WAI Fellowships support PhD students and postdocs who want research careers in wild animal welfare science. Fellows work with a WAI mentor for a three-month placement to turn their project idea into a full research plan, then complete the project with their academic supervisor. Grants run up to US$100,000 a year for up to three years, with a guaranteed stipend of at least US$50,000 a year (up to US$75,000 to match local postdoc pay). Applications close on 31 October 2026. Link
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Wild Animal Initiative — Seed Grants
WAI Seed Grants fund small research projects that answer preliminary questions before indicator validation or a larger WAI research proposal. Eligible projects include systematic literature reviews, meta-analyses, pilot studies that identify indicators worth validating, and prototyping of data collection methods or technology. Grants are up to US$30,000 in total for up to two years. Applications close on 31 October 2026. WAI Seed Grants
Wild Animal Initiative — Welfare Ecology Grants
WAI Welfare Ecology Grants fund research on the causal relationships between wild animal welfare and other variables, with emphasis on ecological network effects and interactions among multiple species. The aim is to find levers that could eventually inform interventions or policies. Grants are up to US$200,000 in total for up to three years. Applications close on 31 October 2026. Welfare Ecology Grants
Wild Animal Initiative — Validation Grants for Wild Animal Welfare Indicator Research
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
Eni — Prizes for Energy and Environmental Science
The 2027 Eni Award includes two prizes relevant to environmental research. The Advanced Environmental Solutions Prize gives one indivisible €200,000 award to a researcher or a pair of joint main authors with internationally significant results from the past ten years in environmental stewardship, such as biodiversity and habitat protection, nature-based solutions, ecosystem restoration, remediation, water stewardship, air quality or sustainable use of natural resources. The Young Talents from Africa Prize gives two African PhD students €25,000 each for research in energy and environment such as renewables, decarbonisation, circular economy, water treatment, biodiversity, nature-based solutions or sustainable agriculture. For both prizes, the deadline is 20 November 2026. Know more
Royal Geographical Society — Grants with Deadlines in November 2026
The Royal Geographical Society funds geographical research, fieldwork and expeditions. Four awards close on 16 November 2026: the Ralph Brown Expedition Award (up to £15,000 for an expedition working in an aquatic environment such as coral reefs, rivers, lakes or shallow seas), the Thesiger-Oman International Fellowships (two awards of £15,000 for fieldwork in arid and semi-arid environments), the Walters Kundert Fellowship (£15,000 for post-PhD field research in Arctic or high mountain environments) and the Gilchrist Fieldwork Award (£15,000 for challenging overseas fieldwork by small teams). The Postgraduate Research Awards (up to £2,500 for PhD fieldwork and data collection) close on 23 November 2026. Grant deadlines
UNESCO — Awards for Young Scientists in STEM
UNESCO awards US$50 thousand to each of five laureates, one from each world region (Africa, the Arab States, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and North America, and Latin America and the Caribbean), in recognition of young scientists under 40 whose work in STEM research, STEM education and innovation, or international cooperation advances the Sustainable Development Goals. Applications and nominations are submitted in English or French through the prize portal by 30 November 2026. Awards for Young Scientists in STEM
Alice McCosh Trust — Small Grants for Natural History and Environmental Work
The Alice McCosh Trust awards one-off grants of around £1,000 to advance education in natural history and the environment. Grants can cover fieldwork for a research project or the cost of producing materials that increase understanding of the environment or encourage people to protect it. Individuals of any age and nationality can apply. The application deadline is 30 November each year. Link
International Development Research Center — Research in Community Forestry 2026
The John G. Bene Fellowship is awarded to graduate students at Canadian universities who hold Canadian citizenship or permanent residency. The grant is for research on the relationship between forest resources and the social, economic, cultural, and environmental welfare of people in developing countries. Therefore, the student must spend a minimum of 10 consecutive weeks in the field in the following regions: Middle East, North Africa, West Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Far Eastern Asia, Caribbean, Central America, South America, or Oceania. The award covers field research expenses up to CA$30 thousand per year. The deadline for submitting applications has been extended to 30 November 2026. Community Forestry Fellowship
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis — Young Scientists Summer Program 2027
IIASA invites doctoral students worldwide to participate in its Young Scientists Summer Program held at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis’s headquarters in Laxenburg, Austria. The selected participants work with IIASA’s senior scientists in research on energy, ecosystem services, water, risk policy and vulnerability, and other topics. Scholarships are available from IIASA’s national member organizations. A limited number of scholarships are available from other sources. The deadline for registrations to the 2027 program is 10 January 2027. Young Scientists Summer Program