The Conservation Leadership Programme Team Awards 2023

The Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) is a partnership between BirdLife International, Fauna & Flora International and the Wildlife Conservation Society. Each year, CLP grants Team Awards to groups of early-career conservationists leading projects to save threatened species. Award-winning teams benefit from a project grant, and opportunities to develop their professional skills and build connections through the CLP Alumni Network.

Applications for the 2023 CLP Team Awards are now open until 10 October 2022. CLP invites applications from teams undertaking projects that involve research, practical actions and community outreach to promote pro-conservation attitudes and achieve effective, long-lasting conservation. Teams can apply for Future Conservationist Awards (up to USD 15,000), Conservation Follow-Up Awards (up to USD 25,000; available only to previous recipients of a Future Conservationist Award) and Conservation Leadership Awards (up to USD 50,000; available only to previous recipients of a Follow-Up Award).

To be eligible, teams must be leading projects in low- to middle-income countries and target species listed as Data Deficient, Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Countries designated as high-income economies by the World Bank are not eligible, except some countries and island nations in Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific. Projects must take place in an eligible country, be led or co-led by a national of one of these countries, and involve at least three team members.

For more information, visit conservationleadershipprogramme.org/grants. Applicants for a Conservation Follow-Up or Conservation Leadership Award will need to submit the final report from their previous project and a logical framework by 4 September 2022. Winners will be announced in April 2023. For any questions, contact clp@birdlife.org.

The 2023 CLP Team Awards are made possible thanks to support from Arcadia—a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin.

Cambridge Masters in Conservation Leadership

The Masters degree in Conservation Leadership at the University of Cambridge is a full-time, 11-month course for graduates of leadership potential with at least 3 years of relevant experience in biodiversity conservation. Hosted by the Department of Geography, the course is delivered by members of the Cambridge Conservation Initiative, a partnership between six university departments and nine conservation organizations based in the David Attenborough Building.

Applications open in September 2022 for entry to the course in October 2023. For application details visit cl.geog.cam.ac.uk. The closing date for applications will be early December 2022. There is no application fee for students from the least developed and other low-income countries. For information on eligibility for a fee waiver, see postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/application-process/how-do-i-apply/application-fee.

We are able to offer a number of scholarships to support students attending the Masters course. These scholarships cover full fees and living expenses. Successful applicants for scholarships will have outstanding conservation leadership potential but be unable to fund their studies from other sources. Priority for scholarships will be given to those from countries rich in biodiversity but poor in financial resources. For queries about making an application, contact Lisa Harris (admin.conservationleadership@geog.cam.ac.uk).

The Rufford Small Grants Programme

The Rufford Foundation runs the Rufford Small Grants Programme supporting early-career conservationists in the developing world. The programme focuses on funding field work undertaken by current MSc or PhD students (or equivalent), or those who have graduated from such studies in the past 3 years and are seeking to undertake a conservation project. First grants support small-scale or pilot projects rather than providing a small amount of funding for a large-scale project. In some cases, The Rufford Foundation will fund 100% of the project costs. Projects can focus on particular species or have a more general focus such as on a threatened habitats or a major issue such as human–wildlife conflict or environmental education. The Rufford Foundation considers work on any species listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, provided it is not categorized as Least Concern. Projects on species that do not appear on the IUCN Red List because they have yet to be assessed but are thought to be threatened will also be considered. There are no restrictions on projects focusing on threatened habitats. This is a five-stage funding programme and successful grantees are encouraged to apply for further support provided they fit the criteria. To see examples of funded projects, visit rufford.org. Further information on eligibility criteria, as well as instructions on how to submit your application, can be found at apply.ruffordsmallgrants.org. There is no deadline for applications. Each application will be reviewed once the required three references have been received.