Research Grants, Fellowships and Training in Wildlife Conservation and Ecology

Funding is the fuel of conservation research. Whether you are a master’s student planning your first field season, a PhD researcher looking for equipment, or a conservation leader scaling up a project, there are funders who support work like yours. This guide lists the most important opportunities worldwide for wildlife conservation, ecology and training, with amounts, eligibility, education levels and current deadlines, and explains how to choose and win the right grant.

Last checked: September 2026. Deadlines and rules change every year. Always confirm the details on the funder’s official website before you apply.

Quick guide: which funding fits you?

1. Small grants for research and conservation projects

Rufford Small Grants (UK funder, worldwide)

• What it funds: nature conservation projects focused on threatened species or habitats in eligible (mostly low- and middle-income) countries.
• Amount: staged funding. 1st Rufford Small Grant up to £7,000; 2nd grant up to £8,000; Booster Grant up to £12,000; Completion Grant up to £18,000.
• Who can apply: early-career conservationists. Priority is given to people studying for an MSc or PhD, or who graduated in the last three years. BSc students are not funded.
• Deadline: rolling, apply at any time.
• Why it matters: Rufford has funded thousands of first projects in more than 150 countries and is often the first step in a conservation career.

Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (UAE)

• What it funds: direct, on-the-ground conservation of threatened species of animals, plants and fungi, especially Critically Endangered, Endangered and Data Deficient species.
• Amount: up to US$25,000 (applications asking for more are rejected).
• Who can apply: individual conservationists and organisations worldwide.
• Deadlines: three cycles a year. Remaining cycles: 15 October 2026 and 31 January 2027, followed by a cycle closing around the end of May.

National Geographic Society grants (USA, worldwide)

• What it funds: exploration, research, conservation, education and storytelling projects.
• Amount: Level I up to US$20,000, for people establishing themselves who have not had a National Geographic grant before; Level II up to US$100,000, for more established applicants or previous grantees.
• Who can apply: individuals worldwide; no degree requirement, but a clear project and track record help.
• Deadlines: several application cycles and themed calls each year, announced on the Society’s website (for example, an early-career opportunity closed on 25 May 2026).

British Ecological Society Small Research Grants (UK, worldwide)

• What it funds: ecological research where alternative funding is limited.
• Amount: up to £5,000.
• Who can apply: BES members, of any nationality, working anywhere. Early-career researchers are encouraged.
• Deadlines: two rounds a year. In 2026, round 1 closed on 10 March and round 2 on 8 September. Expect similar dates in 2027.

People’s Trust for Endangered Species: Conservation Insight Grants (UK)

• What it funds: research and practical conservation of endangered species that produces conservation insight.
• Amount: £3,000–£10,000 a year for up to two years (maximum £20,000).
• Where: the UK, UK Overseas Territories, or any country not classed as high-income by the World Bank.
• Deadline: two-stage process; in 2026, pre-applications closed on 28 May 2026. Watch for the 2027 call in spring.

International Foundation for Science (IFS, Sweden)

• What it funds: research on sustainable management of biological and water resources, including biodiversity, forestry, aquatic resources and natural products.
• Amount: individual research grants have historically been up to about US$12,000, with separate collaborative and innovation grant streams; check the current call for limits.
• Who can apply: early-career scientists from eligible low-income countries with at least a master’s degree, working in an eligible country.
• Deadline: annual call; in 2026 it closed on 30 June 2026.

Idea Wild (USA)

• What it funds: field equipment, such as binoculars, camera traps, GPS units, laptops and tents, not cash.
• Amount: equipment worth under US$1,500.
• Who can apply: conservationists, educators and researchers working in the Global South, especially in biodiversity hotspots.
• Deadline: rolling while applications are open; decisions take four to six months.

Sigma Xi Grants in Aid of Research (USA, worldwide)

• What it funds: research expenses for students in science and engineering, including ecology and wildlife.
• Amount: members up to US$5,000 (graduate) or US$2,000 (undergraduate); non-members up to US$1,000.
• Who can apply: undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in degree programmes; membership is not required.
• Deadlines: 15 March and 1 October each year.

Explorers Club Exploration Fund (USA, worldwide)

• What it funds: exploration and field research by early-career researchers.
• Amount: typically US$500–5,000; graduate awards average about US$2,500.
• Who can apply: undergraduate and graduate students and early-career postdoctoral researchers. A separate Rising Explorer Grant supports high school and undergraduate students.
• Deadline: 31 August 2026 for the current cycle; expect a similar late-summer deadline each year.

Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research (American Philosophical Society)

• What it funds: travel for exploratory field studies and data collection.
• Amount: from several hundred dollars up to about US$5,400.
• Who can apply: doctoral students only.
• Deadline: 16 November 2026 (letters of support by 13 November).

