The Rufford Foundation

Charity Number: 1117270

Annual Expenditure: £3.8M
Throughout England, Argentina, Armenia, Benin, Bosnia And Herzegovina, Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Fiji ... [64 more]

Contact Info

Website: www.rufford.org

Phone: 020 7436 8604

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £3,600,000 - £3,800,000 (approx.)
  • Success Rate: 33% (for first grant applications)
  • Decision Time: 8 weeks (from receipt of all three references)
  • Grant Range: £7,000 - £18,000
  • Geographic Focus: Developing countries worldwide (152+ countries)
  • Total Impact: Over £30 million awarded through 5,100+ grants since inception

Contact Details

Website: www.rufford.org

Phone: 020 7436 8604

Application Portal: https://apply.ruffordsmallgrants.org

General Enquiries: Contact form at www.rufford.org/contact/

Application Support: Contact form at https://apply.ruffordsmallgrants.org/contact

Social Media:

  • Facebook: @ruffordgrants
  • LinkedIn: The Rufford Foundation
  • Instagram: @ruffordgrants

Overview

The Rufford Foundation (charity number 1117270) was established through the 2003 merger of the Rufford Foundation (founded 1982 by John Laing) and the Maurice Laing Foundation (founded 1972 by Sir Maurice Laing). The Foundation exclusively funds nature conservation projects in developing countries through its flagship Rufford Small Grants Programme. With total expenditure of approximately £3.76 million annually, the Foundation has supported over 5,100 projects across more than 152 countries, distributing in excess of £30 million over two decades. The Foundation's mission focuses on supporting early-career conservationists who are “starting on the ladder of conservation research and establishing pilot programmes.” Sir David Attenborough has praised their work for identifying “in-country scientists at the very early stages of their careers.”

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation operates a staged funding structure allowing repeat funding for successful projects:

  • 1st Rufford Small Grant (1st RSG): Up to £7,000 - For first-time applicants undertaking new conservation projects
  • 2nd Rufford Small Grant (2nd RSG): Up to £8,000 - For those who have successfully completed a 1st RSG
  • Booster Grant: Up to £12,000 - For continued conservation work after completing 2nd RSG
  • Completion Grant: Up to £18,000 - Final stage of funding, requires evidence of co-funding from other sources

Application Method: Rolling basis - no deadlines, applications accepted year-round

Note: Only one application permitted per 12-month period

Priority Areas

The Foundation supports small-scale or pilot projects with a clear nature conservation focus, including:

  • Threatened species research and protection
  • Habitat conservation (marine and terrestrial)
  • Biodiversity assessment and monitoring
  • Conservation capacity building in developing countries
  • Community-based conservation initiatives

Ideal funding percentage: 50-100% of total project costs

Eligible costs: Fieldwork costs only

What They Don't Fund

Ineligible Activities:

  • Pure research with no obvious conservation benefit
  • Expeditions (particularly fundraising participation expeditions)
  • Conference or seminar attendance
  • Book publishing
  • Projects that have already begun
  • International travel costs (normally)

Ineligible Applicants:

  • Undergraduate (BSc level) students
  • Projects in countries under international banking sanctions

Financial Restrictions:

  • Maximum 10% overhead/management fees
  • Grants only paid to organizations, not individuals

Governance and Leadership

The Rufford Foundation operates as a UK registered charity (number 1117270). While specific trustee names are not publicly prominent, the Foundation maintains its independence and focus on the Laing family's philanthropic legacy.

Notable Endorsements:

Sir David Attenborough: “The Rufford Foundation has the unique ability to identify in-country scientists at the very early stages of their careers.”

Jonathon Porritt (Sustainability Campaigner): “In a world where wholly inadequate amounts of funding are committed to the protection of threatened habitats and species, this Programme is a beacon of philanthropic commitment at its very best.”

Dr. Pablo Garcia Borboroglu (Global Penguin Society, Argentina): “They trusted me and started supporting my work on penguins in 2006, when our project was only a promise. Since then, we have been able to protect 32 million acres of penguin habitat.”

