Ghent University grants PhD “sandwich” scholarships to promising PhD students from Global South countries who wish to carry out half of their PhD research at Ghent University. The candidate must have full-time funding for the other 24 months of research to be carried out in the South. Research proposals must be jointly submitted by a candidate, a supervisor at Ghent University, and a supervisor at the partner university. The deadline for scholarship applications is 15 January 2027. Special Research Fund
wildlife
American Society of Mammalogists — Research in Latin America
The American Society of Mammalogists (ASM) offers the Latin American Student Field Research Award for field projects by Latin American graduate students. Each of the five grant recipients receives US$1,500. The ASM also offers the Oliver P. Pearson Award to young professional mammalogists of any nationality who hold academic or curatorial positions in Latin America. The Pearson research grant is US$5,000 plus a travel grant of US$2,000 to attend the ASM annual meeting following the award. The application deadline for both types of awards is 01 March 2027. More about the Field Research Awards
Rainforest Trust — Rapid Protected-Area Feasibility Awards
The Rainforest Trust provides partnership and funding opportunities to local conservation NGOs across the tropics. The Rapid Protected-Area Feasibility Awards is intended for conservationists and researchers to evaluate important potential sites for creating new Protected Areas. Awards average US$5 thousand. The applicant must be an NGO based in the country of the proposed protected area. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Link
Association of Commonwealth Universities — Early Career Conference Grants
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
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
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
Unearthodox — Exploration Co-Lab 2027
Unearthodox invites early-stage initiatives working at the intersection of environmental and societal change to apply to its Exploration Co-Lab, a 10-month incubator for systemic, root-cause work addressing humanity’s relationship with nature. Selected participants receive CHF 10,000 in grant funding, plus access to an estimated CHF 60,000 in non-financial support, including coaching, systems mapping, and community connection. Open to applicants worldwide, with particular welcome for underrepresented voices. The deadline is 16 November 2026. Exploration Co-Lab