[Wild Animal Initiative](https://www.wildanimalinitiative.org/grants/challenge-grants)

March 2026 (EOI) | June 2026 (Full proposal)

$50,000–$100,000 total per project; project duration up to 5 years

Supports innovative research on neglected wild animal welfare topics, emphasizing methodological rigor and high-impact outcomes led by experienced investigators.

--- ## Description Wild Animal Initiative’s Challenge Grants are designed to advance the field of wild animal welfare research by supporting projects that tackle pivotal and underexplored questions. These grants are intended for experienced principal investigators aiming to open new research directions, particularly those that may not attract mainstream funding. Projects must align with priority research themes such as welfare indicator validation, interspecific interactions, population dynamics, cause-specific mortality, landscape ecology, cascade effects, welfare interventions, juvenile welfare, invertebrate welfare, and fish welfare. The program emphasizes methodological rigor, originality, feasibility, and the potential to improve the welfare of large numbers of wild animals. --- ## Due Dates - March 2026: Expression of Interest (EOI) deadline (anticipated/projected) - June 2026: Full proposal deadline (anticipated/projected) *All dates are projected based on the annual cycle; check the program page for updates.* --- ## Funding Amount - Typical award size: $50,000–$100,000 USD total per project - Maximum project duration: Up to 5 years - Funding covers direct research costs (e.g., supplies, salaries, capital equipment) with strong justification; indirect costs and institutional overhead are not funded. --- ## Eligibility - Projects must be led by an experienced principal investigator affiliated with a university, research institution, or government agency. - Collaborations may include students or early-career researchers; financial support for these collaborators is allowed. - The lead or collaborators must be residents of all countries where fieldwork takes place; NGOs must be registered in the country of fieldwork. - Projects may be standalone or add a wild animal welfare component to an existing project. - Funding is not available for: - Indirect costs or institutional overhead - Work conducted in the US by non-residents (due to visa sponsorship restrictions) - Research in or by residents of US-sanctioned countries (e.g., Iran, North Korea, Russia) - More than one active project per principal investigator - Projects focused solely on a single welfare domain, or exclusively on wildlife conservation - Projects not addressing the subjective experience (welfare) of animals --- ## Application Process - Submit a short Expression of Interest (EOI) form. - EOIs are reviewed for eligibility and relevance. - Shortlisted applicants are invited to submit a full proposal. - Full proposals undergo external expert review (including animal care/ethics specialists and technical experts). - Applicants may be asked for clarifications or revisions. - Final decisions are typically communicated within 6 months of the EOI deadline. - Awarded grantees sign a communications agreement and must provide annual and final progress reports. --- ## Additional Information - Projects must clearly articulate relevance to wild animal welfare and to one or more of the funder’s priority research themes. - Research ethics are a key consideration; projects should minimize harm to animals and justify any invasive methods. - Preference is given to projects with broad transferability, high impact, and cost-effectiveness. - Applicants interested in a WAI Fellowship (for postdocs/PhDs) can indicate this in their EOI. --- ## External Links - [Wild Animal Initiative Challenge Grants Program Page](https://www.wildanimalinitiative.org/grants/challenge-grants) - [Eligibility Details](https://www.wildanimalinitiative.org/grants/challenge-grants/#eligibility) - [Proposal Guidelines](https://www.wildanimalinitiative.org/grants/challenge-grants/#proposal-guidelines) - [Selection Criteria](https://www.wildanimalinitiative.org/grants/challenge-grants/#selection-criteria) - [Application Process Overview](https://www.wildanimalinitiative.org/grants/challenge-grants/#application-process) - [FAQs](https://www.wildanimalinitiative.org/grants/grants-faq) --- ## Contact Information | Purpose | Contact/Link | |-----------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Program Page | [https://www.wildanimalinitiative.org/grants/challenge-grants](https://www.wildanimalinitiative.org/grants/challenge-grants) | | General Info | [https://www.wildanimalinitiative.org/](https://www.wildanimalinitiative.org/) | For specific inquiries, refer to the program page for the most current contact options.

Challenge Grants - Wild Animal Initiative

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