Primate Conservation, Inc. (USA)

• What it funds: field research and conservation of rare and endangered primates in their natural habitats, with current emphasis on Asia and West Africa.
• Amount: averages about US$2,500, maximum US$5,000.
• Who can apply: graduate students, primatologists and conservationists.
• Deadlines: 1 February and 20 September each year.

Oriental Bird Club Conservation Fund (UK, Asia)

• What it funds: small bird conservation projects in the Oriental region, from surveys to education.
• Amount: small grants, historically up to about £1,500.
• Who can apply: especially nationals of countries in the region.
• Deadlines: 1 March and 1 September each year.

2. Awards for teams, leaders and rising stars

Conservation Leadership Programme: Future Conservationist Awards

• What it offers: project grants of up to US$15,000, plus leadership training and a global alumni network.
• Who can apply: teams of early-career conservationists working on priority species and sites in biodiverse, under-resourced countries.
• Deadline: annual. The 2026 call closed on 9 January 2026; the next call usually opens late in the year, with a deadline around January.

Whitley Awards (Whitley Fund for Nature, UK)

• What it offers: £50,000 in project funding over one year, international profile and training, presented in London.
• Who can apply: mid-career conservation leaders who are nationals of the country where they work, in countries not classed as high-income, working for a locally incorporated organisation. Applicants must speak English without an interpreter. Individuals working in isolation and joint entries are not eligible.
• Deadline: applications for the 2027 awards close 30 October 2026 at 23:59 GMT.

Future For Nature Award (Netherlands)

• What it offers: €50,000 each for three young conservationists.
• Who can apply: individuals aged 18 to 35 with an outstanding record of protecting threatened species. For the 2027 awards, applicants had to be born on or after 31 May 1992. Applicants must wait a year between applications.
• Deadline: the 2027 call closed on 23 August 2026; the next call usually opens mid-year.

3. Larger grants for organisations

IUCN Save Our Species

• What it funds: species conservation through regular themed calls, including Rapid Action Grants (up to about US$25,000 for emergencies) and larger grants.
• Current example: the European Invasive Alien Species Rapid-Response Fund offers €10,000–50,000 for projects up to 12 months, with a deadline of 10 February 2027.
• Where to look: iucnsos.org, call for proposals.

Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF)

• What it funds: civil society organisations working in the world’s biodiversity hotspots, through small grants (typically up to US$50,000) and large grants.
• How it works: regional calls for letters of inquiry. Examples in 2026 include Wallacea (small and large grants; a call closing 27 September 2026), the Mediterranean Basin (large grants of US$50,000–180,000, closed 18 September 2026) and Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands (threatened trees, US$50,000–200,000).
• Where to look: cepf.net, open calls for proposals.

4. Scholarships and fellowships for study

WWF Russell E. Train Education for Nature (EFN) Fellowships

• What it offers: up to US$30,000 a year for master’s (up to two years) or PhD (up to three years) study in conservation.
• Who can apply: citizens of eligible countries in WWF priority regions, including Nepal, Bhutan, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Madagascar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru and others. The list changes each year.
• Deadline: the 2026 call closed on 15 April 2026; expect a similar spring deadline.

Chevening Scholarships (UK government)

• What it offers: fully funded one-year master’s degrees at UK universities, including in conservation, ecology and environmental science.
• Who can apply: future leaders from Chevening-eligible countries with at least two years of work experience.
• Deadline: applications for 2027/28 opened on 4 August 2026 and close on 6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC.

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships (UK government)

• What it offers: full tuition, return airfare and a monthly stipend (about £1,712, or £2,000 in London) for taught master’s study in the UK.
• Who can apply: citizens of eligible low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries, through a national nominating agency.
• Deadline: the 2027/28 CSC deadline is 20 October 2026 at 16:00 BST, but nominating agencies often set earlier internal deadlines.

Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s (European Union)

• What it offers: fully funded two-year master’s programmes taught across several European universities, with scholarships covering tuition, travel and living costs.
• Relevant programmes include TROPIMUNDO (tropical biodiversity and ecosystems, with semesters in Europe and the tropics) and GLOBE (global change ecology and biodiversity management), among others.
• Deadlines: scholarship deadlines are usually between November and January for study starting the following autumn (for example, TROPIMUNDO’s scholarship call has closed on 30 November). Check each programme’s website.

Fulbright and DAAD

• Fulbright (USA) funds graduate study and research in the United States for international students, and US citizens abroad. Deadlines vary by country, often between February and October; apply through your national Fulbright commission.
• DAAD (Germany) offers scholarships for master’s and doctoral study in Germany, including development-related postgraduate courses. Deadlines vary by programme.

Wildlife Conservation Network Scholarship Program

• Funds graduate education and applied training for conservationists from Africa, Asia and Latin America who are committed to working in their home countries. Check wildnet.org for the annual call.

