SNAPP Funding Grant

SNAPP Funding, a collaboration between The Nature Conservancy and the Wildlife Conservation Society, addresses critical conservation challenges through evidence-based solutions. It invites concept notes from diverse working groups, led by multiple Principal Investigators, for funding up to $1 million annually. The initiative emphasizes collaborative science and co-design, engaging members from various sectors to develop impactful tools and strategies over a 24-month period, aiming for tangible, lasting change in conservation efforts.

NOTE: Concept notes submission is required. Only approved concept notes will be invited to submit a full proposal. Concept Notes accepted from November 3, 2025 to January 6, 2026
Overview and Criteria
SNAPP is a global collaboration between The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) advancing analysis and synthesis of evidence to discover solutions to conservation’s most pressing challenges and to develop a pathway for their implementation. Each year, SNAPP provides up to US $1 million across 4-6 approved working groups.
The SNAPP approach is based in collaborative science and encourages proposal development that is co-designed by scientists, decision-makers, and implementers. Proposed working groups are led by 2-3 Principal Investigators (PIs) from separate organizations and composed of 12-15 members from non-profit, academic, indigenous, community, government, or mission-driven entities. Groups engage a full-time research fellow and convene 2-3 times in person over a 24-month period. Between convenings, members collaborate remotely; work with long-term implementation partners; develop and test tools and products; publish science outcomes; and identify emerging opportunities for tangible, lasting change.

Eligibility

We can fund:Research Fellows: Salary, benefits and other direct costs of Research Fellows, who may be postdoctoral associates, graduate students and, in some cases, research assistants. (SNAPP maintains a 0% Indirect Cost Policy for all agreements).Virtual and in-person meetings: third-party neutral facilitators (required for the first in-person meeting), meeting planners, hotel, catering, venue and technology, as well as reasonable individual attendee travel expenses. Specialized research support: Independent contractors or the actual time of technical employees conducting analysis, graphic design, webpage development, and similar activities for the working group.Direct Support: Modest funding for direct administrative support for SNAPP grants activities. These must be integral to the project, specifically identifiable, and explicitly budgeted (SNAPP does not provide funding for overhead or indirect costs).

Ineligibility

We do not fund:Salary for Principal Investigators/LeadersPrimary data collection or fieldworkEquipment, vehicles, building infrastructureLobbyingResearch without a direct link to implementationConservation planning or projects without a direct link to advancing scienceOverhead or indirect costs