Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders (EWCL) Grant

The Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders (EWCL) Grant supports early career conservation professionals through a two-year training program. Participants engage in leadership and skills training, network with seasoned practitioners, and work on hands-on wildlife conservation projects. The program emphasizes diversity by encouraging candidates from various backgrounds to apply. Successful applicants will enhance their skills while making a meaningful impact in the field of wildlife conservation, with opportunities for mentorship and collaboration across sectors.

The Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders (EWCL) training program helps jump-start early career conservation professionals through a combination of skills training, networking opportunities with peers and established practitioners and the completion of a global wildlife conservation initiative. EWCL training addresses a long-standing need for capable leaders in the conservation field who are equipped with a full arsenal of skills to launch well-rounded and successful conservation campaigns and build successful leadership careers in the wildlife conservation profession.
The two-year training program entails a week of training each year, as well as a final two-day training and graduation ceremony. Throughout the two years, participants will work in teams to develop, implement and evaluate a wildlife conservation project in the United States or globally.
EWCL participants will benefit from:
Mentoring opportunities by seasoned conservation professionals;Networking opportunities for emerging leaders and their representative organizations to build solid peer support for long-term successful careers;Open “cross-pollination” opportunities among different NGOs, foundations, private and public sector groups involved in wildlife conservation, thereby breaking down traditionally existing competition and communication challenges between different sectors of the wildlife conservation community;Hands-on comprehensive conservation campaign experience including all implementation aspects from inception to completion and evaluation; andLeadership and skills training in wide-ranging topics relevant to real-work experience of early career professionals.
Successful candidates are selected based on their enthusiasm, skills and vision. Each class cohort is selected to have a wide variety of experience in education, training, affiliation, and personal backgrounds to allow for the most balanced participant group possible.

Eligibility

We seek diverse candidates from non-profit organizations, foundations, federal and state governments and the private sector. Applicants should be interested in all three components of the course: Training in leadership and wildlife conservation campaign skillsNetworking and career mentoring opportunitiesImplementing a wildlife conservation project in a team setting. Applicants should have at least three years of experience in the wildlife conservation field, with at least 15 years in the profession ahead of them.Participants will commit to devoting approximately eight hours per month to an EWCL conservation project.Selected applicants must be available for a week-long training in late Spring of each year of the program and for a final shorter training in December of the second year. Participants will be expected to devote time throughout the two-year period, designing and implementing a group wildlife conservation project, and attending occasional virtual programming.International applicants must show they have sponsorship to cover the cost of two flights to the United States and must be fluent in English.