5. Field courses and training

Tropical Biology Association field courses

• What it offers: intensive month-long field courses in tropical ecology and conservation for early-career scientists.
• 2026 course: Kibale National Park, Uganda, 28 July to 27 August 2026. The application deadline was 20 March 2026.
• Cost: £1,400 (£1,000 for participants from member organisations), covering in-country transport, accommodation, food and tuition; flights, visas and insurance are extra. Scholarships are available, including British Ecological Society support for UK and European applicants.

Other training to look for

• Conservation Leadership Programme training for award winners.
• Durrell Conservation Academy (Jersey) courses in species recovery and endangered species management.
• Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation (USA) graduate and professional courses.
• Specialist short courses in camera trapping, spatial capture–recapture, GIS and R, often run by universities, WILDLABS partners and national research institutes.
• Bird ringing and field ornithology training through national ringing schemes and bird observatories.

Education pathways and funding at each stage

Wildlife research careers usually build step by step. Each stage has its own typical funding sources.

Useful skills at every stage include statistics in R, GIS, species identification, scientific writing, grant writing, local languages and community engagement. See our careers in wildlife conservation module for more.

A 12-month funding plan

1. Months 1–2: define your project on one page (problem, objectives, methods, budget). List five to eight possible funders and their deadlines.
2. Months 2–3: secure permits, partners and letters of support; ask two referees early.
3. Months 3–6: submit applications in order of deadline, adapting each to the funder. Apply for equipment grants separately.
4. Months 6–9: respond to decisions. Adjust the scope to match the funds you win.
5. Months 9–12: begin fieldwork, keep financial records and plan your first report.

Where to find more opportunities

• Society newsletters and job boards: the British Ecological Society, the Society for Conservation Biology, and regional ornithological and mammal societies share funding calls.
• Conservation job and funding boards: sites such as Conservation Job Board and Conservation Careers list grants, jobs and internships.
• Universities: graduate schools and international offices keep lists of scholarships and research funds.
• Taxon specialist groups: many IUCN Species Survival Commission specialist groups share small grant calls for their species.
• Past grantees: ask researchers working in your field where they found funding.

Deadline calendar

How to choose the right funder

1. Check eligibility first. Nationality, country of work, career stage, degree level and species or habitat focus rule out most applications before they are read.
2. Match the funder’s mission. A species fund wants direct conservation outcomes; a research council wants scientific questions; an award wants leadership and impact.
3. Match the size. Ask for what the project needs and what the funder normally gives. Asking a small-grants fund for the maximum on your first application can look unrealistic.
4. Check timing. Decisions can take three to nine months. Plan fieldwork around decision dates, not submission dates.
5. Build a funding ladder. Start with small grants, deliver and report well, then apply for larger grants with a track record.
6. Combine funders. Many projects are funded by two or three grants together. Be transparent about other funding.

Why good applications fail

• The project does not fit the funder’s priorities or eligibility rules.
• Objectives are vague (“to study tigers”) instead of specific and measurable.
• Methods are not described clearly enough to show they will work.
• The budget is unrealistic, unexplained or includes costs the funder does not cover.
• There is no clear link between research and conservation action.
• Local partners and communities are missing or appear only as a token.
• Letters of support are generic.
• The application is rushed, over the word limit or full of errors.

Our step-by-step grant proposal guide explains how to avoid each of these.

After you win a grant

• Read the grant agreement carefully, including reporting dates, permitted costs and how to acknowledge the funder.
• Keep receipts and records from day one.
• Report on time and honestly, including what did not work.
• Share results through reports, papers, local presentations and social media, and credit your funder.
• Stay in touch: many funders offer follow-on grants to successful grantees.

For turning your results into a report or paper, see our guide to writing a scientific report.

Frequently asked questions

Can undergraduates get wildlife research grants? Some funders support undergraduates, such as Sigma Xi and the Explorers Club, but many conservation funds, including Rufford, require at least master’s level. Undergraduates can also gain experience through supervised projects and field courses.

Which grants accept applications all year? Rufford Small Grants and Idea Wild accept applications on a rolling basis.

Can I apply if I am not from a developing country? Yes for many funders, such as National Geographic, the Mohamed bin Zayed Fund, the BES and Sigma Xi. Others, such as Whitley, IFS and many scholarships, are only for nationals of eligible countries.

How long does a decision take? Usually three to six months, sometimes longer. Plan well ahead of your field season.

Do I need a PhD to get a grant? No. Many funders support early-career conservationists with a first degree or a master’s, and some awards focus on practical impact rather than academic qualifications.

Related guides

• How to write a grant proposal
• How to write a scientific report
• Careers in wildlife conservation
• Field methods and ecological technology