UNDP Equator Initiative - Equator Prize

Enriched International · Found: 2026-03-10 22:16

Biennial award recognizing community efforts to reduce poverty through biodiversity conservation. USD 10,000 per winner. Called Nobel Prize for Biodiversity Conservation.

Source: https://equatorinitiative.org/

Funding Details

Funder

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) - Equator Initiative

Funding Goal

Recognizing and celebrating outstanding community-based and Indigenous Peoples' initiatives that reduce poverty through conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, delivering benefits related to two or more Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through nature-based solutions

Funding Amount

Prize award (monetary value not specified publicly); winners receive recognition, networking, and capacity building support

Deadline

Annual, typically with nominations open in early-mid year and award ceremony in December (periodic)

How to Apply

Submit nominations through the Equator Initiative website. Applications are assessed by an independent Technical Advisory Committee. Winners are announced annually, with the 2025 award ceremony held on 11 December 2025.

Target Region

Global — tropics; local community-based groups must be in UNDP-supported countries (Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Middle East and North Africa); Indigenous Peoples' communities from any country may nominate

Contact

Contact form available at https://www.equatorinitiative.org/about-us/contact-us-2/

Official Page

https://www.equatorinitiative.org/equator-prize-2/

Last Checked

2026-03-15 12:40

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Initiative must be community-based or led by Indigenous Peoples
• Must be operating in a rural area
• Local community groups must be in a UNDP-supported country; Indigenous Peoples' communities may be from any country
• Initiative must have been in existence for at least three years

Project Scope

• Actions must be nature-based and deliver benefits related to two or more SDGs
• Must demonstrate measurable positive environmental, social, and economic impacts

Required Documents

• Nominations submitted through the Equator Initiative website

Constraints

• Large national or international NGOs are not eligible — community-level organizations only
• Urban initiatives are not eligible — must be operating in rural areas

Summary

The Equator Prize is an annual award organized by the Equator Initiative within the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Its primary objective is to recognize and celebrate outstanding community-based and Indigenous Peoples' initiatives that demonstrate the power of local action in addressing biodiversity conservation, poverty reduction, and sustainable development. The prize shines a spotlight on grassroots solutions that collectively contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Thematically, the prize covers a broad range of nature-based solutions including biodiversity conservation, sustainable land and sea management, forest and marine ecosystem stewardship, sustainable livelihoods, food security, and climate resilience. The initiative must deliver measurable benefits related to two or more SDGs. Priority thematic areas include community-driven conservation, sustainable use of natural resources, and socially equitable environmental stewardship. Eligible activities include community-led conservation projects, sustainable resource management initiatives, restoration of ecosystems, sustainable fisheries and marine management, agroforestry, sustainable agriculture, and other nature-based approaches that reduce poverty and improve biodiversity outcomes. Initiatives must have been in operation for at least three years. Geographically, the prize targets organizations based in the tropical belt. Local community-based groups must be operating in a rural area in a country that receives UNDP support (covering Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa). Indigenous Peoples' communities from any country in the world may also nominate, broadening the geographic scope globally. Eligible applicants are local community-based groups or Indigenous Peoples' communities operating in rural areas. These must be grassroots organizations, not large international NGOs or national governments. Winners are selected by an independent Technical Advisory Committee based on criteria including impact, scalability, innovation, sustainability, and equity. The prize mechanism includes monetary recognition (amount undisclosed publicly), international recognition at the UN level, networking opportunities, and capacity-building support. The Equator Initiative also provides tools and resources, including a Nature-Based Solutions Database, case studies, and eLearning materials, to support winners and the broader community.

Historical Context

The Equator Prize has been awarded since 2002, initially described as biennial but now awarded annually. The 2025 Equator Prize winners were announced on 31 July 2025 with the award ceremony held on 11 December 2025. Past prize cycles are documented on the website. The prize is a long-standing program with winners from numerous countries across the tropical belt.

Why it was added

R13-RF3: UNDP community-based biodiversity conservation prize

Sources

• https://equatorinitiative.org/
• https://www.equatorinitiative.org/equator-prize-2/
• https://www.equatorinitiative.org/whats-the-equator-prize/past-prize-cycles/

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