Rufford Small Grant
The Rufford Small Grant from The Rufford Foundation funds impactful early-career conservation research and projects focused on biodiversity and threatened species in developing or emerging economy countries.
Funder: The Rufford Foundation
Due Dates: Rolling (no deadlines; applications accepted year-round)
Funding Amounts: Four-stage process: up to £7,000 (1st grant), £8,000 (2nd), £12,000 (Booster), £18,000 (Completion); typical project duration 12–18 months.
Summary: Supports early-career conservationists for nature conservation projects in eligible developing or emerging economy countries.
Key Information: Applications must be submitted online; only one application per 12 months; funds paid to an organization, not individuals.
Description
The Rufford Small Grant is designed to support early-career conservationists in delivering impactful nature conservation projects in emerging or developing economy countries. The grant program operates through a staged funding model, providing up to four sequential grants as a project or conservationist progresses. Projects must focus on biodiversity, threatened species (not classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List), threatened habitats, or related conservation issues such as human-wildlife conflict or community education. The foundation aims to empower individuals—especially MSc/PhD students or recent graduates—to develop their conservation careers and deliver tangible benefits for wildlife and habitats.
