Illuminating the Mekong River Basin

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Enriched private-foundation · Found: 2026-04-20 20:41

Funder: National Geographic Society – Grants and Exploration

Request for Proposals for storytellers to illuminate interconnected issues in the Mekong River Basin, elevating Ancestral Knowledge and science. Deadline May 31, 2026.

Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/society/grants-and-investments/rfp-mekong-river-basin/

Funding Details

Funder: National Geographic Society
Funding Goal: Fund storytelling projects (across all media) that illuminate the interconnected ecological, cultural, and human dimensions of the Mekong River Basin. Priority themes: co-existence of humans and indicator species (Irrawaddy dolphin, Giant Freshwater Stingray), biodiversity documentation including microscopic and migratory life, nexus of traditional knowledge and conservation, climate/environmental resilience, water stewardship and legacy, urban-river relationships, and diaspora communities' ecological connectivity.
Funding Amount: Up to $20,000. Funds usable over two years. (up to 20.000 €)
Deadline: 2026-05-31 (Fixed)
How to Apply: Apply through the National Geographic Society online funding portal (funding.nationalgeographic.org). Information sessions scheduled for April 23 (9PM HK / 9AM ET) and May 5 (10AM HK / 10PM ET). Funding notifications expected December 2026.
Target Region: Mekong River Basin — Lower Mekong transborder bioregion covering Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and adjacent areas
Contact: funding@ngs.org
Last Checked: 2026-04-21 02:25

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Applicant must be an individual storyteller (journalist, filmmaker, photographer, researcher) — not an institution
Must have lived experience or established collaborative relationships with local Mekong communities

Project Scope

Project must focus on the Mekong River Basin (Lower Mekong transborder bioregion)

Required Documents

Must submit a portfolio (website) demonstrating prior successful media projects
Application must be in English via online portal only

Constraints

Maximum grant: $20,000, usable over two years
Deadline: May 31, 2026, 11:59 PM EDT
Funding notifications expected December 2026

Summary

The Illuminating the Mekong River Basin RFP invites individual storytellers to produce creative projects across all media formats that document and interpret the complex ecological, cultural, and human dimensions of the Mekong River Basin. The program recognizes the Lower Mekong as a transborder bioregion defined by its unique flood pulse hydrology, where ecology, wildlife, and human culture are deeply intertwined. Thematic priorities include: co-existence stories featuring indicator species such as the Irrawaddy dolphin and Giant Freshwater Stingray as stakeholders in basin health; biodiversity documentation from microscopic silt organisms to large migratory species; traditional ecological knowledge and spiritual practices as stewardship tools; environmental resilience and defense of ancestral traditions; water management heritage and identity; urban-river dynamics and sustainable urban design; and diaspora communities maintaining ecological connectivity through ritual, food traditions, and oral histories. The program specifically targets the Lower Mekong transborder bioregion across Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and adjacent areas. Eligible applicants are individual storytellers — journalists, filmmakers, photographers, researchers — with direct community ties or established track records of work in the region. No institutional applicants. Portfolio submission is mandatory. All applications must be in English. Grant awards are up to $20,000, usable over two years. Two virtual information sessions are hosted to answer applicant questions. Applications close May 31, 2026 and funding decisions are communicated in December 2026. Successful applicants join the National Geographic Explorer Community. This RFP is entirely focused on Southeast Asian freshwater and cultural heritage storytelling. It is not relevant to organizations working on plastic waste, marine litter, circular economy, or Baltic/North Sea conservation.

Historical Context

National Geographic Society has awarded more than 15,000 grants since 1888. This RFP is part of the Society's geographic-focus grant series targeting specific regions and ecosystems.

Why it was added

discovered from funder #272: National Geographic Society

Sources

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/society/grants-and-investments/rfp-mekong-river-basin/

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