotations the printing of a proof copy – in other words, a complete printing of the product so that it can be checked and revised, and everyone can be sure that the final product is of a high quality. Printing errors or omissions can occasionally occur, such as photos in the wrong place, smudge marks on pages, changes in the font or size of the text, and text moved around by mistake. It is for this reason that it is very important to check the proofs and give your approval before the final copies of the guide are printed.
•
The guide’s editor and author should check the initial proof since this involves detailed and critical work by someone very familiar with the work.
52 Plant Identification
Seeking funding for the field guide
Seeking funding may be the hardest part of writing a field guide. Donors change regularly, and money available for such activities can depend upon multiple factors, such as fashion, politics and national economy.
Potential sources of funding
Funding may be available from a range of sources, some of which are listed here –
although the list is not exclusive. It is always worth approaching other sources with a written proposal if you have an idea that they might be willing to fund such a project.
The value of researching your potential donor’s interests cannot be stressed enough.
Proposals tailored to emphasize points that may catch their interest will be much more successful. When you apply for funds, check what the implications of funding will be –
for example, you may have to put their logo on your cover. Never forget to acknowledge your donors.
With this in mind, different sources should be targeted depending upon the overall goals of your field guide. If conservation is a priority, then a good source of funding may be derived from conservation charities, trusts and foundations. Alternatively, if the guide’s aim is to increase social capacity or benefits for the user groups, social development charities, trusts and foundations can be targeted. These types of organizations may have money available for innovati
ve or worthwhile projects if they fit their organiza-tional or funding criteria.
If the guide is aimed at eco-tourists or other people coming to the region on holiday, funding could be sought from local tourist agencies, with an emphasis on how useful the guide would be for them in stimulating further interest from tourists. These agencies could also be a good outlet for sales.
The national government may have funding available for projects, and relevant departments to approach could include ministries dealing with the environment, forests, agriculture or wildlife. An emphasis on relevance to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity or the National Biodiversity Strategy could be helpful (depending upon the country of origin).
There are also international donors, such as the World Bank. Case study 3.6
presents an example of the World Bank’s criteria for field guide proposals, as well as generic advice on how to write them. These guidelines can be tailored to individual cases. Other people to approach might include wealthy individuals with an interest in a particular group of species, or wildlife in general. Industries and companies may also be interested in funding such a project as a means of improving their corporate image.
Another way of funding the field guide is to plan to sell the guide (and to borrow money depending upon sales forecasts) or to reinvest money from the sales of previous guides. However, if you are planning to make money from the field guide, don’t forget that you will not receive the full cover cost of many of the guide’s copies. If the guides are distributed to a bookshop, you will have to sell them at a substantial discount (sometimes at less than half the cover price). And you will usually end up giving away quite a few copies as samples or review copies.
How to apply for funding
Writing proposals can take a long time. However, this activity can be an extremely
Planning and budgeting 53
useful way of planning your project, and of clarifying all of the activities that need to be done. Often the proposal document is referred to throughout the project.
Key points are:
•
Be concise. Donors do not want to read through a 100-page document; they want to be able to read it in ten minutes. They can always ask you for more information if necessary. An executive summary in which key points are covered is a good way of representing your project on one sheet.
•
Demonstrate the need for the field guide. Donors are more willing to fund projects that will be of obvious and direct use to at least one specified user group. Activities that result in the users specifying what kind of guide is needed and why can provide strong evidence of user demand. It is always good to include statements of support from different stakeholder groups.
•
Present the budget and time frame. Donors will need to know immediately how much money you are asking for. Some donors may have cut-off points, and these should be researched and noted before submitting the proposal. There is no point in submitting a proposal with a budget that exceeds the funding available. If you can contribute money or other resources, this may increase the chance of acceptance.
•
Emphasize the interests of the donor. If the donor has any specific requirement for projects that it wishes to fund, make sure that your proposal mentions these and try to relate project activities and outputs to them.
Ensure that these details also go into your proposal:
•
who you are;
•
why you are doing this project;
•
the purpose of the project itself;
•
why it is needed (justification for the project);
•
a description of your team members and their roles within the project;
•
outputs or products;
•
activities (what will be done to get to the outputs or products);
•
lasting expectations of the project once financial support has been withdrawn;
•
budget.
