Applications Open for Rainforest Trust Program

Deadline: 01-Oct-26

Rainforest Trust Conservation Grants: Funding for Protected and Conserved Areas

Rainforest Trust provides conservation grants to non-profit organizations, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities working to create or expand protected or conserved areas in tropical and subtropical regions. Funding is available through Feasibility Awards, averaging $10,000, and Protected or Conserved Area Creation Awards, which have no fixed maximum and can exceed $250,000 for large conservation projects.

What Are Rainforest Trust Conservation Grants?

The Rainforest Trust Conservation Grants support projects that establish or expand protected and conserved areas in tropical and subtropical regions.

The programme focuses on protecting areas that are currently unprotected but have exceptional conservation importance.

Priority is given to projects that can protect:

Globally significant populations of Critically Endangered species.
Globally significant populations of Endangered species.
Large areas of high-integrity tropical or subtropical forests.
Habitats that are particularly important for climate change mitigation.

The programme supports both the research required to determine whether an area can be protected and the subsequent process of formally creating or expanding the protected or conserved area.

What Types of Grants Are Available?

Rainforest Trust offers two main grant categories:

Feasibility Awards

Feasibility Awards help applicants determine whether a protected or conserved area can realistically be created or expanded.

The funding can address important information gaps, including:

Legal pathways for conservation.
Field surveys.
Biodiversity assessments.
Land tenure information.
Community consultations.
Other research required to establish feasibility.

The average Feasibility Award is approximately $10,000.

Exceptional applications may receive more than $20,000, depending on project requirements.

Protected or Conserved Area Creation Awards

Creation Awards support the actual establishment or expansion of protected or conserved areas.

Supported conservation approaches may include:

Formal designation.
Land titling.
Land purchase.
Expansion of existing protected areas.
Other recognized conservation methodologies.

There is no fixed maximum for Creation Awards.

Awards can exceed $250,000, with larger requests assessed individually.

What Conservation Projects Are Prioritized?

Rainforest Trust focuses on projects with significant biodiversity and climate conservation value.

A strong project should seek to protect areas containing one or more of the following:

Critically Endangered species.
Endangered species.
Globally significant wildlife populations.
High-integrity tropical forests.
High-integrity subtropical forests.
Ecosystems important for climate change mitigation.

The area should currently be unprotected and require a new conservation designation or expansion.

Who Is Eligible?

The programme is intended for organizations and communities capable of establishing and managing conservation initiatives.

Eligible applicants include:

Legally registered non-government organizations.
Indigenous Peoples.
Local communities.

For NGO applicants, the organization must be legally registered and authorized to operate in the country where the proposed conservation project will take place.

Government and Community Support

Successful conservation projects require more than technical planning.

Applicants must demonstrate support from relevant stakeholders, including:

Government authorities.
Indigenous Peoples.
Local communities.

Where applicable, projects must also demonstrate Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).

FPIC is particularly important where conservation activities may affect the rights, lands, resources, livelihoods, or traditional territories of Indigenous Peoples.

What Is a Protected or Conserved Area?

A protected area is a geographically defined area that is formally recognized and managed to achieve long-term conservation objectives.

A conserved area can include other effective conservation approaches that maintain biodiversity and ecological values even when the area is not managed under a conventional protected-area designation.

Rainforest Trust funding therefore supports multiple recognized approaches to achieving long-term conservation.

How Much Funding Is Available?

Funding depends on the grant category and project requirements.

Feasibility Awards

Average award: approximately $10,000
Exceptional awards: more than $20,000 may be considered

Creation Awards

No fixed maximum.
Awards may exceed $250,000.
Large applications are assessed individually.

The requested amount should be justified by the project’s conservation objectives, implementation requirements, and realistic costs.

When Can Applications Be Submitted?

The application schedule depends on the requested grant amount and type.

Rolling Applications

Applications for:

Feasibility Awards.
Creation Awards below $250,000.

are accepted on a rolling basis.

Large Creation Awards

Applications requesting $250,000 or more must be submitted by one of the annual deadlines:

March 1
July 1
October 1

Applicants should confirm the applicable deadline before preparing a large funding request.

What Is the Application Process?

Rainforest Trust uses a staged application process.

Step 1: Prepare a Concept Note

The concept note is the first stage of the application.

It should clearly explain:

The conservation area.
The conservation threat.
The species or ecosystems involved.
The proposed protected or conserved area.
The conservation approach.
The applicant organization.
Key stakeholders.
The requested funding.
Expected conservation outcomes.

Step 2: Submit the Concept Note

Rainforest Trust reviews the concept note before requesting a full proposal.

Concept notes are generally reviewed within approximately 1–2 months.

Step 3: Receive an Invitation to Apply

Applicants whose concept notes are considered suitable may be invited to submit a full application.

Step 4: Prepare the Full Application

The full application should provide more detailed information about:

Conservation significance.
Legal and land-tenure conditions.
Stakeholder support.
Community engagement.
FPIC where applicable.
Project methodology.
Implementation timeline.
Budget.
Long-term conservation plans.

