The Darwin Initiative: biodiversity grant funding for developing countries

The Darwin Initiative is a UK government grants scheme for biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction activities in eligible low and middle income countries.

About the Darwin Initiative

The Darwin Initiative competitively awards grants for activities that conserve biodiversity and reduce poverty in eligible low and middle income countries.

Most projects funded by the Darwin Initiative will aim to:

  • help to conserve biodiversity and reduce poverty
  • build capability and capacity to conserve biodiversity and reduce poverty in the countries they work in
  • encourage evidence and best practices to be used more

Apply for funding

To find out more about the Darwin Initiative’s criteria and objectives, and how to apply for funding, visit the Darwin Initiative website.

Other challenge funds

Other challenge funds which focus on supporting similar activities include:

  • Darwin Plus, which offers funding for the natural environment and climate change in the UK Overseas Territories (OTs)
  • the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, which offers funding to reduce demand for illegal wildlife products, ensure effective legislation, strengthen law enforcement, and address the drivers and impacts between poverty and the illegal trade

Contact

For questions about policy, contact the Darwin Initiative Secretariat at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at darwin.initiative@defra.gov.uk.

For questions about project applications, contact the applications team at BCF-Darwin@niras.com.

For queries relating to existing projects, contact the fund administrators:

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