Deadline: 01-Aug-2026
The Bochco Pangolin Conservation Grant Program supports graduate students and early-career African scientists conducting innovative research to conserve threatened African pangolin species. Grants of up to USD 10,000 are available for eligible field-based conservation research projects across Africa.
The program focuses on four threatened African pangolin species: White-bellied pangolin, Giant pangolin, Black-bellied pangolin, and Ground pangolin. Priority is given to locally led research that addresses knowledge gaps, funding gaps, and conservation needs affecting pangolins in Africa.
What is the Bochco Pangolin Conservation Grant Program?
The Bochco Pangolin Conservation Grant Program provides funding for African graduate students and early-career scientists working on pangolin conservation.
The program supports innovative research that helps protect threatened African pangolin species and strengthens conservation capacity among scientists living and working across Africa.
It is designed to address the lack of conservation funding available to locally based researchers.
Main Purpose of the Grant
The main purpose of the grant is to support research that advances pangolin conservation in Africa.
The program aims to:
- Support African graduate students and early-career scientists
- Fund innovative pangolin conservation research
- Address knowledge gaps in pangolin conservation
- Strengthen locally led conservation initiatives
- Support field-based research
- Improve conservation outcomes for threatened pangolin species
- Build research capacity across Africa
Funding Amount
The program provides grants of up to USD 10,000 per project.
Funding should support research activities directly related to the conservation of eligible African pangolin species.
Who is Eligible?
Eligible applicants must be:
- Graduate students, or
- Early-career professionals who obtained their degree within the past five years
Applicants must also be affiliated with:
- A conservation organization
- A university
- A similar research or conservation institution
Applicants must be residents of one of the eligible African countries listed under the program.
Eligible Countries
Applicants must be residents of one of the following countries:
- Angola
- Benin
- Botswana
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Liberia
- Malawi
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nigeria
- Republic of the Congo
- Rwanda
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Target Applicants
The grant is intended for African scientists at an early stage of their research careers.
Target applicants include:
- Current graduate students
- Early-career conservation researchers
- Early-career wildlife scientists
- African researchers working on pangolin conservation
- Scientists affiliated with conservation organizations
- Scientists affiliated with universities or similar institutions
Eligible Pangolin Species
Proposed projects must focus on at least one of the four eligible threatened African pangolin species.
White-Bellied Pangolin
Scientific name: Phataginus tricuspis.
Giant Pangolin
Scientific name: Smutsia gigantea.
Black-Bellied Pangolin
Scientific name: Phataginus tetradactyla.
Ground Pangolin
Scientific name: Smutsia temminckii.
Research Focus Areas
The program supports conservation research that contributes to the protection of African pangolins.
Focus areas include:
- Pangolin conservation research
- Field-based conservation studies
- Threatened species protection
- African wildlife conservation
- Locally led conservation research
- Research capacity building
- Conservation knowledge gaps
- Pangolin ecology
- Species monitoring
- Habitat and threat assessment
Priority Research Projects
Priority is given to projects that emphasize field-based conservation research.
Strong projects should address practical conservation needs and knowledge gaps affecting pangolins in Africa.
Priority may be given to projects that:
- Generate new conservation data
- Support local pangolin protection efforts
- Improve understanding of pangolin threats
- Strengthen species monitoring
- Inform conservation planning
- Build local scientific capacity
- Support evidence-based conservation action
Why Field-Based Research is Important
Field-based research helps scientists collect direct information about pangolin populations, habitats, threats, behavior, and conservation needs.
For threatened species such as pangolins, field research can provide evidence needed to design better conservation strategies.
This type of research is especially important in areas where data is limited and conservation funding is scarce.
Key Concepts Explained
Pangolin Conservation
Pangolin conservation refers to research, protection, monitoring, and management efforts aimed at preventing pangolin population decline and supporting species recovery.
Threatened Species
A threatened species is a species at risk of extinction due to factors such as habitat loss, illegal wildlife trade, hunting, climate pressure, or other human-driven threats.
Early-Career Scientist
For this program, an early-career scientist is a professional who obtained their degree within the past five years.
Field-Based Conservation Research
Field-based conservation research involves collecting data directly in natural habitats, protected areas, community landscapes, or other places where pangolins live.
Locally Led Conservation
Locally led conservation means research and conservation activities are designed or carried out by scientists and institutions based in the countries or regions where the species occur.
How the Grant Works
Eligible applicants submit research proposals focused on one or more of the four threatened African pangolin species.