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

  • Stage 1: Foundation office screens for basic eligibility
  • Stage 2: External expert review for qualifying applications

Key Application Notes:

  • Applications cannot be edited after submission
  • Formatting is lost when text is pasted
  • Do not copy-paste tabular data
  • Seek mentor review before submitting

Decision Timeline

  • Processing Time: Normally 2 months from receipt of all three references
  • Main Delay Factor: Late or incomplete references
  • Applications cannot be processed until all three references are received

Success Rates

33% success rate for first-time applicants (1st RSG)

The Foundation receives applications year-round and reviews on a rolling basis. With approximately £3.7 million in annual expenditure and grants ranging from £7,000-£18,000, the Foundation likely awards 200-400 grants annually across all four funding tiers.

Reapplication Policy

  • Unsuccessful applicants: May reapply after 12 months
  • Successful applicants: Must wait at least 12 months before applying for next funding tier
  • Frequency limit: Only one application per 12-month period

Application Success Factors

Critical Reference Requirements

The Foundation states: “References are critical to your application as The Rufford Foundation relies heavily on these objective opinions of your project.”

Reference Requirements:

  • Three references mandatory - applications cannot proceed without all three
  • One referee from the country where you will be working
  • One referee from outside the country where you will be working
  • One referee from a well-established institution (major conservation NGO, university, or government body)
  • All referees must know you personally (not just email/Skype contact)
  • References must come from institutional email addresses (not Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo)
  • Must include letterhead and signature
  • Must be in English
  • Never draft your own references - this is considered potential fraud

Strong Application Characteristics

  1. Career Stage Alignment: Priority given to MSc/PhD students or recent graduates (within 3 years)
  2. Clear Conservation Focus: Direct benefit to threatened species or habitats
  3. Pilot or Small-Scale Design: Projects appropriate for grant size
  4. Strong Mentorship: Evidence of guidance from established conservationists
  5. Long-Term Vision: Demonstrates intention for “significant and long lasting impact”
  6. Co-Funding (for later grants): By Completion Grant stage, projects should match requested amount with other funding sources

Recent Funded Projects Examples

  • Passive acoustic monitoring of Orthoptera in Mpem & Djim National Park
  • Baseline assessment for softshell turtle conservation in Chitwan National Park, Nepal
  • Distribution study of threatened fish species in Cross River Basin, Nigeria
  • Camera trap-based occupancy modeling for Central American deer species
  • Seagrass and dugong conservation in Palk Bay, India (multi-grant success - reached over 5,500 students and 3,000 fishers)

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

  • Choosing referees who don't know you personally
  • Using web-based email addresses for references
  • Failing to secure all three references promptly
  • Incomplete personal profile information
  • Plagiarism or failing to acknowledge others' contributions
  • Requesting management fees above 10%
  • Applying for projects already underway
  • Including ineligible costs (conferences, expeditions, international travel)

Advice from the Foundation

The Foundation explicitly states: “Ask a mentor... to review your draft proposal before you make an application.”

They emphasize seeking projects where the Foundation can provide 50-100% of costs and stress that applicants should be “project leaders who intend to make a significant and long lasting impact on their chosen subject.”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Early-career focus is genuine: Priority explicitly given to MSc/PhD students or recent graduates - don't apply if you're well-established
  • References make or break applications: Start securing your three institutional references early - this is the main cause of delays and the Foundation “relies heavily” on them
  • Think pilot, not comprehensive: Design small-scale or pilot projects appropriate for £7,000-£18,000 funding levels
  • Progressive funding is available: If your first grant succeeds, you can access up to three more grants (£8,000, £12,000, £18,000) for the same project over time
  • Rolling deadlines favor prepared applicants: No competition for funding rounds - submit when you're ready, but you can only apply once per year
  • Conservation impact over pure research: Projects must demonstrate clear conservation benefit, not just academic knowledge
  • The 33% success rate is specific: One in three first-time applicants succeed - strong applications with quality references have good odds

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

  • John Ellerman Foundation
  • Garfield Weston Foundation
  • A J H Ashby Will Trust
  • Dunn Family Charitable Trust
  • Ida Davis Family Foundation
  • Sussex Ornithological Society
  • Teesside Environmental Trust
  • The A B Grace Trust
  • The Brown Source Trust
  • The Finborough Foundation

References