The Earthshot Prize

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £5 million in prizes (plus extensive fellowship support)
• Success Rate: 0.6% (15 finalists from ~2,500 nominations); 0.2% (5 winners)
• Decision Time: 6-8 months (nominations October-December, finalists announced late summer, winners announced November)
• Grant Range: £1,000,000 per winner (5 winners annually)
• Geographic Focus: Global

Contact Details

• Website: www.earthshotprize.org
• Email: info@earthshotprize.org
• Phone: 020 7101 2960
• Charity Number: 1198701

Overview

The Earthshot Prize, established in 2020 and registered as an independent UK charity in July 2022 (charity number 1198701), is the world's most prestigious environmental prize. Founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation, the Prize awards five £1 million grants annually from 2021 to 2030, totalling £50 million over the decade. With an annual income of £23.9 million (2024/25), the Prize operates through an indirect nomination system involving over 575 Official Nominators across 72 countries. Beyond the prize money, the organisation provides comprehensive support through its Fellowship Programme and Launchpad matchmaking platform, which has catalysed £86 million in additional funding for winners and finalists. Named after President Kennedy's “Moonshot” challenge, the Prize seeks scalable, proven environmental solutions across five categories, celebrating “urgent optimism” and the belief that solutions to repair our planet already exist.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Earthshot Prize - £1,000,000 per winner (5 winners annually)

• Application method: Indirect nominations through Official Nominators only (not open to direct applications)
• Annual cycle: Nominations typically open October 1st and close mid-December
• Winners announced at annual awards ceremony in November
• Each of the five categories awards one winner per year

Priority Areas

The Prize awards solutions across five “Earthshots” (environmental goals):

1. Protect and Restore Nature - Conservation, biodiversity, ecosystem restoration
2. Clean Our Air - Air quality improvements, pollution reduction
3. Revive Our Oceans - Marine conservation, ocean health, sustainable fisheries
4. Build a Waste-free World - Circular economy, waste reduction, sustainable materials
5. Fix Our Climate - Climate action, emissions reduction, renewable energy

Special emphasis on solutions that:

• Use technology, AI, or data to enable transformative change
• Create or leverage nature and carbon markets or novel financial mechanisms
• Are led and informed by indigenous and local communities
• Demonstrate geographic diversity, gender balance, and indigenous representation

The Earthshot Prize Roadmap outlines 15 specific priority areas within the five main categories, though solutions on any topic within an Earthshot will be considered.

What They Don't Fund

• Early-idea or ideation phase projects (must have working prototypes or proven effectiveness)
• Solutions not ready to scale rapidly
• Projects without demonstrated impact with target users
• Solutions that cannot show potential for global relevance by 2030

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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees (Chair: Christiana Figueres)

• Christiana Figueres - Chair of Board of Trustees (former UN climate chief)
• Jason Knauf - CEO (appointed 2025, former CEO of The Royal Foundation)
• David Fein - Trustee
• Tokunboh Ishmael - Trustee
• M. Sanjayan - Trustee
• Zoë Ware - Trustee
• Jean-Christophe Gray - Trustee
• Jacinda Ardern - Trustee (joined April 2023, former Prime Minister of New Zealand)
• Prince William - Founder and member of Prize Council

The Earthshot Prize Council

The Prize Council comprises global ambassadors who select the final winners, including Prince William, Queen Rania of Jordan, Cate Blanchett, and other notable environmental leaders. Sir David Attenborough serves as an emeritus member.

Key Quote

Prince William: "I think it's really important that we produce solutions. We don't just talk about things the whole time. We're actually producing solutions... these finalists, these winners, are producing solutions that we all need to see and hear."

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT: The Earthshot Prize is NOT open to direct applications. Individuals and organizations with environmental solutions must work through the Prize's network of Official Nominators.

The Process:

1. Identify an Official Nominator - Over 575 organizations globally serve as Official Nominators, spanning not-for-profit, foundation, investment, corporate, academic, governmental, and community-led sectors. Examples include: Conservation International, Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government, Royal African Society, Commonwealth Secretariat, UN agencies, C40 Cities, and numerous others.

1. Contact Nominators - You can apply to as few or as many Nominators as you wish. Each nominator typically has their own internal process and deadline for reviewing submissions.

1. Expression of Interest - If you are not yet connected with a nominator, you can register your interest through a form on the Earthshot Prize website. Organizations can also express interest in becoming Official Nominators.

1. Nominator Submission - Official Nominators review submissions internally and forward selected solutions to The Earthshot Prize through their online nominations platform.

Eligibility:

• Open to any individual, team, organization, or government with workable solutions
• Must have proven prototypes, signs of success, and potential for positive environmental impact
• Must be beyond early-idea or ideation phase
• Solutions must be ready to scale at speed

Decision Timeline

Annual Cycle (approximate):

• October 1 - Nominations open through Official Nominators
• Mid-December - Nominations deadline (varies by nominator; some internal deadlines as early as November)
• January-July - Five-stage assessment process:
• Screening by Deloitte
• Expert Advisory Panel identifies Top 150
• Further assessment to identify Top 15 Finalists
• Site visits and interviews (potentially)
• Prize Council makes final selection
• Late September/Early October - 15 Finalists announced
• Early November - 5 Winners announced at annual awards ceremony

Processing Time: Approximately 6-8 months from submission deadline to finalist announcement; 10-11 months to winner announcement.

Success Rates

2025 Statistics:

• 2,500 nominations submitted
• 15 finalists selected (0.6% success rate)
• 5 winners awarded (0.2% success rate)

Since inception (2021-2025), over 5,000 nominations have resulted in 75 finalists and 25 winners across five annual cycles.

