The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund has opened its call for applications for its Species Conservation Fund. Projects from all over the world can apply for funding of up to 25,000 US$. The deadline for the application is the 30th of June 2019.
The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund is open for applications from projects worldwide. Anyone who is directly involved with species conservation can apply for funding through the process. Projects should work directly with one specific endangered species to be eligible for the grant.
The Fund supports projects that directly work for the conservation of endangered species worldwide. This includes animals, plants and fungi species. The focus of the work is on in-situ conservation. That means that the species should be protected in their natural habitat. In justified cases, the Fund will also consider projects that work ex-situ though.
The decision if a species is endangered is based on the IUCN Redlist and focusses on endangered and critically endangered species. If the species you work with is not on that list or has a different category, you need to present a very good and coherent justification for why you think it is necessary to work for its protection anyways. For the justification, you should use at least one scientific reference.
The fund does not cover core cost. Projects can only apply for 25,000 US$. If the budget for the project is higher, projects need to show where the remaining funding will come from.
To apply for this grant, applicants need to fill out the online application form. The proposal must be written in English and the budget must be in US Dollars.
In the proposal, applicants have to give a project overview and description, a plan for the media support and a list of references. Furthermore, they have to upload necessary permits and present a budget. The deadline for submission is the 30th of June 2019.
The fund only supports projects that specifically work with one – or in some cases more – species. If your project has a broader approach towards conservation, it probably is not a good fit.
Work a lot on the justification to choose the specific species you work with, particularly if it is not on the IUCN Redlist. This is of particular importance. In general, try to prove all your statements with scientific data and backup to make a more solid case for your strategy.
If your budget exceeds 25,00 US$, be very clear about where the rest of the money will come from and make sure it is directly understood that you will get additional funding. Proposals for a higher amount will be dismissed immediately.
For more information, please see this link.
Best of luck with your application.
Eva is based in Germany and has worked for nearly a decade with NGOs on the grassroots level in Nepal in the field of capacity development and promotion of sustainable agricultural practices. Before that, she worked in South America and Europe with different organizations. She holds a Ph.D. in geography and her field of research was sustainability and inclusion in development projects.
