- Funding: £50,000 for the project.
- Funding Duration: One year.
- Field: Wildlife conservation, biodiversity, and ecosystem protection.
- Target Projects: Practical, science- and evidence-based conservation projects that work with local communities and Indigenous peoples.
- Location: The project must be carried out in an eligible country, and the applicant must be a national of the country where they work or meet the award's nationality requirements.
- Application Method: Applications are submitted online through the Whitley Award application portal.
- Required Documents: Applicants must complete and upload the required logical framework and timeline template, as well as the project budget template.
- Application Templates: Applicants must use the 2027 application templates. Applications using templates from previous years will not be considered.
- References: Applicants must provide details of three referees who can support their application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that the references are completed before the deadline.
- Language: Applicants must be able to communicate verbally in English without an interpreter. English does not need to be their first language.
- Final Stage: Shortlisted applicants progress through the selection process, with winners announced at the Whitley Awards ceremony in London in spring 2027.
- Whitley Award Week: Winners participate in activities in London, including media training, communication and presentation training, professional events, and networking opportunities.
- Travel and Accommodation: Winners participate in activities in London, but the application information does not clearly confirm that all travel and accommodation costs are fully covered, so these should not be considered guaranteed benefits.
- Application Fee: No application fee is stated on the application page.
Publish Date
8/27/2026
Application Deadline
Not Specified
Opportunity Type
Competitions
Publisher
Foras Khadra
Available Countries
Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Djibouti, Somalia, Comoros
Description
The Whitley Award is an annual conservation funding programme designed to support local leaders working to protect wildlife, biodiversity, and ecosystems. It targets conservation leaders who are at a mid-career stage and who are already leading established projects with a proven track record of success. The award is intended to help them expand the impact of their work. Projects should be practical, evidence-based, and carried out in partnership with local communities and Indigenous peoples. Successful applicants receive £50,000 in funding for one year, as well as training, communications support, networking opportunities, and international exposure to help strengthen and expand their conservation work.
Details
Eligibility Criteria
- The applicant must be a local conservation leader.
- The applicant must be a national of the country where they work or meet the award's nationality requirements.
- The project must be located in an eligible country.
- The project must have a strong connection with local communities at grassroots level.
- The project must involve practical conservation action based on science and evidence.
- The project must demonstrate measurable positive impacts on biodiversity or ecosystems.
- The project must provide tangible benefits to local communities and Indigenous peoples.
- The applicant must work for a locally registered NGO, charity, non-profit organisation, or university.
- The award is aimed at conservation leaders at a mid-career stage.
- The applicant must have an existing project rather than only an idea or proposal.
- The project must have a previous track record demonstrating success and results.
- The applicant must have a team or organisation with relevant experience to deliver the project.
- Individual applications where the applicant works entirely independently of a team or organisation are not accepted.
- The applicant must be able to communicate verbally in English without an interpreter.
- The project must have clear, measurable outcomes and appropriate indicators for assessing impact.
- The project must be practical rather than purely academic research.
- If research is included, it should be applied research that directly contributes to conservation objectives.
- The project must demonstrate meaningful involvement and empowerment of local communities and Indigenous peoples.
- The project must have a clear long-term plan for continuing after the award funding ends.
- The project should have potential for scaling up, replication, or significant wider impact.
- The applicant must demonstrate responsible and effective use of the £50,000 funding.
- The application must explain how receiving the award would make a significant difference to the project.
- Experimental or newly established projects without a proven track record are not eligible.
- Fieldwork undertaken primarily to fulfil Master's or PhD requirements is not funded.
- Expeditions are not funded.
- Projects led by people who live outside the country or who are absent from the project for significant periods are not eligible.
- Economic or sustainable-development projects are not eligible where their direct conservation benefits cannot be demonstrated.
- Land purchase is not funded.
- Projects primarily focused on construction of buildings are not funded.
- Animal care or rehabilitation projects are not funded.
- Captive breeding is generally not funded, except in very limited circumstances and under specific conditions.
- Government employees are generally not eligible, although certain exceptions may apply, including some staff working at government-funded universities.
Opportunity Benefits
- £50,000 in conservation project funding.
- One year of financial support.
- Support to develop and scale an established conservation project.
- Increased international visibility for the applicant and their project.
- Professional communications and media support.
- Media, communication, and presentation training.
- Opportunities to learn from and exchange experiences with other conservation leaders.
- Networking opportunities with funders, organisations, journalists, and environmental professionals.
- Participation in Whitley Award Week in London.
- Membership of an international network of more than 230 conservation leaders working across more than 80 countries.
- Potential future access to continuation funding to maintain and develop the project.
- Potential future eligibility for the Whitley Gold Award.
- Additional training and professional support through the Whitley network.
- Potential travel and international collaboration opportunities available through the award network.