Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Sophie Danforth Conservation Biology Fund (SDCBF)

The Sophie Danforth Conservation Biology Fund (SDCBF) was established in 1989 by Roger Williams Park Zoo and the Rhode Island Zoological Society to provide targeted financial support for wildlife conservation. It offers competitive small grants, typically around US$1,000, to field studies and applied projects that protect threatened species and their habitats around the world. Grants are awarded to organizations such as NGOs, universities and conservation groups capable of receiving and managing funds.

Funding is directed to projects that take a multidisciplinary approach to biodiversity and ecosystem conservation. Eligible activities include field research in natural environments, development of conservation techniques, environmental education programs, and conservation-oriented breeding initiatives. Projects that involve in-country collaborators or that align with Roger Williams Park Zoo’s existing conservation portfolio are given the highest priority.

The Fund accepts applications from any nationality, but requires that applicants be affiliated with an organization rather than applying as individuals. Proposals must be written in English by the applicant; the guidelines explicitly prohibit the use of generative AI tools to draft or edit submissions. Projects involving highly invasive or terminal research, or those requiring collection and vouchering of specimens, are not considered eligible. Expenses incurred before funding begins are also ineligible.

Partial project funding can be considered when a clearly defined component is independently feasible or when other funding sources are secured or pending. Projects previously funded by SDCBF may receive a second year of support if a new application is submitted and an adequate progress report is provided.

The SDCBF operates on an annual cycle. The published guidelines specify an application deadline (for example, January 1, 2026), an award notification date (mid-April), a funding distribution timeline within 60 days of notification, and a firm due date for progress reports in the following year. Applications are submitted electronically to a dedicated email address at Roger Williams Park Zoo.

Required materials include a completed application form with literature cited and a detailed budget, a concise curriculum vitae, two letters of recommendation from different referees, and the appropriate tax form (W-9 for U.S. recipients or W-8 for non-U.S. recipients). Funded organizations must later provide a progress report including project updates and budgetary expenditures.

The Fund mainly supports early to mid-career conservation scientists and practitioners working through NGOs, universities, and conservation organizations. Past grantees represent a broad global spread, with projects in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, North America, and Europe, covering taxa such as amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals and invertebrates. Example projects include habitat restoration, species reintroductions, community-based conservation, human–wildlife coexistence initiatives, and wildlife health and disease diagnostics.

By providing modest but catalytic grants, the Sophie Danforth Conservation Biology Fund complements the broader conservation mission of Roger Williams Park Zoo. It helps launch pilot studies, fill critical data gaps and strengthen local capacity, often in collaboration with in-country partners, thereby amplifying the Zoo’s conservation impact far beyond its physical location in Rhode Island.