External funding opportunities
Darwin Initiative: Round 30 (Extra)
→International Grant
Darwin Initiative Extra invites projects that are on a clear scaling pathway: building on good evidence from smaller projects to demonstrating the potential to scale further by completion and delivering strong results for biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction.
Darwin Initiative Extra will provide grants between £600,000 and £5,000,000 for projects lasting between 2 to 5 years maximum.
How to apply:
Once you have ready the guidance, complete the Darwin Initiative Extra Round 30 application form on the Flexi-Grant application portal. For drafting purposes you may find the Darwin Initiative Extra Round 30 form useful.
If you invited to interview, you may be asked to provide clarifications on the feedback provided upon the review of your Stage 1 application.
The budget spreadsheet for Darwin Initiative Extra projects can be found below:
Additional materials that you will be required to complete as part of your application can be found below or downloaded from within Flexi-Grant.
- Biodiversity Challenge Funds Workplan Template
- Biodiversity Challenge Funds Stage 2/ Single Stage logframe
- Biodiversity Challenge Funds Risk Framework Template
Single Stage, with interview
- Call for Extra applications: currently open – deadline Monday 18th September 2023
- Shortlisted applications will be invited to interview (remote): Monday 15th – Friday 19th January 2024
Darwin Initiative: Round 30 (Main)
→International Grant
Darwin Initiative Main invites applications for environmental projects between £100,000 and £600,000 for projects lasting 1 to 3 years maximum.
How to apply:
Once you have ready the guidance, complete the Darwin Initiative Main Round 30 Stage 1 application form on the Flexi-Grant application portal. For drafting purposes you may find the Darwin Initiative Main Round 30 Stage 1 form useful.
If you invited to Stage 2, you will be asked to complete the Stage 2 application form on the Flexi-Grant portal. For drafting purposes, you may find the Darwin Initiative Main Round 30 Stage 2 application form useful.
The budget spreadsheet for Darwin Initiative Main projects can be found below:
Additional materials that you will be required to complete as part of your application can be found below or downloaded from within Flexi-Grant. Please note there are different requirements for Stage 1 and Stage 2 – read the guidance for more information.
- Biodiversity Challenge Funds Workplan Template
- Biodiversity Challenge Funds Stage 1 logframe template
- Biodiversity Challenge Funds Stage 2/ Single Stage logframe
Main – Two Stage process
- Stage 1 (Main): currently open – deadline Monday 3rd July 2023
- Stage 2 (Main): by invite only – deadline Monday 27th November
Darwin Initiative: Round 30 (Innovation and Capability & Capacity)
→International Grant
Innovation:
Darwin Initiative Innovation is aimed at projects intending to test a novel approach that if proven could scale to deliver results for biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction.
Darwin Initiative Innovation will provide grants between £10,000 to £200,000 for projects lasting between 1 to 2 years maximum.
How to apply:
Once you have ready the guidance, complete the Darwin Initiative Innovation Round 30 application form on the Flexi-Grant application portal. For drafting purposes you may find the Darwin Initiative Innovation Round 30 form useful.
The budget spreadsheet for Darwin Initiative Innovation projects can be found below:
- Biodiversity Challenge Funds budget forms (grants over £100,000)
- Biodiversity Challenge Funds budget forms (grants under £100,000)
Additional materials that you will be required to complete as part of your application can be found below or downloaded from within Flexi-Grant.
- Biodiversity Challenge Funds Workplan Template
- Biodiversity Challenge Funds Stage 2/ Single Stage logframe
Capability and Capacity:
Darwin Initiative Capability & Capacity invites projects that focus on developing the capability and capacity of national and local organisation to efficiently deliver effective and successful biodiversity conservation – poverty reduction projects.
Darwin Initiative Capability & Capacity will provide grants between £50,000 – £200,000 between for projects lasting 1 to 2 years maximum.
How to apply:
Once you have ready the guidance, complete the Darwin Initiative Capability & Capacity Round 30 application form on the Flexi-Grant application portal. For drafting purposes you may find the Darwin Capability & Capacity Innovation Round 30 form useful.
The budget spreadsheet for Darwin Initiative Capability & Capacity projects can be found below:
- Biodiversity Challenge Funds budget forms (grants over £100,000)
- Biodiversity Challenge Funds budget forms (grants under £100,000)
Additional materials that you will be required to complete as part of your application can be found below or downloaded from within Flexi-Grant.
Innovation and Capability & Capacity – Single Stage process
- Call for Innovation / Capability & Capacity applications: currently open – deadline Monday 23rd October 2023
Wellcome Discovery Awards
→International Grant
This scheme provides funding for established researchers and teams from any discipline who want to pursue bold and creative research ideas to deliver significant shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health and wellbeing.
Where the host organisation of the lead applicant is based: UK, Republic of Ireland, Low- or middle-income countries (apart from India and mainland China)
Level of funding: You should ask for the resources you need for your research programme – see the ‘What we offer’ section in the official webpage. You will need to justify this in your application.
Duration of funding: Usually 8 years, but may be less for some disciplines, and may only be longer if held on a part-time basis.
Application deadline: 21 November 2023.
Read more information and the guidelines here.
Research-Practice Partnerships: Collaborative research for educational change
→International Grant
The Research-Practice Partnership (RPP) Grants Program is intended to support education research projects that engage in collaborative and participatory partnerships with project budgets up to $400,000 and durations of up to three years. We accept Intent to Apply forms once a year in this program.
We view partnerships as an important approach to knowledge generation and the improvement of education, broadly construed. Over the long term, we anticipate that research conducted by RPPs will result in new insights into the processes, practices, and policies that improve education for learners, educators, families, communities, and institutions where learning and teaching happen (e.g., schools, universities, museums, other workplaces).