Projects should clearly explain the conservation problem, research objectives, methods, expected outcomes, and relevance to pangolin conservation.
Selected projects may receive up to USD 10,000 to support approved research activities.
How to Apply
Applicants should prepare a clear proposal showing eligibility, research relevance, and conservation value.
Suggested Application Steps
- Confirm that you are a resident of an eligible African country.
- Confirm that you are a graduate student or early-career professional.
- Ensure that your degree was obtained within the past five years if applying as an early-career professional.
- Confirm affiliation with a conservation organization, university, or similar institution.
- Select at least one eligible African pangolin species.
- Develop a research question linked to pangolin conservation.
- Design a field-based or conservation-focused research plan.
- Explain the knowledge or funding gap your project addresses.
- Prepare a budget of up to USD 10,000.
- Describe expected conservation outcomes.
- Submit the application according to the program’s requirements.
Assessment Considerations
Applications may be assessed based on eligibility, scientific quality, conservation value, and relevance to African pangolin protection.
Review may consider:
- Applicant eligibility
- Country eligibility
- Institutional affiliation
- Focus on eligible pangolin species
- Strength of research design
- Conservation relevance
- Field-based research component
- Innovation
- Feasibility of the project
- Budget clarity
- Potential to address knowledge gaps
- Contribution to local conservation capacity
Expected Results
Funded projects should contribute to stronger pangolin conservation across Africa.
Expected results may include:
- Improved data on threatened pangolin species
- Stronger field-based conservation evidence
- Better understanding of pangolin threats
- Increased local research capacity
- Practical recommendations for conservation action
- Stronger support for African early-career scientists
- Improved protection strategies for pangolin populations
- Locally led conservation knowledge and leadership
Why It Matters
African pangolins face serious conservation challenges, and research funding for scientists living and working in Africa is often limited.
By supporting graduate students and early-career African scientists, the Bochco Pangolin Conservation Grant Program helps build local expertise and generate evidence needed to protect threatened pangolin species.
The program strengthens conservation leadership across Africa while supporting research that can directly inform action for pangolin protection.
Tips for Strong Applications
A strong application should clearly show how the research will support pangolin conservation.
Applicants should focus on:
- Clear research objectives
- Strong conservation relevance
- Focus on at least one eligible pangolin species
- Practical field-based methods
- Strong local context
- Clear knowledge gap
- Realistic budget
- Feasible timeline
- Institutional support
- Expected conservation impact
- Applicant’s role as an early-career African scientist
Applicants should explain why the research is needed and how the findings will support conservation decisions or action.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should carefully review the eligibility and species requirements before applying.
Common mistakes include:
- Applying from a non-eligible country
- Not being a graduate student or early-career professional
- Not showing degree completion within the past five years
- Lacking affiliation with a university, conservation organization, or similar institution
- Proposing work on species outside the four eligible African pangolins
- Submitting a project without clear conservation relevance
- Providing weak field-based research methods
- Not explaining the knowledge gap
- Submitting an unclear budget
- Failing to show how the project benefits pangolin conservation
FAQ
What is the Bochco Pangolin Conservation Grant Program?
It is a grant program that supports graduate students and early-career African scientists conducting research to conserve threatened African pangolin species.
How much funding is available?
Grants of up to USD 10,000 are available per project.
Who can apply?
Graduate students and early-career professionals who obtained their degree within the past five years may apply if they are residents of an eligible African country and affiliated with a conservation organization, university, or similar institution.
Which pangolin species are eligible?
Projects must focus on at least one of the following species: White-bellied pangolin, Giant pangolin, Black-bellied pangolin, or Ground pangolin.
Is field research required?
Preference is given to field-based conservation research, although all projects must clearly focus on pangolin conservation.
What countries are eligible?
Eligible countries include Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
What should a strong proposal demonstrate?
A strong proposal should demonstrate scientific quality, field-based conservation relevance, focus on eligible pangolin species, clear objectives, realistic budget, and meaningful contribution to pangolin conservation in Africa.
Conclusion
The Bochco Pangolin Conservation Grant Program supports African graduate students and early-career scientists working to protect threatened pangolin species through innovative conservation research. With grants of up to USD 10,000, the program helps address funding and knowledge gaps while strengthening locally led conservation across Africa.
Strong applications will demonstrate clear eligibility, institutional affiliation, focus on one or more eligible pangolin species, strong field-based research design, and practical conservation value for African pangolin protection.
For more information, visit CARN.