Rufford Small Grant

Conservation projects in countries on Rufford’s current eligible-country list, including Malaysia. Applicants based in advanced economies may qualify if the project is in an eligible country, is high conservation priority and builds local capacity.

For early-career conservationists undertaking small-scale or pilot nature-conservation projects. Priority goes to current MSc/PhD or equivalent students and those who graduated within the last three years; other applicants may qualify under the full criteria. BSc/undergraduate students are excluded. Only fieldwork costs are considered. The project must be in a country on Rufford’s current eligible-country list. Malaysia is included; many advanced-economy project locations and currently sanctioned locations are excluded. Applicants based in advanced economies may apply only for high-priority conservation projects in an eligible country with efforts to strengthen local conservation capacity. Check the current official list, including regional exceptions, before applying. Species projects must concern species not globally listed as Least Concern, or unassessed species thought globally threatened. Pure research without conservation benefit, expeditions, conference attendance and book publication are excluded. Provide evidence of other funding when co-funded. Only one funding application is allowed in any twelve months; wait at least twelve months after rejection or funding before another application. Later-stage grants require completed prior work and the stated reporting/co-funding conditions; no further support follows a Completion Grant.

1. Read the current General Criteria, country-eligibility list and application-form questions on the official Rufford application site.
2. Create an account and apply through the online form. There are no fixed deadlines. Start with the appropriate grant stage; previous support does not automatically qualify a new project.
3. Check country/sanctions restrictions, conservation benefit, species status and the twelve-month repeat-application rule. A first grant requires project updates and a final report.