Applications Invited for Elephant Conservation & Research Funding Support Program

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About the Organization

The International Elephant Foundation (IEF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation of individuals and institutions dedicated to the conservation of African and Asian Elephants worldwide.

The goal of the IEF is to support and operate elephant conservation and education programs in managed facilities and in the wild, with an emphasis on management, protection and scientific research. IEF is an organization working diligently and successfully for conservation of elephants. It has a proven track record and is an excellent choice to receive funds for the benefit of elephants. Those who donate to the International Elephant Foundation can rest assured that your money is going to support one of our many elephant conservation and research projects as listed. Any funds that are received specified to support EEHV research or any other conservation activity will be used only for that purpose. In fact, over 85% of all the funds raised by IEF have gone directly to programs. Moreover, no board member receives monies from IEF. Rather they all make significant financial contributions to IEF.

Vision Statement:  We are the catalyst for creating a sustainable future where elephants thrive by linking people and elephants for their mutual long-term benefit.

Mission Statement: IEF creates a sustainable future for elephants. We generate and effectively invest resources to support elephant conservation, education, research, and management programs worldwide. Through our passion, expertise, knowledge, and partnerships we inspire and engage people to ensure a vibrant future with elephants everywhere.

About the Grant

The International Elephant Foundation’s Elephant Conservation and Research Funding Support Program is now open for Application Submissions.

On average IEF funds  20 to 25 projects annually.  The average Grant Award is $15,000 per year.

IEF is interested in supporting effective, sustainable conservation projects that will make a positive impact for elephants, habitats and the communities that share their land. The application must show that the project goals, methods and intervention are perceived to be or known to be functionally effective, ethically and culturally appropriate, feasible, and the relevant stakeholders are included in the project development and activities.  IEF will not fund activities or interventions that have been proven to be ineffective.  Therefore, make sure you research the methods you are proposing to see what has already been tried and how it has been tried.

Criteria for funding:

To guide you in your project submission, the following criteria have been established:

IEF prefers to support annual and multi-year projects that address:

• Human-Elephant Conflict prevention and mitigation
• Habitat conservation and management;
• Conservation education and community outreach;
• Transfrontier or transboundary elephant conservation;
• Elephant protection programs including anti-poaching patrols, infra-structure development, security, investigation and prosecution;
• Reducing and preventing the ivory and bushmeat trade; and
• Research into elephant diseases.

Before you begin to write your proposal, consider that IEF prefers to fund:

• Community-based programs that show promise for future growth;
• Projects that have an immediate and measurable effect on elephant conservation;
• Projects that can be accomplished and their success initially evaluated within a year, or two years if the proposal indicates a longer timeframe;
• Project investigators’ CV demonstrates experience or a strong indication of their ability to be successful; and
• Project investigator has established field-based operations in the project area.

As you prepare your budget, these are some items that IEF will not fund:

• Out of country travel to project site;
• Purchase of guns and ammunition;
• Paid informants;
• Tuition fees for Advanced Degrees; and
• Overhead, indirect, contingency, and miscellaneous costs.

How to Apply

Files that you are expected to upload:

• (Type) / Description
• (image) / Country Project Location
• (image) / Specific Project Location
• (image) / Elephant(s) in Project Location
• (document) / Copy of Organization/Entity Country Recognition – if appropriate
• (document) / Investigator and Co-Investigator(s) CV
• (document) / Permit(s), Letter(s), Endorsement(s)
• (document) / IACUC – if appropriate

To help guide you through the online application we have created a copy of the application in a Word.doc file.

We strongly suggest you use this Word.doc file to prepare your draft answers for copying/pasting into the form versus typing into the online form as it is quite lengthy.

DRAFT Application Sample Word.doc

To be considered for funding in 2026, applicants are required to complete and submit the Online 2026 IEF Grant Application which is due:

No later than Friday, August 1, 2025, 11:59pm PST.

Online 2026 IEF Grant Application

For more information please check the Link

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Tags Environment and Sustainability Research Others