Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN)Award

£50,000 Whitley Award for Conservation

Oct 30, 2026 23:59:00 GMT

Opportunity type

Award

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

Global

Deadline

Oct 30, 2026 23:59:00 GMT

About this opportunity

The Whitley Awards recognise grassroots conservation leaders scaling proven, science-based solutions for people and nature. Each award is worth £50,000 in project funding over one year, and winners join a community of more than 230 conservation leaders across 80 plus countries. Winners also receive international profile-raising, professional communications and media support, peer learning opportunities and eligibility for future Continuation Funding and the Whitley Gold Award.

What you get:

£50,000 in project funding over one year
International recognition and profile-raising opportunities
Professional communications and media support
Peer learning, training and collaboration opportunities
Eligibility for future Continuation Funding and the Whitley Gold Award
Membership of a global community of 230 plus conservation leaders

What you'll do:

Register on the WFN application portal and complete the online form
Prepare a logical framework and timeline on the Word template
Build a project budget on the Excel template
Secure three referees who submit by the deadline
Attend the Whitley Awards week in London if you win, including interviews and media work

Who can apply

National of the country where you work, embedded in local communities
Work based in at least one eligible country, those not classified High-Income by the World Bank (some exceptions apply)
Work for a locally incorporated NGO, charity, not for profit or university
Project delivers measurable landscape or seascape level impact for threatened ecosystems and biodiversity
Project provides tangible benefits to Indigenous peoples and local communities
Backed by an experienced team; solo operators and joint entries are not eligible
Able to communicate verbally in English without a translator
No application fees

AI Verification

✓ AI Verified

Our AI read the official sources and cross-checked the key facts. Here is what held up, and what it could not confirm.

We could not fully verify this organization or all of its details. Check it independently on the official website before you apply, and never share sensitive personal or financial information until you are sure a request is genuine.

LOT Verification ScoreSolid

Cross-checked 4 of 5 key facts

Confirmed Our best read Not stated

Good to know

+Highly prestigious: WFN has channeled £23 million to 200 conservation leaders in 80 countries since 1993
+No nomination needed, direct application
+Winners gain a durable support ladder including Continuation Funding and the Gold Award
+Clear published lists of what WFN does and does not fund

Worth checking yourself

!Aimed at mid-career conservation leaders with proven results, not students or first projects
!Verbal English required for the London awards week
!Government employees are generally not eligible
!Three referees plus templated framework and budget make this a heavy application

What we could not confirm

?The full eligible country list is behind a separate WFN page and was not enumerated
?Number of awards given per year is not stated on the apply page

Sources checked

OPopportunitydesk.orgOfficialWHwhitleyaward.orgApplyWHwhitleyaward.orgApply

LOT finds and checks opportunities from public sources. Always confirm details on the organiser’s own page before applying.

About this opportunity

What you get:

£50,000 in project funding over one year
International recognition and profile-raising opportunities
Professional communications and media support
Peer learning, training and collaboration opportunities
Eligibility for future Continuation Funding and the Whitley Gold Award
Membership of a global community of 230 plus conservation leaders

What you'll do:

Register on the WFN application portal and complete the online form
Prepare a logical framework and timeline on the Word template
Build a project budget on the Excel template
Secure three referees who submit by the deadline
Attend the Whitley Awards week in London if you win, including interviews and media work

Who can apply

National of the country where you work, embedded in local communities
Work based in at least one eligible country, those not classified High-Income by the World Bank (some exceptions apply)
Work for a locally incorporated NGO, charity, not for profit or university
Project delivers measurable landscape or seascape level impact for threatened ecosystems and biodiversity
Project provides tangible benefits to Indigenous peoples and local communities
Backed by an experienced team; solo operators and joint entries are not eligible
Able to communicate verbally in English without a translator
No application fees