Rufford Foundation: Small Grants for Nature Conservation

Overview

There are five stages of funding and applications from conservationists are welcome through the dedicated website.

Through its Conference programme, the Foundation encourages the sharing of knowledge and best practice throughout the conservation world.

The Rufford Foundation provides funding for small nature/biodiversity conservation projects and pilot programmes in developing countries.

Rufford Small Grant

What is it?

• A grant of up to £5,000 available for nature conservation projects

Who/what is eligible?

• Individuals or small groups.
• Projects outside the first world

Critical components of the application

• Projects should focus on nature/biodiversity issues in non-first world countries
• Impact must be pragmatic, measurable and long lasting
• The grant must make up a significant part of the total budget
• Funds must be used predominantly for field-based activities
• Applications must be submitted through the online applications section of this website.
• The project should be a minimum of 12 months duration
• Who/what is generally not eligible?

Further Funding

On successful completion of a Rufford Small Grant, having provided satisfactory feedback and a final report, applicants are welcome to apply for a 2nd Rufford Small Grant, followed by a Booster Grant, 2nd Booster Grant and Completion Grant. The details and application guidelines are set out below:

• Critical components of ALL the applications further to a Rufford Small Grant
  • Must be directly related to the subject of any previous grants
  • Must have submitted interim reports and a final report on the previous grant before applying for the next grant
  • Must have three references, at least one of which may not have been used for the previous grant
  • Must include a new budget
  • There should be a minimum of 12 months between submitting first and subsequent applications

2nd Rufford Small Grant

• It is only possible to apply for a 2nd Rufford Small Grant upon successful usage of a Rufford Small Grant
• A 2nd Rufford Small Grant is up to £5,000
• Activities must focus on developing important elements identified in the project supported by the Rufford Small Grant.
• The grant can be given to individuals or small groups
• The criteria and application process is the same as for a Rufford Small Grant and the impact of the work achieved with the Rufford Small Grant must be clearly reported

Booster Grant

• It is only possible to apply for a Booster Grant upon successful usage of a 2nd Rufford Small Grant
• A Booster Grant is up to £10,000
• Activities must focus on developing important elements identified in the project supported by the 2nd Rufford Small Grant.
• The grant can be given to individuals or small groups
• The criteria and application process is the same as for a 2nd Rufford Small Grant and the impact of the work achieved with the 2nd Rufford Small Grant must be clearly reported

2nd Booster Grant

• It is only possible to apply for a 2nd Booster Grant upon successful usage of a Booster Grant
• A 2nd Booster Grant is up to £10,000
• Activities must focus on developing important elements identified in the project supported by the Booster Grant.
• The grant can be given to individuals or small groups
• The criteria and application process is the same as for a Booster Grant and the impact of the work achieved with Booster Grant must be clearly reported
• Applicants are encouraged to look for funding from sources other than Rufford

Completion Grant

• It is only possible to apply for a Completion Grant upon successful usage of a 2nd Booster Grant
• A Completion Grant is up to £15,000
• Activities must focus on developing important elements identified in the project supported by the 2nd Booster Grant.
• The grant can ONLY be given to an organisation
• Applications must be submitted through the online applications section of this website
• The review process can take up to 6 months.
• Applicants are expected to look for matched funding from sources other than Rufford

Having received a Completion Grant, applicants cannot be given any further support from the Rufford Small Grants Programme.

For enquiries about an application see here

There are five different types of grants available from The Rufford Foundation.

Basic eligibility criteria

• Projects must have a nature/biodiversity conservation focus.
• Rufford Small Grants are designed to support small-scale or pilot projects, rather than providing a small amount of funding for a large-scale project.
• The Foundation has a broad scope of interest - as well as the conservation of particular threatened charismatic species, the protection of which is likely to benefit their natural habitat, it is also interested in those often neglected or less well known species.
• In addition, the Foundation is also keen to support projects which go beyond a species-specific focus to provide habitat protection at a wider scale.
• Beyond this, the overriding requirement is that the work must be structured to provide long-lasting and practical conservation outcomes on the ground. There will often be a significant human element to a successful proposal, with community education / involvement being very important.
• In general, the Foundation favours work at a habitat or ecosystem level rather than species-specific work. However, they recognise that data gathering may be a critical element in developing a conservation or management strategy. ·
• The Foundation seeks to fund those project leaders who intend to make a significant and long-lasting impact on their chosen subject. This means that the applicant should intend to devote a considerable period of time to the project and set it up in such a way that it can have a long-term future - hence local team members are an essential part of the equation so that the project can carry on functioning usefully once the team leader moves on to other work. ·