Deadline: 30-Jun-23
Auckland Zoo is pleased to announce that the next round of the small grants programme will concentrate on innovative projects in Africa focusing on mitigating human-wildlife conflict that have tangible conservation outcomes for threatened wildlife.
The Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund Small Grants Programme exists to help provide relatively small levels of funding for ongoing projects or pilot programmes with clear conservation value.
Are certain types of projects given preference?
- Project applications will score more highly during the selection process if they:
- Are likely to have a direct conservation impact
- Are collaborative and involve a local conservation organisation
- Are logistically feasible, and fiscally and scientifically sound
- Include an assessment of how well the project achieved its conservation objectives.
Funding Information
- Grants of up to NZD $5,000 are available. However, in most cases, successful grants will be between NZD $2,000 and NZD $4,000.
- The application must represent a minimum of 25% of the project’s overall budget (excluding in-kind support). This means that the maximum budget a project applying for a Category 3 grant can be is NZD $20,000.
Eligible Projects
- Have a clear conservation value
- Be based in New Zealand or in a developing country (although applicants can be based anywhere in the world)
- Be aligned with the geographic or taxonomic scope of the current small grants round (if applicable). From time to time their Small Grants Programme is focussed on a particular region of the world (e.g the South Pacific) or a particular group of species (e.g. Invertebrates).
Notes for Small Grants Applicants
- Before completing an Auckland Zoo Small Grant application and to give your application the best chance for consideration please consider the following:
- The intent of this programme is to help provide relatively small levels of funding for ongoing projects or pilot programmes with clear conservation value – please make sure your project qualifies. Many applications are rejected at this first hurdle because their project has a value greater than NZD $20,000.
- They have noticed a particularly high number of applications with a very similar format of providing community workshops, meetings and /or events as a mechanism to promote conservation. While they remain open to this approach, generally these applications will not be considered unless:
- They are providing a targeted approach to a specific issue.
- Results are able to be measured.
- And have the support of a well-known, international conservation organisation or the relevant IUCN specialist group (e.g. IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group).
- Many applications are rejected due to inaccurate or too brief budgets. They recommend you put time into properly preparing your budgets including detailed breakdown of costs including hourly rates for labour associated with the project. It also helps if you have checked your figures – they believe the quality and accuracy of an application will be reflected in the delivery of a project.
- It is also worth noting the that deadlines are New Zealand time, which means you might have to submit your application a day earlier in later time zones. They try and be flexible on this but with increasing number of applications to process you run the risk of your application being rejected for simply not being submitted before the deadline.
- If you are providing professional references you must provide organisational/institutional email addresses for your referees rather than personal email addresses (e.g. not Hotmail and Gmail email addresses).
- Please take the time to fill out their application form completely and don’t be too brief in descriptions or answers. Remember this is a competitive process, so make your application compelling and don’t be afraid to include pictures or additional support documents.
Ineligible
- General items not considered eligible:
- Projects based in non-developing countries (except New Zealand)
- Projects not aligned with the geographic or taxonomic focus of the current round of grants (if applicable)
- Pure research (i.e. research projects must demonstrate applied benefit to conservation and/or target an identified conservation need)
- The applicant’s attendance at a conference, seminar, workshop or meeting
- Specific examples of items not eligible within an application:
- Thesis production costs
- Retrospective costs
- Prize money
- Entertainment costs
- Social or networking functions
- Fundraising or general income-growth purposes
- Debt servicing or financial costs
- Office equipment (unless an essential element in completing field work)
- Internships and volunteer programmes (unless benefiting an identified conservation need.).
For more information, visit Small Grants Programme.