The Fort Worth Zoo: Arthur A. Seeligson Jr. Conservation Fund Grant

The Arthur A. Seeligson Jr. Conservation Fund Grant, administered by the Fort Worth Zoo, aims to conserve native Texas wildlife through collaborative projects. With over $101,000 awarded to date, the fund focuses on supporting partnerships among scientists, educators, and landowners. In 2025, it seeks proposals that promote conservation, enhance biodiversity, and have a measurable impact, while keeping project costs at $5,000 or less. This initiative is vital for sustaining Texas's rich natural heritage.

The Fort Worth Zoo administers the Arthur A. Seeligson Jr. Conservation Fund (SCF). This fund supports the conservation of native Texas wildlife through grant awards that promote partnerships among scientists, educators, organizations and private landowners committed to conserving the biodiversity of Texas. To date, the SCF has awarded more than $101,000 to support wildlife conservation projects in Texas. In 2024, the SCF awarded funding to two outstanding conservation projects.
Objectives
The Arthur A. Seeligson, Jr. Conservation Fund (SCF) was established to promote and enable conservation of native Texas wildlife through partnerships among scientists, educators, organizations and private landowners committed to conserving the biodiversity of Texas.
In 2025, the SCF is seeking proposals that meet the following objectives:
Projects that are collaborative; partners can include universities, governmental and non-governmental organizations, zoological institutions and private landownersProjects that directly contribute to the conservation of native Texas species and habitats
Projects that are part of an established conservation program or are well-suited to become long-term conservation programsProjects that are conducted in Texas
Criteria
Criteria that will be used to evaluate proposals:
The project has multi-institutional participation and additional funding support; projects that build partnerships with private landowners are highly desiredThe project builds on previous work contributing to an established conservation program or is well-suited to become/contribute to a long-term conservation programThe project is grounded in sound scientific methodology, is logistically feasible and has a high probability of successThe project has conservation value and a measurable impact

Eligibility

Additional requirements:Projects that require the principal investigator to obtain approval from their Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) must provide a copy of the authorizationThe principal investigator must provide a letter of support from each partnering institution and/or private landownerPrivate foundations or individuals must be partnered with a public charity to qualify for funding or a Code Section 501(c)(3) organization seeking to conduct a project must be classified as a public charity and not a private foundation