The Whitley Fund For Nature

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £26 million (total since 1993)
• Success Rate: Highly competitive (119 applications to 7 winners in 2025)
• Decision Time: 6-7 months (October deadline to April/May ceremony)
• Grant Range: £50,000 - £100,000
• Geographic Focus: Global South only

Contact Details

Address: 23a Berghem Mews, Blythe Road, London W14 0HN

Phone: +44 (0)20 7221 9752

Email: info@whitleyaward.org

Website: www.whitleyaward.org

Head of Communications: Kate Stephenson - [email protected]

Overview

Established in 1993 by Edward Whitley OBE, the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) is a UK-registered charity (1081455) dedicated to supporting grassroots conservation leaders in the Global South. Since its founding, WFN has channelled £26 million to 200+ conservation leaders in over 80 countries across the Global South. The charity operates through a small administrative team in London, steered by a Board of Trustees, with HRH The Princess Royal as Patron since 1999. The Whitley Awards are often called the “Green Oscars” of conservation. WFN's mission is to promote the conservation, preservation, and restoration of the world's wildlife and habitats by seeking out and supporting the best grassroots conservation projects in developing countries, particularly those that serve local communities while achieving conservation outcomes.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Whitley Awards (£50,000 over one year)

• Annual flagship awards for mid-career grassroots conservation leaders
• Includes project funding plus profile elevation, training, and networking
• Application via online portal with fixed annual deadline (31 October)
• Winners announced at Spring ceremony (typically April/May)

Whitley Gold Award (£100,000 over one year)

• Annual award recognizing one previous Whitley Award winner
• For outstanding contribution to conservation and pioneering large-scale projects
• Recipients become WFN Trustees
• Selected internally from alumni network

Continuation Funding (up to £100,000 over two years)

• Available exclusively to Whitley Award alumni
• 55% of past winners have received Continuation Funding
• Enables scaling up, addressing new challenges, or responding to urgent needs
• Competitive application process for previous winners

Priority Areas

WFN funds wildlife conservation projects that demonstrate:

• Scientific foundation: Evidence-based approaches with measurable outcomes
• Community engagement: Work involving and benefitting local communities and stakeholders
• Proven success: Demonstrated past achievements (not pilot or start-up projects)
• Scalability and replicability: Projects on the cusp of “something big”
• Local leadership: Nationals leading projects in their home countries
• Team-based work: Individual leaders backed by appropriate organizations
• Long-term sustainability: Projects that will continue well beyond the award period

Recent 2025 winners work on diverse species including jaguars (Brazil), brown spider monkeys (Colombia), Bornean elephants (Malaysia), Javan gibbons (Indonesia), Grey Crowned Cranes (Rwanda - Gold Award), yew trees and orchids (Nepal), and frogs (Argentina).

What They Don't Fund

Explicitly excluded:

• Pure academic research (unless applied research with broader conservation aims)
• PhD projects, MSc dissertations, undergraduate projects
• Expeditions and conference attendance
• Start-up or pilot projects without proven track record
• Expatriate-led projects (scheme champions local leaders)
• One-person operations without team support
• Land purchase or building construction projects
• Animal welfare, rehabilitation of captive animals, captive breeding (generally)
• Pure rural development without quantifiable conservation benefits
• Projects in High Income Economies (per World Bank definition, with some exceptions)
• Absentee leaders (e.g., mid-PhD candidates absent for long periods)

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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

• Edward Whitley OBE - Founder and Chair of Trustees (awarded OBE in 2013)
• Lady Faulks - Trustee
• Previous Whitley Gold Award winners join as Trustees

Patron

• HRH The Princess Royal - Patron since 1999 (never missed a ceremony in over 20 years)

Quote from The Princess Royal: “WFN is a direct funding charity that really does minimise the bits in-between. The funding goes straight to the winners, who have a lasting impact on global, national and political levels.”

Ambassadors

• Sir David Attenborough (former Trustee)
• Tom Heap and Kate Humble (ceremony hosts)

Judging Panel

Applications are assessed by an expert judging panel comprising voluntary experts from leading conservation organizations including WWF-UK, Fauna and Flora International (FFI), and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

1. No nomination required: You do not need to be invited or nominated to apply
2. Register online: Access the application portal at whitleyaward.org
3. Complete application: Fill out the online form at your convenience
4. Follow guidelines: Essential to follow application guidelines carefully
5. Secure three referees: Three reference statements required from independent referees
6. Submit by deadline: Applications close 31 October 2025 at midnight GMT

Decision Timeline

Typical timeline for 2026 awards:

• 31 October 2025: Application deadline (midnight GMT)
• November-January: Initial assessment by expert screeners
• February: Shortlist announced (typically ~12 candidates from ~120 applications)
• February-March: Due diligence, reference checking, financial screening
• March: Finalist interviews (face-to-face with judging panel)
• April/May: Winner announcement at annual ceremony
• Total timeline: Approximately 6-7 months from application to decision

Success Rates

• 2025 statistics: 119 applications received, 7 winners selected (6 Whitley Awards + 1 Gold)
• Success rate: Approximately 6% overall success rate
• Process: Applications pass through four stages of assessment
• Shortlist: Typically 12 finalists selected for final due diligence and interviews

Winners receive notification via the live ceremony, which is livestreamed globally (2025 ceremony attracted 400 in-person attendees and 2,300+ online viewers).