Reapplication Policy

Organizations can resubmit nominations in subsequent years if not selected. There are no restrictions on reapplication. Each annual cycle is independent, and nominators can continue to submit the same or evolved solutions.

Application Success Factors

What the Selection Panel Prioritizes

1. Stage of Development (Critical)

• Must have working prototypes, programs, or executed pilots
• Must demonstrate effectiveness with tested solutions showing early positive impacts
• Must be “ready to scale” - developed beyond idea stage and ready for rapid expansion

2. Impact Potential

• Ability to make significant environmental impact on one of the five Earthshots
• Scalable or replicable quickly through support (financial, communications, organizational)
• Potential for global relevance by 2030

3. Assessment Criteria Used by Judges

• Inspiring Story - The narrative behind the solution and its origins
• Inclusivity and Equity - Benefits for humans, particularly vulnerable communities
• Environmental Impact - Measurable positive impact on the specific Earthshot category
• Scalability - Clear pathway to expand impact rapidly

4. Strategic Emphasis Areas (from the Prize Roadmap)

The Prize particularly seeks:

• Solutions using technology, AI, or data for transformative change
• Projects creating or leveraging nature/carbon markets or novel financial mechanisms
• Indigenous and locally-led community solutions
• Solutions demonstrating diversity in geography, gender, and leadership

Recent Winners as Models

2025 Winners:

• re.green (Brazil) - Combines AI, drones, and satellite imagery with ecological and financial data to identify land with highest restoration potential. Operating across 30,000 hectares, targeting 200,000 by 2030.
• City of Bogotá (Colombia) - Reduced air pollution by 24% despite population growth through clean air zones, electric buses, and extensive cycling infrastructure. Demonstrates how public policy brings systemic change.

2024 Winners:

• Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative (Kazakhstan) - Grew Saiga Antelope population from 40,000 to 4 million in 20 years through one of the world's largest conservation projects.
• Advanced Thermovoltaic Systems (USA) - Transforms industrial waste heat into electricity for hard-to-abate industries.

Common Themes Among Winners:

• Proven track record with measurable results
• Innovative use of technology or novel approaches
• Clear scalability pathway
• Strong financial sustainability model or path to sustainability
• Compelling human story with local community benefits

What Makes Nominators Choose Solutions

From Official Nominator guidance, they look for:

• Alignment with one of the 15 priority areas or outstanding wildcard potential
• Evidence of prototype testing and early success metrics
• Need for support beyond just financial (networking, visibility, technical assistance)
• Readiness to take advantage of the Prize's fellowship and acceleration support

Prince William's Guidance

"For too long, we haven't done enough to protect the planet for your future, the Earthshot is for you... Please keep learning, keep demanding change, and don't give up hope."

“Hope does remain. The light of optimism is burning bright in our Earthshot Finalists. They remind us that no matter where you are on our planet, the spirit of ingenuity and the ability to inspire change surrounds us all.”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• You cannot apply directly - You MUST work through the network of 575+ Official Nominators. Identify nominators aligned with your solution's sector and geography, and approach multiple nominators to increase chances.

• Prove, don't propose - The Prize only considers solutions with working prototypes and demonstrated results. If you're in the ideation phase, develop and test your solution before seeking nomination.

• Scale is everything - Judges prioritize solutions ready to expand rapidly with support. Clearly articulate your scaling strategy, target markets, and how the £1 million plus Fellowship support will accelerate growth.

• The prize is just the beginning - The Fellowship Programme and Launchpad platform have generated £86 million in additional support for alumni. Emphasize how you'll leverage the Prize's network beyond the funding.

• Think global by 2030 - Solutions must demonstrate potential for worldwide relevance within the decade. Local solutions should explain their replication potential internationally.

• Tell your story compellingly - “Inspiring stories” is an explicit assessment criterion. The Prize celebrates optimism and human ingenuity alongside environmental impact.

• Competition is intense - With a 0.2% success rate (5 winners from ~2,500 nominations), only the most innovative, proven, and scalable solutions succeed. Differentiate clearly from other environmental initiatives.

• Diversity matters - The Prize actively seeks geographic diversity, gender balance, indigenous leadership, and community-led solutions. Highlight these elements if applicable.

References

1. The Earthshot Prize Official Website - https://earthshotprize.org/
2. UK Charity Commission Register - The Earthshot Prize (1198701) - https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5196866
3. “How The Earthshot Prize Works” - https://earthshotprize.org/the-prize/how-the-earthshot-prize-works/
4. “How We Select Finalists and Winners” - https://earthshotprize.org/the-prize/select/
5. “Official Nominators” - https://earthshotprize.org/people-partners/nominators/
6. “The Earthshot Prize in 2024... by the Numbers” - https://earthshotprize.org/news/the-earthshot-prize-in-2024-by-the-numbers/
7. “The Earthshot Prize Announces 2025 Winners” - https://earthshotprize.org/news/the-earthshot-prize-announces-2025-winners/
8. "The Earthshot Prize unveils 'Launchpad'" - https://earthshotprize.org/news/the-earthshot-prize-unveils-the-launchpad-a-new-digital-platform-aimed-at-accelerating-solutions-to-scale/
9. The Earthshot Prize Trustees' Report and Accounts 2024/25 - https://earthshotprize.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/The-Earthshot-Prize-Trustee-Financial-Report-2024.pdf
10. “Celebrating optimism in Singapore: Our favourite quotes from Awards night” - https://earthshotprize.org/news/celebrating-optimism-in-singapore-our-favourite-quotes-from-awards-night/
11. Prince William quotes from Harper's Bazaar - https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a37989324/prince-william-earthshot-awards-2021-recap/
12. “Impact of The Earthshot Prize” - https://earthshotprize.org/impact/