Step 5: Complete the Review Process

The full proposal is assessed based on the project’s conservation importance, feasibility, stakeholder support, methodology, and potential to achieve durable conservation outcomes.

How to Develop a Strong Concept Note

A strong concept note should answer five fundamental questions:

What area needs protection?
Why is the area globally important?
What species, forests, or habitats will be protected?
How will the area become protected or conserved?
Who supports the proposed conservation action?

The conservation value should be demonstrated with credible evidence rather than broad statements about biodiversity importance.

Why This Funding Matters

Tropical and subtropical ecosystems contain globally important biodiversity but face continuing pressure from habitat loss, land conversion, resource extraction, and climate change.

Creating protected and conserved areas can provide long-term safeguards for threatened species and important ecosystems.

Rainforest Trust’s funding model can help organizations move from conservation planning to formal protection.

The programme can support:

Biodiversity conservation.
Forest protection.
Species protection.
Climate mitigation.
Indigenous and community-led conservation.
Sustainable land management.
Expansion of conservation areas.
Long-term protection of high-integrity ecosystems.

What Projects Are Not Eligible?

The programme does not support every type of conservation activity.

Projects focused primarily on the following are not eligible:

Fixed-rate overhead costs.
Long-term ecological monitoring.
Large-scale habitat restoration.

Applicants should ensure that the proposed activity is directly connected to the creation or expansion of a protected or conserved area.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

Proposing an area that is already adequately protected.
Failing to demonstrate global conservation significance.
Providing insufficient evidence about threatened species or important habitats.
Ignoring land-tenure or legal considerations.
Failing to demonstrate government or community support.
Omitting FPIC considerations where Indigenous Peoples may be affected.
Requesting funding without a clear conservation pathway.
Treating the grant as general operating support.
Focusing primarily on ecological monitoring or habitat restoration rather than protected-area creation.

Tips for a Strong Application

Demonstrate Global Conservation Value

Clearly identify the species, ecosystems, or habitats that make the proposed area important.

Explain the Protection Pathway

Show exactly how the area could become protected or conserved.

This might involve designation, land titling, purchase, or another recognized conservation methodology.

Establish Stakeholder Support

Document engagement with relevant governments, Indigenous Peoples, communities, and other stakeholders.

Address Legal and Land Issues Early

For feasibility projects, identifying legal pathways and land-tenure conditions can be especially important.

Build a Realistic Budget

The funding request should correspond directly to the activities necessary to establish or expand the conservation area.

Key Facts at a Glance

Funder: Rainforest Trust
Programme focus: Protected and conserved area creation and expansion
Geographic focus: Tropical and subtropical regions
Eligible applicants: Non-profit organizations, Indigenous Peoples, and communities
Feasibility Award: Approximately $10,000 on average
Exceptional Feasibility Awards: Can exceed $20,000
Creation Awards: No fixed maximum
Large Creation Awards: Can exceed $250,000
Rolling applications: Feasibility Awards and Creation Awards below $250,000
Large-award deadlines: March 1, July 1, and October 1
First application stage: Concept note
Concept note review: Approximately 1–2 months
Key priorities: Endangered species, high-integrity forests, climate-critical habitats
Important requirement: Government, Indigenous Peoples, and local community support, including FPIC where applicable
Key exclusions: Fixed-rate overheads, long-term ecological monitoring, and large-scale habitat restoration

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Rainforest Trust fund?

Rainforest Trust funds projects that create or expand protected or conserved areas in tropical and subtropical regions, particularly areas important for threatened species, high-integrity forests, and climate change mitigation.

How much is a Feasibility Award?

Feasibility Awards average approximately $10,000. Exceptional projects may receive more than $20,000.

Is there a maximum amount for Creation Awards?

There is no fixed maximum for Protected or Conserved Area Creation Awards. Requests above $250,000 can be considered individually.

Who can apply for Rainforest Trust funding?

Eligible applicants include legally registered non-government organizations, Indigenous Peoples, and communities. NGO applicants must be authorized to operate in the country where the project is located.

Are applications accepted throughout the year?

Feasibility Awards and Creation Awards below $250,000 are accepted on a rolling basis. Creation Award requests of $250,000 or more have annual deadlines of March 1, July 1, and October 1.

What is required before submitting a full application?

Applicants must first submit a concept note. Rainforest Trust reviews the concept note, generally within 1–2 months, and successful applicants are invited to submit a full application.

What conservation activities are excluded?

Projects focused primarily on fixed-rate overheads, long-term ecological monitoring, or large-scale habitat restoration are not eligible. The project must have a clear focus on creating or expanding a protected or conserved area.

Conclusion

Rainforest Trust Conservation Grants provide funding for organizations, Indigenous Peoples, and communities working to establish or expand protected and conserved areas in tropical and subtropical regions. The programme offers both Feasibility Awards for early-stage assessment and Creation Awards for implementing conservation protection.

The strongest projects will clearly demonstrate the global importance of the proposed area, identify threatened species or critical ecosystems, establish a realistic pathway toward legal or recognized conservation status, and show meaningful support from governments, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities.

For more information, visit Rainforest Trust.