Jennifer Ward Oppenheimer (JWO) Research Grant 2026 — Biodiversity & Conservation Research in Africa | $150,000

About the Grant

The Jennifer Ward Oppenheimer (JWO) Research Grant is a prestigious funding opportunity awarding one grant of USD 150,000 to a single successful applicant to support a biodiversity and conservation-focused research project or programme based in or focused on Africa. The grant supports research over a period of up to three years and is designed to advance scientific knowledge while generating real, scalable solutions to African conservation and biodiversity challenges.

This is not a general research grant it is specifically designed to back early career scientists who are already producing rigorous, innovative work and who are ready to take their research to the next level with dedicated funding and institutional support.

Funding Details

• Grant Amount: USD 150,000 (single award)
• Project Duration: Up to 3 years
• Number of Awards: 1
• Budget Currency: Must be submitted in US Dollars
• Previously funded research is not eligible

What the budget can cover: The budget must be detailed, justified, and cover the complete project period. All items must be completed using the official budget template provided applications submitted with a different template will not be reviewed.

What the budget cannot cover:

• Infrastructure development
• Vehicle purchases
• Costs associated with accompanying dependents

Application Deadline

1 May 2026 at 00:00 (SAST — South African Standard Time)

No late submissions will be considered under any circumstances.

Who Can Apply

Lead Applicant Requirements — both conditions must be met:

1. Early Career Scientist The lead applicant must:

• Already hold a PhD degree
• Have no more than seven years of work and/or research experience post-degree
• Note: Time taken for family responsibilities is excluded from the seven-year calculation

2. Strong Links to a Credible African Institution The applicant must be affiliated with an institution that:

• Demonstrates a proven ability to manage funding
• Subscribes to good financial grant practices

Eligible institution types include:

• Academic institutions
• Research institutions
• Government institutions
• NGOs
• For-profit organisations

The proposed research must be focused on or conducted in Africa.

Research Topic Requirements

All proposals must demonstrate a strong link to biodiversity and conservation. There is no further restriction on sub-discipline proposals may span ecology, marine science, freshwater systems, terrestrial conservation, wildlife management, climate-biodiversity intersections, or any other relevant field, provided the biodiversity and conservation focus is clearly and compellingly demonstrated.

What the Judges Look For

The JWO Research Grant Expert Panel comprising distinguished internal and external members with significant experience across academia, Africa, research, and environmental science will assess all applications against the following criteria:

Scientific Excellence — Advances the frontiers of knowledge within the chosen field and exhibits scientific rigour throughout

African Relevance & Scalability — Addresses a challenge that occurs across more than one geography on the continent, includes multiple research sites, and presents solutions that are scalable to other areas

Innovation — Demonstrates innovative methodologies and approaches

Human Capital Development — Contributes to mentorship, support, and professional development opportunities for the next generation of researchers

Interdisciplinary Collaboration — Incorporates a holistic perspective and involves inter- and multi-disciplinary collaboration with partners, with a preference for intra-African partnerships, to leverage expertise, skills, and resources and reduce duplication

Impact Beyond the Grant Period — Articulates the potential to create lasting impact both during and after the grant period

Contextual Awareness — Displays knowledge of associated recent or ongoing work on the continent

Dissemination Plan — Defines a clear, realistic plan for sharing research outcomes both inside and outside the scientific community, including a commitment to open access publications (popular and scientific)

Ethics & Safety — Does not present unacceptable ethical or safety risk

Selection Process

• All pre-proposal and full proposal applications are reviewed and scored by the JWO Research Grant Expert Panel
• Applications are assessed in accordance with the grant criteria listed above
• No feedback will be provided on applications
• The panel's decision is final
• A Grant Agreement detailing full terms and conditions will be shared with the successful applicant at the full-proposal stage
• All applicant data is handled in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act

Important Policies — Please Read Before Applying

Zero Tolerance on Fraud and Plagiarism: The JWO Research Grant enforces a strict zero-tolerance policy on fraudulent or plagiarised data and documents. Any verified case of fraud or plagiarism will result in immediate removal of the application from consideration, with potential further legal action. This applies to both pre-proposal and full proposal stages.

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