Funding opportunities for the Restor community
Restor Team
Funding opportunities for the Restor community
We know that access to funding is key to the success and scaling up of your restoration and conservation work. That’s why we want to share three great funding opportunities with you.
Pro tip: complete your profile information on Restor, make it public, and include a link to it in your funding application. This will help funders better understand your project and know that your restoration strategy and monitoring framework is leveraging remote-sensed monitoring data. Use your organizational profile to tell funders about the size, mission, and focus of your organization.
The National Geographic Society’s Grants Program
Deadline for applications: 12 April 2023. Twice a year (April and October).
Size of grant: Grant amounts range from $20,000 to $100,000 depending on an Explorer's experience.
Level I Grants, which provide funding up to $20,000, offer unique opportunities for training, networking, coaching, and mentorship for early-career individuals (National Geographic Explorers).
Level II Grants recipients (established in their field) receive funding up to $100,000.
About: The National Geographic Society Grants Program provides seed funding and support for early-career individuals and more experienced professionals working to address urgent challenges, develop innovative solutions, and inspire positive change across all seven continents. Funded projects will incorporate science, storytelling, and/or education. They must also align with one or more of the Society’s five focus areas: oceans, land, wildlife, human history and culture, and human ingenuity.
Who is eligible: Worldwide.
Rainforest Action Network: Protect an Acre Grant Application (PAA)
Deadline for application: No deadline
Size of grant: $5,000
About: Protect an Acre (PAA) is a grassroots alternative to “buy-an-acre” programs that seek to provide rainforest protection by buying tracts of land but which often fail to address the priorities or rights of local Indigenous and forest communities.
Who is eligible: Although grants are made in all regions, and unsolicited proposals are welcome, geographic priority areas are Southeast Asia, South America, and North America (Native American/First Nations applications are prioritized in the U.S. and Canada). Applicants from other regions are encouraged to contact the email mentioned in the application before applying to inquire regarding the possibility of funding.
The Conservation, Food, and Health Foundation Grants (CFH grants)
Deadline for applications: Concept Application Deadlines: 1 July, 1 January (two grant rounds)
Size of grant: $25,000-$50,000
About: The Foundation supports projects demonstrating local leadership and promoting professional development in conservation, agriculture, and health sciences. It funds projects that build the capacity of local organizations and address a particular problem or question in these fields. The Foundation prefers to support projects that address underfunded issues and geographic areas.
The Foundation supports field research and related research activities, training, and technical assistance efforts that help conserve ecosystems and protect biodiversity. It funds projects that train local leaders in resource conservation and protection, emphasizing technical and scientific training.
Who is eligible: The Foundation supports local, state, regional, and international organizations in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Middle East—specifically in the countries where its projects operate.
People's trust for endangered species (PTES) Conservation Insight Grants
Deadline for applications: 6 August 2023
Size of the grant: £20,000
About: Funds will be awarded for work that seeks to either: Find the critical scientific evidence that will facilitate the conservation of a species, provide the answer to a key conservation question, which will enable conservationists to undertake critical conservation action, or undertake the implementation of a key local action which will result in a significantly positive impact for an endangered species.
Who is eligible: The PTES accepts grant requests only from applicants currently working and established in the UK, UK overseas territories, or any country not classified by the World Bank as high-income. Please note we no longer accept any grant applications—for either worldwide or UK work—related to bird species.
CLOSING SOON! The BBVA Foundation Awards for Biodiversity Conservation
Deadline for application: 31 March 2023
Size of the grant: 250,000 €
About: The BBVA Foundation Awards for Biodiversity Conservation aim to recognize and support the work of conservation organizations, institutions, and agencies in advancing environmental protection policies and projects, as well as the efforts of communication professionals who have used their skills to safeguard our natural heritage. The scheme comprises two award categories:
1)BBVA Foundation Award for Biodiversity Conservation in Spain
2)BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation
Who is eligible: The scheme comprises two award categories:
1)BBVA Foundation Award for Biodiversity Conservation in Spain
2)BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation. Spanish institutions, organizations, and agencies will be eligible for category 1, while organizations worldwide will be eligible for category 2.
