MCF funds projects in areas where demand is highest; where projects are focused on benefits to communities or community organizations, where small conservation activities yield big results, and where local community capacities to protect threatened species and ecosystems are low or under-resourced. Projects should be local and should focus on the Greater Laikipia Landscape.
Grants with one or more of the following characteristics will be given priority:
- Promotes habitat conservation for threatened animal species and important habitats.
- Supports at least one of the primary thematic areas of the Fund.
- You can demonstrate a financial or in-kind contribution of labour, materials, good will, or other types of matching contributions.
- Contributes to conservation actions that have a multiplier effect.
- Addresses the root cause of the issue or problem you’ve identified.
- Demonstrates measurable and quantifiable impacts.
MCF’s Thematic Grant Areas
- Assessments and feasibility studies: (Examples are but not limited to short studies on population and distribution of specific animal species. e.g., primates in a particular habitat, sales and marketing plans for enterprise groups related to natural resources management, development of business plans for nature-based enterprises, or tourism initiatives, and development of policies e.g., HR policy, financial management policy, benefit sharing policy for nature-based groups, etc)
- Community conservation actions: (Examples include but are not limited to protection, rehabilitation or designation of wildlife corridors, installation of predator proof bomas, tree nursery establishment, tree planting activities, purchase of honey harvesting kits, additional ways to address human-wildlife conflict issues, etc)
- Citizen science (Examples include but are not limited to: opuntia mapping, opuntia eradication, soil conservation, permaculture, participation in citizen science activities and censuses. (Such as Grevy’s Zebra census counts)
- Capacity building/skills development: (Examples include but are not limited to: trainings on nature-based enterprises such as beekeeping, rangeland restoration, recycling, adventure tourism, permaculture, water conservation tools and techniques, participation in conferences, workshops, and meetings that contribute to conservation outcomes).
- Internships: Examples include but are not limited to internships/apprenticeships with businesses, organizations, associations, agencies, or departments where practical learning and doing are coupled with theory and best practices that meet one or more of MCF’s thematic areas.
Grant Exclusions: We do not support projects/concepts that:
- purchase firearms, ranger equipment, or armaments.
- promote political affiliations or political initiatives
- exceed the grant limit
- support individuals or groups to receive an award
- do not have on-the-ground, practical application
- discriminate against participants based on age, gender, sexual preference, or religion
- provide support to political parties or individuals
Grant size
Grants are currently set at Ksh 250,000 (approx. $2,500)
Grant Duration and Frequency
Mazingira Conservation Fund awarded grants have a maximum duration of 12 months. The funding cycle will be annual with 2 grants per year.
Grant Development Procedures
