The Whitley Awards 2027, run by Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN), give £50,000 in project funding over one year to mid-career conservation leaders working in their own countries. Applications close at 23:59 GMT on 30 October 2026. This is a call for proven, community-embedded programmes, so researchers and NGO leaders with a track record should check the criteria before anything else.
At a glance
| Deadline | 23:59 GMT, 30 October 2026 (application and all three reference letters) |
| Who can apply | Individual conservation leaders who are nationals of the country where they work, based at a locally incorporated NGO, charity, not-for-profit or university |
| Award | £50,000 in project funding, for a maximum of 12 months |
| Cost to apply | No fee mentioned in the guidelines |
| Official link | whitleyaward.org, apply for a Whitley Award |
Who can apply
WFN’s 2027 application guidelines set these conditions:
- Applicants must be nationals of the country they work in and embedded in its communities. Expatriates and people working primarily abroad do not qualify.
- The work must be in an eligible country, generally one that is not classed as a high income economy by the World Bank, with some exceptions.
- You must work for a locally incorporated NGO, charity, not-for-profit or university. Government employees are excluded, except at government-funded universities.
- Applications are individual. Joint applications and nominations are not accepted, and no invitation is needed.
- Projects need evidence of past success. Start-up and pilot projects do not qualify.
- You must be able to communicate verbally in English without a translator.
What the guidelines exclude
The guidelines rule out pure academic research and MSc or PhD fieldwork, expeditions, land purchase, building construction, animal welfare and captive animal rehabilitation. Pure rural or economic development projects without quantifiable conservation benefits are also excluded. Ecosystem-level projects are preferred, and species-specific work is accepted when it is not purely species-focused.
What winners receive
Each award is £50,000 in project funding. WFN also lists international recognition, communications support and entry to its global network, plus eligibility for Continuation Funding and the Whitley Gold Award. The guidelines say about six awards are made each year, with a ceremony in London in April or May 2027 that winners must be able to attend.
How to apply
- Read the eligibility criteria and the application guidelines on the WFN application page.
- Register for a WFN account on the online application portal.
- Complete the online form and download the Word logical framework and Excel budget templates.
- Name three referees and make sure their letters arrive before 23:59 GMT on 30 October 2026.
Advice from the Impact DOTS team
- Contact referees now. The guidelines require two from your working country and one international referee, none from your own team, and at most one per institution.
- Lead with measured results. The guidelines ask for past success and an evidence-based approach, so show data from earlier project years, not intentions.
- Show who else leads. The guidelines exclude one-person operations, so describe the emerging leaders you are developing in your team.
- State the local benefit explicitly. Projects must deliver tangible benefits to Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
FAQ
Can an organization apply instead of an individual? No. The guidelines accept individual applicants only.
Can I apply from a high income country? Work must be based in eligible countries, which are generally non-high-income economies, with some exceptions. Check the guidelines for your case.
Is there a fee to apply? No fee is mentioned in the guidelines.
Where do I send questions? Use the contact page on the WFN website.
Sources
Whitley Fund for Nature: apply for a Whitley Award
Whitley Awards 2027 application guidelines (PDF)