Patagonia
Deadline for applications: 31 May, 30 September, 31 January annually.
Size of grant: grant size ranges between $5,000 and $15,000
About: Patagonia supports environmental organizations with bold, direct-action agendas and a commitment to long-term change.
Who is eligible: Work that builds an equitable, inclusive and diverse environmental movement that confronts systemic bias, discrimination and injustice in environmental policy or outdoor spaces. Work must be located in one of the following countries. Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
For more information and to apply, tap the 'Apply' button.
The Waterloo Foundation
Application deadline: 1 June and 1 December, annually
Size of grants: The Waterloo Foundation considers providing one-off and multi-annual grants (usually for up to five years). Most grants in this program will be for a total of £50,000 - £100,000 spread over multiple years.
About: The Waterloo Foundation support initiatives that are working to protect tropical rainforests, avoid deforestation, and create value for climate, communities, and biodiversity. There are several project types that the Waterloo Foundation will not fund. Make sure you read all the details before applying.
Eligibility: Waterloo Foundation prioritizes providing funding support to UK-based charities, many of whom work in close partnership with smaller local NGOs based in the countries in which they operate. See their website for exceptions.
For more information and to apply, tap the 'Apply' button.
The Leakey Foundation
Deadline for applications: 10 January and 15 July, annually
Size of grants: $3,000 up to $30,000.
About: The Leakey Foundation exclusively funds research related to human origins, including primate research. Priority of funding is commonly given to exploratory phases of promising new research projects that meet the stated purpose of the Foundation.
Eligibility: Advanced doctoral students (advanced to candidacy – all but dissertation) and established scientists are eligible for Leakey Foundation Research Grants. There are no citizenship restrictions; however, all applications must be written in English.
For more information and to apply, tap the 'Apply' button.
CLOSING SOON: Fundación Biodiversidad
Application Deadline: 16 March 2023
The Fundación Biodiversidad finances research and activities that contribute to the ecological transition, the conservation of natural heritage, and face climate change. Fundación Biodiversidad processes applications under a competitive bidding regime.
CLOSING SOON: The Laura Jane Musser Fund
Deadline: 15 February - 15 March 2023 Size of the grant: 8,000 USD - 35,000 USD
THE LAURA JANE MUSSER FUND assists public or not-for-profit entities to initiate or implement projects that enhance the ecological integrity of publicly owned open spaces while encouraging compatible human activities. The Fund’s goal is to promote public use of open space that improves a community’s quality of life and public health while also ensuring the protection of healthy, viable, and sustainable ecosystems by protecting or restoring habitat for a diversity of plant and animal species. PLANNING: (up to $8,000) Planning grant applications must demonstrate commitment to a broad-based, active community process for the design and use of local publicly-owned open spaces.
IMPLEMENTATION: (Up to $35,000) Implementation grant applications must demonstrate evidence of local community active participation and support.
CLOSING SOON: IKI Small Grants
Application deadline: 15 March 2023
This grant is looking for small organizations with innovative, context-specific project ideas. Projects must address one of the following areas:
- Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions
- Adapting to the impacts of climate change
- Conserving natural carbon sinks
- Conserving biological diversity
SGP: The GEF Small Grants Programme
To apply: Please contact your SGP National Coordinator
Maximum grant size: USD 50,000 The SGP grants are awarded directly to community-based organizations and NGOs for the key role they play as a resource and constituency for environmental and development concerns.
Applicants must ensure their project goals align with the SGP areas of work. You can find more information on these here under the ‘Areas of Work’ tab at the top of the page.
Rufford Small Grant
Deadline for applications: none
Size of grants: Grants start at £6,000 and increase to £15,000
The Rufford Foundation provides funding for nature conservation projects in developing countries. To be eligible to apply, you need be in the early stages of your conservation career and any species you are working on must be considered threatened.