The Association of Commonwealth Universities offers seven grants of up to £2,000 each, helping early-career researchers attend conferences in other Commonwealth countries. The grants cover registration fees, flights, accommodation, visas, and travel and health insurance. Applicants must be early-career academics at an ACU member university, within seven years of starting their academic career. They must be chairing a session or presenting a paper or poster at an in-person conference in a Commonwealth country other than the one where they work. The conference must take place between January 2027 and January 2028. The deadline is 13 October 2026. Conference Grants
conservation
Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund — Grants for Endangered Species Conservation
The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund invites applications for grants supporting the conservation of individual threatened plant, animal and fungi species anywhere in the world. Grants are up to US$25 thousand, and the Fund gives priority to Endangered, Critically Endangered and Data Deficient species. It mainly supports fieldwork in the species’ natural habitat, such as surveys, direct conservation action and training. Applications must be in English, with budgets in US dollars, and submitted through the Fund’s online system. The criteria page states no limits on applicant type or country. The deadline is 15 October 2026. Grants for Endangered Species Conservation
Conservation Leadership Programme — Grants for Early-Career Conservationists
The Conservation Leadership Programme offers early-career conservationists project grants of up to US$15 thousand, plus ongoing support from its alumni network, including funding, training and mentorship. Projects must protect globally important at-risk habitats and species through ecological research and conservation action. Themes include climate adaptation, biodiversity, habitat restoration, community-led conservation, human-wildlife conflict, policy, and education or citizen science. Teams must have at least three members, all with no more than five years of professional conservation experience. All members must be nationals of the country where the project takes place. Concept notes are due by 30 October 2026. Link to the Conservation Leadership Program
Wild Animal Initiative — Research Grants
Wild Animal Initiative invites academic researchers to apply for Validation Grants, Welfare Ecology Grants, or Seed Grants supporting research that advances wild animal welfare science, alongside WAI Fellowships for early-career researchers. Principal investigators must be affiliated with a university or research institution, and any fieldwork must include collaborators who are residents of the country where it takes place; NGO-managed projects require registration in that country. WAI cannot sponsor visas, so work carried out in the United States by a non-US resident generally cannot be funded, and it cannot fund research in countries under US sanctions, such as Iran, North Korea, or Russia. The deadline is 31 October 2026. Wild Animal Research Grants
Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund — Small Grants Program in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund invites letters of inquiry from non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations, Indigenous peoples’ organisations, women’s groups, youth groups and other civil society organisations based in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Projects must support community engagement in managing threatened ecosystems and species in eligible areas of the country. Grants are up to US$50 thousand. The deadline is 01 November 2026. Small Grants Program
Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund — Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot
The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund invites local civil society organisations in Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, or Vietnam to apply for grants supporting biodiversity conservation in the Indo-Burma Hotspot. Small grants go up to US$50,000, and large grants range from US$50,000 to US$250,000. The deadline is 02 November 2026. More
United Nations Environment Programme — Small Grants for Community Marine and Coastal Ecosystem Projects
UNEP invites community-based organisations and associations, civil society organisations, local and national NGOs, government institutions and regional not-for-profits that work directly with coastal and island communities in Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States. Grants are up to US$100 thousand each, for community-led projects to restore coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass meadows, to develop blue carbon and carbon finance that improves coastal livelihoods, or to empower women, youth and Indigenous peoples in ecosystem management. Applicants must commit significant co-financing in cash or in kind. The deadline is 02 November 2026. Small Grants
Sequoia Park Zoo — Conservation Grant Program
The Sequoia Park Zoo supports field research, habitat restoration, rescue and rehabilitation efforts, public awareness campaigns, and annual lecture series. The Zoo also offers an annual Conservation Grant Program, awarding up to US$3,000 per project, for work that delivers clear, measurable impact on wildlife or habitat conservation. Applicants must be affiliated with a conservation-related organization or an education institution. Pre-proposals can be submitted until 02 November 2026. Conservation Grant Program
Hatch Blue — Women in Ocean Food
Hatch Blue invites women-led blue economy startups to apply for an equity-free business support programme focused on Latin America and the Caribbean. Topics include sustainable and regenerative aquaculture, marine biotech, seafood value chains, seafood waste reuse and blue carbon. The programme pays all travel, accommodation and food for two participants per team, but gives no cash or equity investment. Teams must be led or founded by women, or have women as real decision-makers, and have at least one participant, ideally two co-founders. Applications close on 07 November 2026. Women in Ocean Food
Dalai Lama Fellows — Mentorship for Emerging Leaders
The Dalai Lama Fellowship offers emerging leaders from all around the world mentorship and coaching to design and implement their own original field projects addressing a global challenge. Project areas include environmental sustainability, among others. The fellowship does not offer funding for projects, instead, it offers coaching and a global community. This program is open to next-generation leaders (20-35 years old). The deadline for applications is 11 November 2026. Dalai Lama Fellows