The Habitats Trust Grants for India- Conservation, Action, and Seed Grants

Deadline: 01-Jul-2024

The Habitats Trust Grants is providing grants to support conservation organisations and individuals, who work to conserve India’s natural habitats and native species of flora and fauna, especially the lesser-known species and neglected habitats.

The Grants aim to support holistic, innovative, and replicable conservation projects.

Grant Categories

• HT Conservation Grant (INR 1,00,00,000)
  • The THT Conservation Grant supports organisations that focus on India’s conservation challenges, especially for lesser-known species and critical habitats.
  • The grants are intended towards promoting holistically designed conservation efforts. The grant is only open to organisations. It will be administered for three years and be given to two shortlisted applicants.
• THT Action Grant (INR 25,00,000)
  • The THT Action Grant supports individuals and organisations, who are working towards on-ground action conservation projects, which focus on lesser-known species and/or habitats that require urgent conservation intervention.
  • The grant is open to organisations and individuals. It will be administered for two years and be given to three shortlisted applicants.
• THT Seed Grant (Up to INR 3,00,000)
  • THT Seed Grant aims to fill an urgent and critical gap in conservation action, focussing mostly on lesser-known species and critical habitats. The grant will be administered for up to one year.

Eligibility Criteria

• THT Conservation Grant
  • This grant is open only to organisations.
  • The organisation must have completed 5 years of functional existence (as per registration certificate) in India on or before 31st March 2024.
  • The organisation must also have at least 3 years of experience carrying out direct on-ground projects in conservation of India’s natural habitats and threatened species.
  • The average expenditure incurred by the organisation over the last three financial years (FY 2012-21, FY 2021-22 and FY 2022-23) must be greater than or equal to INR 50 lakhs.
  • The organisation must be a registered not-for-profit entity in India i.e. Society, Trust, Section 8 (previously Section 25) company or a registered institute under Section 35(1)(ii) Of The Income-Tax Act, 1961.
  • The organisation must have registration u/s 12AB of the Income-tax Act, 1961.
  • The organisation must have an 80G certificate. For institutes, in case 80G certificate is not applicable, approval by the Central Government under Section 35(1)(ii) Of The Income-Tax Act, 1961 will be considered.
  • The organisation must have a CSR-1 certificate.
  • The organisation should have registration documents, audited financials, tax certificates, bye laws, FCRA (if applicable) and/or similar documents depending on the nature of the funding/donations that it receives. Organisations must be willing to present the above-mentioned documents if shortlisted.
• THT Action Grant
  • This grant is open to organisations and individuals.
    • Organisations
      • The organisation must have completed 2 years of functional existence (as per registration certificate) in India on or before 31st March 2024
      • The organisation must also have at least 2 years of experience carrying out direct on-ground projects in conservation India’s natural habitats and threatened species.
      • The organisation must be a registered not-for-profit entity in India i.e. Society, Trust, Section 8 (previously Section 25) company or a registered institute under Section 35(1)(Ii) Of The Income-Tax Act, 1961.
      • The organisation must have registration u/s 12AB of the Income-Tax Act, 1961.
      • The organisation must have an 80G certificate. For institutes, in case 80G certificate is not applicable, approval by the Central Government under Section 35(1)(ii) Of The Income-Tax Act, 1961 will be considered.
      • The organisation must have a CSR-1 certificate.
      • The organisation should have registration documents, audited financials, tax certificates, bye laws, FCRA (if applicable) and/or similar documents depending on the nature of the funding/donations that it receives. Organisations must be willing to present the above-mentioned documents if shortlisted.
    • Individuals
      • Applicants must be based in India for the entire duration of the project, preferably full-time within or in close proximity to the proposed project site.
      • This grant seeks to support grassroots conservationists who are not currently full-time employees of any registered not-for-profit entity in India i.e. Society, Trust, Section 8 (previously Section 25) company.
      • Applicants must be based in India for the entire duration of the project, preferably full-time within or in close proximity to the proposed project site.
      • This grant seeks to support grassroots conservationists who are not currently full-time employees of any registered not-for-profit entity in India i.e. Society, Trust, Section 8 (previously Section 25) company.
      • Applicants must not be on the Board of Trustees or Management Committee of any registered not-for-profit entity in India i.e. Society, Trust, Section 8 (previously Section 25) company.
      • Individuals should have a valid bank account based out of India, proof of taxes paid, valid PAN card and Aadhaar card.
      • Successful grant recipients cannot pursue any full-time academic studies during the project period.
• THT Seed Grant
  • This grant is open to organisations and individuals.
  • Only projects being carried out in India will be considered.
  • The application must be written in English.
  • The budget should be in INR (Indian Rupee).
  • The IUCN red list will be the primary guide to determine the conservation status of the given species. Habitats Trust welcomes submissions of quantitative data to confirm a species’ status if the species is not included on the IUCN red list.
  • The Habitats Trust does not consider pure academic research grants, however projects involving the creation of baseline data of conservation value for lesser-known species and habitats can be considered.
  • Postgraduate and Ph.D. studies, including thesis work, are not eligible.
  • This grant will not be given for infrastructure establishment, establishment of NGOs.
  • Not more than 10% can be allotted towards personnel cost.
  • Organisations
    • The organisation must be a registered not-for-profit entity in India i.e. Society, Trust, Section 8 (previously Section 25) company or a registered institute under Section 35(1)(ii) Of The IncomeTax Act, 1961.
    • The organisation must have registered registration u/s 12AB of the Income-tax Act, 1961.
    • The organization must have an 80G certificate. For institutes, in case 80G certificate is not applicable, approval by the Central Government under Section 35(1)(ii) Of The Income-Tax Act, 1961 will be considered.
    • The organisation should not have any political or religious affiliations.
    • The organisation must not be blacklisted by any government agency/department/ministry, donor, or international agency.
    • The organisation or functionaries/governing body members have not been involved in any fraud or other non-conforming behaviour with the law
    • The grants amount should not be sublet or provided to another entity as loan.
  • Individuals
    • Individuals should have bank statements, PAN card and Aadhaar card.
    • The grants amount should not be sublet or provided to another entity as loan.

Deadlines

• THT Conservation Grant and THT Action Grant: 1 July 2024
• THT Seed Grant: Rolling Basis

For more information, visit The Habitats Trust Grants.