STEP 3: PREPARE AN ACTION PLAN AND
AGREEMENTS WITH STAKEHOLDERS
Once the planning stage for the guide is nearing an end, an action plan must be prepared with stakeholders in order to clarify who does what, when and where. An action plan contains the following elements:
•
activity;
•
dates;
•
person(s) responsible;
•
resources needed.
54 Plant Identification
CASE STUDY 3.6 WORLD BANK GUIDELINES
FOR FIELD GUIDE PROPOSALS
The World Bank, together with The Netherlands government, provided US$150,000 during 2001–2003 for writing field guides to Southeast Asia. The guidelines provided under this scheme are helpful when planning the stages of any guide and also indicate the kind of information that funders will be looking for.
Introduction
In reviewing proposals for field guides, particular attention will be given by the World Bank to the following factors:
•
demonstrated need;
•
the potential for using the field guides to encourage and support biodiversity conservation;
•
procedures for ensuring scientific quality of the text and illustrations;
•
procedures for ensuring local language quality (particularly in the case of translations);
•
the availability of publication/republication/translation rights;
•
cost;
•
availability of co-financing.
Detail
Proposals should be no more than four pages long and should include the following information:
1
Title of the proposal.
2
Background and justification. This section should clearly demonstrate the need for the project and should contain a brief assessment of the current field guide situation in the concerned country or region.
3
Objectives. This section should briefly list two or three objectives that the project hopes to achieve as a result of publishing the proposed field guides.
4
Description of the proposed field guide. This section should, as far as possible, include the following information:
•
title of the field guide;
•
authors’ language (local language only or dual);
•
thematic focus;
•
scope and coverage (all species or only those that are common);
•
description of contents (including any special features/additions of locally relevant information);
•
type and number of illustrations;
•
likely size (physical dimensions) and length (number of pages);
•
number of copies to be printed (recognizing that most people underestimate this).
5
Production process. This section should briefly describe the steps that will be taken to produce the guide and to ensure overall quality. The following questions should be addressed:
•
Will the field guide use new text or will it be based on the translation of existing text?
Planning and budgeting 55
•
Will the field guide use new illustrations or will it make use of existing illustrations?
•
Will it be necessary to obtain translation/republication rights or letters of authoriza-tion? (If relevant, please contact the original publishers for an indication of terms and conditions. Some publishers are willing to be very generous for local language guides.)
•
What steps are to be taken to ensure the scientific accuracy of
the guides?
•
What steps are to be taken to ensure the quality of the translation?
•
Where – and by whom – will the guide be printed?
•
Who is the likely publisher/distributor? This section should also describe any previous experience which the organization may have had with the production of books or printed materials.
6
Dissemination and pricing strategies. This is a key section, clearly describing the steps that will be taken to distribute and disseminate the field guide once it has been printed, and the ways in which the guide will be used to promote biodiversity conservation. It should also describe the way in which any proceeds from the guide will be ploughed back into reprints, etc. The intended audience for the guide should be clearly identified, as well as the approaches that will be used to reach different target groups. This section should also outline a proposed pricing strategy for the field guide. For example, how many copies will be provided free of charge? To whom? How many copies will be sold at subsidized prices, at cost price or at a profit? To whom? How will any proceeds be utilized?
7
Administration and management. This section should describe the administration and management arrangements for the proposed field guide. In particular, it should identify which organizations/staff will be responsible for overseeing the work, implementing activities, submitting progress reports and maintaining accounts. Finally, this section should identify a ‘focal point’ for future correspondence (including relevant contact details).
8
Budget. The budget should be presented in US dollars and include all costs associated with the production of the proposed field guide, including preparation, translation, review, editing and formatting of the text; preparation of illustrations; colour separation; printing; payment for use rights for text, illustrations and colour films from existing publications; dissemination; and management overheads (limited to a maximum of 10
per cent). We expect proposals to be between US$10,000–$20,000, and no proposals in excess of US$20,000 will be entertained. Co-financing arrangements are strongly encouraged.
9
Work plan. A short work plan should be included, indicating the timing of the different production steps.
Sources: Tony Whitten, senior biodiversity specialist; adapted from World Bank (2005) If you have already prepared a calendar of activities (such as Table 3.4), a budget and a project proposal, you will already be well on the way to having these essential management tools.