Details about the program and application process can be found below. In addition, you may wish to read the RPP Writing Guide found here. Various details discussed in this request for proposals document are elaborated on in the writing guide.
- Applications Open: Mid September, 2023.
- Intent to Apply: Late October, 2023.
- Full Proposal Deadline: Late November, 2023.
Apply here.
Research Grants on Education: Large
→International Grant
The Large Research Grants on Education Program supports education research projects that will contribute to the improvement of education, broadly conceived, with budgets ranging from $125,000 to $500,000 for projects ranging from one to five years. We anticipate awarding grants with budgets across each of the following funding tiers — $125,000 to 250,000; $250,001 to $375,000; and $375,001 to $500,000. Within each of our funding tiers, we evaluate projects within tier and strongly encourage applicants to submit for funding that best fits their project rather than applying for the highest amount. We accept Intent to Apply forms twice a year.
This program is “field-initiated” in that proposal submissions are not in response to a specific request for a particular research topic, discipline, design, method, or location. Our goal for this program is to support rigorous, intellectually ambitious and technically sound research that is relevant to the most pressing questions and compelling opportunities in education.
- Applications Open: Early December 2023
- Intent to Apply: Late January 2024
- Full Proposal Deadline: Late February 2024
Apply here.
Kindling Initiative
→International Grant
Purpose of Kindling Initiative: Build capacity and networks within academe to sustain a robust interest in the adverse effects of industrial animal agriculture, especially concerning low- and middle-income countries. Disseminate and communicate beyond academe the knowledge and insights that researchers have acquired on this broad subject, with academics serving as respected voices, thought leaders, and trusted sources of information on this subject for key segments of society.
Intended grant recipients: Kindling Initiative grants are offered to universities, to academic researchers working in universities, and to academics-led organizations. Independent scholars are also eligible if they can use organizations qualified to receive these grants to act as pass-through agencies. Applicants should hold PhD or equivalent degree. They need not be located in the U.S.
Topic and issues: The work, activities, and purpose supported by these grants must focus on understanding and tackling drivers and adverse effects of large-scale, industrial food animal production, especially concerning low- and middle-income countries. A broad range of topics and issues are covered under this umbrella, from environmental and climate issues, to animal welfare, government policies, and concentration of corporate power.
Grants cannot be used to conduct research: Kindling Initiative grants are not research grants. They support administration, outreach, organizing, and other expenses associated with two kinds of work (a grant request can focus on one or both kinds): 1. Build institutional capacity and networks of academic researchers, and heighten interest in research and teaching. 2. Disseminate and communicate research findings; assist and offer guidance to those outside academe; serve as trusted experts to non-academic sectors.
Response to a Concept Note submission will be given in 5 – 7 days. The response may include an invitation to submit a full proposal.
Those invited to submit full proposals can send their proposals any time within six months of the invitation. (Tiny Beam Fund will help them to prepare strong proposals). Decisions to award grants are made four times each year – typically in March, May, September, December.
Apply here.
The Save Our Seas Foundation
→International Grant
The Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) offers a series of grants dedicated to research, conservation and education projects worldwide. Keystone Grant and Small Grant projects should integrate at least two of these components and focus on threatened marine megafauna, particularly sharks, rays and skates. The Storytelling Grant is dedicated to supporting early career and emerging conservation storytellers and focuses on photography in its inaugural year.
The online application process, deadlines and conditions are different, depending on the grant category you are applying for. Please read the funding guidelines carefully.
Applications for the Small Grant is open from April 17 to June 16, 2023, 18:00 CET.
Applications for the Keystone Grant are CLOSED and will open again in April 2024.
Applications for the Conservation Fellowships will open soon in 2023.
Applications for the Ocean Storytelling Photography Grant are CLOSED. The next application window will open late in 2023, through the SOSF Grant Portal .
Applications for the Ocean Storytelling Writing Grant are CLOSED.
Synergies: Support for research-based programmes
→International Grant
The Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia is looking to support research-based and process-oriented programmes that foster exchange between art, science and technology involving organisations in Switzerland and across the world.
From hackathons to fellowships, from residencies to think tanks – the Synergies open call offers support of CHF 20,000 – CHF 150,000 for international collaborations and encourages programmes which spark new approaches, methodologies and connect knowledge from different contexts.
If the following applies to your envisioned programme, it fits the open call:
- You are looking for a frame in which you can test, build and further develop research- and process-oriented formats at the intersection of art, science and technology.
- Your programme enables meaningful international collaboration, besides developing and strengthening new and existing networks between art, science and technology.
Your programme is aimed at artistic and cultural practitioners through activities such as networking, residencies, research and exchange formats.
The support is allotted to the conceptualisation, creation and implementation of the programme. This may include artists’ fees, travel costs, material costs, etc. Infrastructural costs (building, renting, etc.) and operational costs (salaries, insurances, etc.) of the organisations will not be supported.
Deadline: October 2, 2023
Apply here.
Wellcome Early-Career Awards
→International Grant
This scheme provides funding for early-career researchers from any discipline who are ready to develop their research identity. Through innovative projects, they will deliver shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health and wellbeing. By the end of the award, they will be ready to lead their own independent research programme.
- Where your host organisation is based: UK, Republic of Ireland, Low- or middle-income countries (apart from India and mainland China)
- Level of funding: Your salary and up to £400,000 for research expenses. If eligible, you may also request additional funding for overseas allowances and overheads.
- Duration of funding: Usually 5 years, but may be less for some disciplines, and may only be longer if held on a part-time basis.
Application deadline: 05 October 2023, 17:00 GMT
Apply here.