The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund

The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund is a private philanthropic initiative based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, established to support targeted, high-impact conservation efforts focused on individual species. The Fund’s overarching mission is to provide financial support for projects that directly contribute to the preservation of threatened species across the globe, while also recognizing and elevating leaders working in species conservation. Its global scope allows applicants from any geographic region to apply, provided their work aligns with the Fund’s core objective of conserving plant, animal, or fungi species at risk of extinction. The Fund prioritizes projects that focus on species classified as threatened, particularly those listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. It also considers species categorized as Data Deficient or not yet formally assessed but suspected to be under significant threat. Applicants are expected to provide accurate and verifiable conservation status information, ideally supported by references to recognized databases or scientific literature. Projects that do not clearly focus on endangered species are unlikely to be competitive. Funding is intended primarily for in situ conservation work, meaning activities conducted in the species’ natural habitat. These may include field surveys, data collection, direct conservation interventions, species recovery management, and capacity-building efforts such as training. While the Fund recognizes the value of ex situ conservation activities such as genetic analysis or captive breeding programs, these are supported less frequently and only under specific circumstances. The Fund does not support general organizational overhead or core administrative costs, though it may cover project-related personnel expenses such as stipends, salaries, and living costs when directly tied to conservation activities. The maximum grant amount available is 25000 USD, and applications requesting more than this amount will not be considered. Projects may have larger total budgets if supplemented by other funding sources, but the Fund’s contribution will not exceed this ceiling. The Fund also supports continuation grants for previously funded projects, provided that all required reporting has been completed. Applications are reviewed through a streamlined internal process and then forwarded to an independent Advisory Board, which may request additional external review in certain cases. Applications must be submitted in English through the Fund’s online application system, and all financial information must be presented in US dollars. Supporting documents may be submitted via email, but the core application must be completed online. The Fund operates multiple funding cycles each year, with submission windows typically closing in January, May, and October. For example, applications submitted by May 31, 2026, are expected to receive a response by the end of September 2026, while those submitted by October 15, 2026, will receive feedback by late December 2026. The review process is designed to be flexible and inclusive, taking into account a wide range of factors when assessing project merit. However, due to the high volume of applications received during each funding round, the Fund encourages applicants to carefully review eligibility criteria and guidelines before applying. Contact with the Fund can be made via email at enquiries@mbzf.org or by phone at +971 2 632 9117. The Fund’s recurring application cycles make it a reliable funding source for ongoing and future conservation initiatives worldwide.

Ensure species conservation status is accurate and validated with IUCN or equivalent; prioritize projects focused on highly threatened species; clearly justify conservation need and methodology