The Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) Future Conservationist Award 2027 supports early-career conservationists leading practical projects to protect threatened species, conserve biodiversity and improve the management of important habitats.

The annual award provides funding, training, mentorship and access to a global conservation network to help emerging conservation leaders build their technical skills and deliver measurable conservation outcomes.

The programme supports projects that combine ecological research with practical conservation action, engage local communities and contribute to long-term conservation priorities.

Funding Available

• Maximum grant: US$15,000 per project.
• Project duration: 6–12 months.
• CLP funding must cover at least 50% of the total project budget.
• Award recipients receive ongoing support through the CLP Alumni Network, including access to training, mentorship, expertise and networking opportunities.

Priority Areas

Proposed projects must address globally important, at-risk species or habitats through conservation research and action in one or more of the following themes:

• Climate Impact and Adaptation: Understanding climate-related threats and strengthening conservation resilience.
• Biodiversity Conservation: Protecting threatened species and reducing pressures on biodiversity.
• Habitat Restoration and Management: Restoring degraded ecosystems and improving habitat management.
• Social Development and Wellbeing: Connecting conservation with positive outcomes for local communities.
• Indigenous and Community-Led Conservation: Strengthening Indigenous participation and community leadership in conservation.
• Environmental Policy: Supporting policies and management approaches that advance conservation priorities.
• Human-Wildlife Conflict: Developing practical approaches to reduce conflict and protect both people and wildlife.
• Environmental Education and Citizen Science: Building conservation awareness and involving communities in monitoring and protection activities.

Target species should be classified by the IUCN Red List as Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable or Data Deficient, or there should be evidence of an urgent need for local conservation action.

Who Can Apply?

Applications must be submitted by teams of at least three early-career conservationists working on a project in an eligible country.

The programme welcomes:

• Early-career conservation practitioners and researchers.
• Undergraduate and master's students, provided the project is not directly tied to doctoral research.
• Teams with diverse skills and relevant conservation experience.
• Applicants from historically marginalised and underrepresented groups.

There is no minimum educational qualification. Applicants currently enrolled in a PhD programme are not eligible.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must satisfy the following requirements:

• Career stage: All team members must have no more than five years of paid conservation experience. Relevant paid work in closely related fields also counts; unpaid volunteering, internships and research undertaken for a university degree do not.
• Team composition: At least three team members are required.
• Nationality: All team members must be nationals of the country where the project will take place. One non-national may be accepted with clear justification of the expertise they bring and must be a national of an eligible country.
• Geographic eligibility: Projects must take place in a country eligible under the CLP guidelines.
• Project duration: Between six and 12 months.
• Conservation outcomes: Projects must demonstrate practical conservation action and a balance between research and implementation.
• Project status: The proposal must present a new project rather than simply continue an established, ongoing project.
• Funding contribution: CLP funding must not exceed US$15,000 and must cover at least 50% of the total project budget.
• Capacity development: Applicants must explain how each team member will develop their conservation knowledge, skills and leadership capacity.
• Existing CLP participation: Applicants involved in an active CLP project are not eligible. Team members must also comply with restrictions relating to employment or contracting with CLP partner organisations.

Geographic Scope

The programme supports early-career conservationists working in eligible low- and middle-income countries across Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Eastern and South-eastern Europe, and the Middle East. Some high-income Global South countries are also eligible.

Examples of countries for consideration include:

• South Africa
• Kenya
• Ghana
• Nigeria
• Uganda
• Tanzania
• Zambia
• Malawi
• Mozambique
• India
• Bangladesh
• Nepal
• Brazil
• Colombia
• Peru

This is a selection of examples, not an exhaustive list. Applicants must check the CLP country-eligibility guidelines before applying. Nationals of certain countries are specifically advised to contact CLP for clarification before submitting a concept note.

Application Process

The 2027 award follows a two-stage application process.

Stage 1: Concept Note

• Complete the official concept note template.
• Explain the conservation challenge, target species or habitat, proposed actions, expected outcomes and how success will be measured.
• Demonstrate the team's relevant skills, conservation impact, community involvement and capacity-development benefits.
• Submit the completed concept note in English.

Stage 2: Full Application

Only the highest-scoring concept notes in each region will be shortlisted and invited to submit a full application through the CLP online application portal.

Applications will be assessed on feasibility, technical capacity to deliver the objectives, conservation impact, and diversity, equity and inclusion.

Applicants are encouraged to write their concept notes themselves and must declare any use of AI tools in their application.

Important Dates

• Concept note deadline: 30 October 2026, 23:59 GMT
• Full application stage: Invitation only for shortlisted applicants.
• Expected notification of concept note results: By the end of December 2026.

Late, incomplete or ineligible concept notes will not be considered.

Submission Requirements

Applicants must submit the completed concept note template in English by email.

Submission email: clp.applications@birdlife.org

Questions about eligibility and the application process may be directed to clp@birdlife.org.

Click HERE to visit the official website.