Save Our Seas Foundation - Conservation Fellowship

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Enriched International · Found: 2026-03-10 22:02

Financial support to individuals working on shark and ray conservation to retain and develop expertise in marine conservation

Source: https://saveourseas.com/grants/funding-applications/conservation-fellowship/

Funding Details

Funder: Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF)
Funding Goal: Provide financial support (living costs, not project costs) to individuals working on shark and ray conservation projects, to help retain and develop their expertise within the field. Specifically targets researchers from developing countries in Central/South America, Africa, and Asia who are previous SOSF grantees.
Funding Amount: USD 8,000 per year over two years (total USD 16,000). Funds intended to cover living costs of the grantee only, not project expenses. (14.000 € – 16.000 €)
Deadline: 2025-08-31 (periodic)
How to Apply: Submit a 1-2 page pitch document (PDF), CV, and two letters of recommendation (all PDF) by email to Sandrine Griffiths (cc James Lea). Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed. The pitch document must describe how the fellowship will help the applicant develop, the projects they intend to pursue, and how the support will help progress shark and ray conservation in their region.
Target Region: Africa, Southeast Asia, India (developing countries in Central/South America, Africa, and Asia)
Contact: Sandrine Griffiths (primary contact), James Lea (cc). Save Our Seas Foundation, Quai du Mont-Blanc 21, CH-1201 Geneva, Switzerland. contact@saveourseas.com
Official Page: https://saveourseas.com/grants/conservation-fellowship/
Last Checked: 2026-03-15 13:11

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Must be a previous SOSF Keystone or Small Grant recipient within the last 5 years
Must be living and working in a developing country (OECD definition) in Central/South America, Africa, or Asia
Must be actively working on a shark or ray conservation project in their region

Project Scope

Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed before final selection

Required Documents

Submit 1-2 page pitch document (PDF), CV, and 2 letters of recommendation by email

Constraints

Funds living costs only — project costs are not covered by this fellowship
Only 3 fellowships awarded per 2-year cycle (one per region: Central/South America, Africa, Asia)

Summary

The Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) Conservation Fellowship is a biennial personal support grant introduced in 2023, specifically targeting individuals working on shark and ray conservation projects in developing countries. Unlike other SOSF grants, this fellowship does not fund project costs — it provides personal financial support (living costs) to enable grantees to continue their conservation work. The thematic scope is exclusively shark and ray conservation, requiring applicants to be actively working on projects related to these species within their region. The fellowship is designed to address the challenge of financial sustainability for dedicated researchers and conservationists in regions with fewer funding opportunities. Eligible activities are broadly those related to continued shark and ray conservation work — research, advocacy, community engagement, or management activities. The funding covers the grantee's living costs only, allowing them to dedicate more time to conservation without financial insecurity. Geographically, the fellowship is strictly limited to individuals living and working in developing countries (as defined by the OECD) in three regions: Central/South America, Africa, and Asia. Three fellowships are awarded per cycle, one per region. Eligibility requires that applicants be previous SOSF Keystone or Small Grant recipients who received their grant within the last five years. Individuals not previously funded by SOSF are ineligible. Government employees are not eligible unless sponsored by a non-profit or academic institution. The fellowship provides USD 8,000 per year over two years (total USD 16,000). Applications require a 1-2 page pitch document, CV, and two letters of recommendation sent by email. The 2025 application deadline was August 31, 2025. The program is biennial.

Historical Context

The SOSF Conservation Fellowship was introduced in 2023 as a new grant category. It is awarded every two years, with three fellowships per cycle — one each for Central/South America, Africa, and Asia. This is a relatively new program designed specifically to address the difficulty of sustaining researchers in developing countries who are committed to shark and ray conservation.

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