Reapplication Policy

• Immediate reapplication allowed: Unsuccessful applicants can reapply at the next annual deadline
• New references required: Must provide three fresh reference statements (can use same referees)
• Consecutive application limit: Cannot apply for a third consecutive year if rejected twice in a row
• No appeals: Judging Panel's decision is final with no dialogue or correspondence
• Feedback available: Where resources allow, WFN provides feedback on unsuccessful applications

Application Success Factors

What the Judging Panel Looks For

Leadership qualities:

• “Good communicators and passionate people who will inspire others and importantly, who will collaborate and share results”
• Dynamic, mid-career conservationists ready to scale up
• Individual leaders with strong backing from appropriate teams/organizations

Project characteristics:

• "Applicants on the cusp of 'something big' and work that is replicable or scalable"
• Demonstrated past success with evidence-based approach
• Clear, measurable outcomes with indicators to evidence impact
• Projects where the award “will make a big difference”
• Priority given to those demonstrating need and work requiring publicity
• Sustainable projects with long-term planning beyond the award period

Community integration:

• Grassroots conservationists “embedded in and/or from the communities where they work”
• Work involving and benefitting local communities and stakeholders is essential

Recent Successful Projects (2025 Winners)

• Dr. Olivier Nsengimana (Rwanda) - Gold Award for expanding Grey Crowned Crane conservation across East Africa through transboundary cooperation (population quadrupled since 2015)
• Farina Othman (Malaysia) - Connecting landscapes for Bornean elephants, tackling human-elephant conflict
• Andrés Link (Colombia) - Reconnecting brown spider monkeys in lowland rainforests
• Yara Barros (Brazil) - Jaguar protection
• Federico Kacoliris (Argentina) - Amphibian conservation
• Reshu Bashyal (Nepal) - Plant conservation (yew trees, orchids)
• Rahayu Oktaviani (Indonesia) - Javan gibbon protection

Language and Approach

• Emphasize “grassroots” conservation and community engagement
• Demonstrate “proven success” and readiness to “scale up”
• Use “evidence-based,” “science-led,” and “measurable outcomes”
• Show how work benefits both wildlife and local people
• Articulate long-term vision and sustainability

Support Beyond Funding

Winners receive comprehensive support package:

• Media and speech training to communicate work effectively and inspire philanthropic support
• Network access to 200+ conservationists through 22 regional and thematic hubs
• Peer-to-peer learning through overseas and online training (agenda set by alumni)
• Networking events with funders, journalists, and major NGOs
• Mentorship and train-the-trainer programmes
• Ongoing relationship enabling future Continuation Funding applications

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. Demonstrate proven track record: This is not for start-ups or pilots. You must show past conservation success with evidence-based results. The panel wants to see you're ready to scale up existing work, not test new ideas.

1. Be deeply local and embedded: Successful applicants are nationals working in their home countries, embedded in local communities. Expatriates are explicitly excluded. Show you understand local context, culture, and have community trust.

1. Emphasize the “cusp of something big” factor: The panel seeks mid-career leaders at an inflection point where additional funding and international profile will catalyze significant impact. Articulate how this award will be transformative for your project.

1. Balance science and community: Projects must be scientifically rigorous with measurable outcomes while meaningfully involving and benefitting local communities. This dual focus is non-negotiable.

1. Think long-term and sustainable: Show how your work will continue beyond the one-year funding period. The panel prioritizes projects with staying power over time-limited initiatives.

1. Invest in quality references: Three independent reference statements are required. Previous unsuccessful applicants must submit fresh references even if using the same referees. Choose referees who can speak credibly to your leadership, community relationships, and conservation impact.

1. Be prepared for rigorous vetting: The selection process includes four assessment stages, shortlisting, due diligence, financial screening, and face-to-face interviews. Only the most thoroughly prepared applicants succeed. Competition is fierce with ~6% success rate.

1. Don't be discouraged by initial rejection: You can reapply immediately (but not for a third consecutive year if rejected twice). Use feedback to strengthen your application and demonstrate how your project has evolved.

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

• The Arts Council of England
• THE ROSE FOUNDATION
• L G Harris Trust
• Greater London Authority
• THE SOCIETY FOUNDATION
• HELP FUND
• Google
• Salesforce
• Heilbronn

References

1. Whitley Fund for Nature official website - https://whitleyaward.org/
2. “Apply for Funding” page - https://whitleyaward.org/apply-for-conservation-funding/
3. “Eligibility” page - https://whitleyaward.org/apply-for-conservation-funding/eligibility/
4. “FAQs” page - https://whitleyaward.org/apply-for-conservation-funding/eligibility-and-application-faqs/
5. “About us” page - https://whitleyaward.org/about/
6. “Meet the team” page - https://whitleyaward.org/about/team/
7. “Meet the 2025 Whitley Award winners!” - https://whitleyaward.org/2025/05/01/meet-the-2025-whitley-award-winners/
8. “2025 Whitley Awards: Meet the shortlist” - https://whitleyaward.org/2025/02/11/2025-whitley-awards-meet-the-shortlist/
9. “Highlights from the 2025 Whitley Awards Ceremony” - https://whitleyaward.org/2025/05/29/highlights-from-the-2025-whitley-awards-ceremony/
10. “Over £1.3 million awarded in WFN Continuation Funding” - https://whitleyaward.org/2025/01/30/over-1-2-million-awarded-in-wfn-continuation-funding/
11. UK Charity Commission register - https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/3970982
12. Whitley Awards Wikipedia page - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitley_Awards_(UK)
13. "Speeches: HRH The Princess Royal & Edward Whitley" - https://whitleyaward.org/2015/05/06/speeches-from-hrh-the-princess-royal-edward-whitley-at-2015-ceremony/