Tannuka Juneja
Habitats Trust, a non-profit organisation working for the conservation and protection of India’s natural habitats and their native species, invites applications for financial assistance from organisations and individuals primarily concerned with the conservation of endangered wildlife and natural habitats of India.
Habitat Trust Grant, with a total prize pool of ₹3.20 crore (three crore twenty lakh) will be divided into three categories with the aim of conserving India’s rich biodiversity. The grant application portal will be open from June 23, 2022 to August 5, 2022 and forms can be viewed and completed online at https://www.thehabitatstrust.org/.
Rushikesh Chavan, Head of The Habitats Trust said, “The need to conserve biodiversity is pressing as India stares at an unprecedented crisis when it comes to mitigating the biggest challenges that humanity faces. According to a 2021 report by Centre for Science and Environment, our country has lost over 90 percent of the area under its four biodiversity hotspots and 25 species from these have already become extinct. The Habitats Trust Grants is an effort to mobilise and scale on-ground efforts by passionate conservationists to help secure and restore our rich biodiversity.”
“Our Grants’ categories will help ensure that we are able to support a diverse range and scale of projects. A significantly enhanced grants purse of ₹3.20 Crore (from ₹1.26 crore last year) with longer duration grants projects will enable our grantees to drive deeper and more sustained impact year-on-year. I am particularly excited about the Seeds Grant as it will allow us to nurture a young generation of conservationists while giving them the opportunity and freedom to work on experimental projects.”
The Habitat Trust Conservation Grant will help organisations working to conserve lesser-known and critically endangered species. It will help donors address key conservation challenges in India, including habitat degradation and destruction, biodiversity loss, conservation of endangered species, and resolution of human-wildlife conflict. This grant is only open to organisations that have a proven track record in wildlife conservation for at least five years. The projects selected must be carried out over a period of three years. The goal is to give award winners enough time to make the most of the grant and make a profound impact on the ground.
The Habitats Trust Action Grant will support up to three individuals or organisations, or both, working on lesser-known species and/or habitats that require urgent conservation action. The person or organisation selected must have worked in the field of wildlife conservation for at least two years. The selected project must be completed within two years.
