Conservation Allies

06/01/2026

In 2025, a field team surveying eastern Bhutan saw something nobody expected—two White-bellied herons in a region where the species had never been recorded.

For one of the rarest herons on the planet (just 49 birds remain worldwide), two birds in a new place reshape what conservation can protect.
Our partner RSPN Bhutan has spent two decades protecting this species—monitoring nests across rugged Himalayan rivers, restoring 31 acres of wetland habitat in 2025 alone, and running a captive breeding program at Tsirang.

The full story—the discovery, what it means, what comes next—can be read here:
https://conservationallies.org/ak3g

05/18/2026

We recently launched a new grant, the Critical Land Acquisition Program—putting funding directly into the hands of conservation partners working to secure habitat for the world's most Endangered species.

Some of the most urgent conservation opportunities come down to a single decision: whether a parcel of critical habitat can be permanently protected before it's lost. We want to make sure that window doesn't close.

The Critical Land Acquisition Program offers:
💰 $25K–$50K per grant
🌍 Open to IUCN member NGOs worldwide
🦋 100% of funds go directly to land acquisition
🌱 Focused on Endangered species habitat, reserve connectivity, and leveraged funding

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so reach out as soon as a strategic acquisition opportunity emerges:
https://conservationallies.org/critical-land-acquisition-program/

05/10/2026

Conservation doesn't usually make the priority list when bombs are falling. In Ukraine, illegal logging, speculative development, and opportunistic land conversion have all accelerated under the cover of war.
Our partner, Українська Природоохоронна Група - UNCG, spent 2025 pushing back.

They secured 10 new Protected Areas, won 43 court cases blocking harmful projects, and contributed 249,564 species observations to the global GBIF biodiversity database—among the largest single-year contributions from any conservation organization in Eastern Europe. One in three new Protected Areas established across the entire country last year came from their work.

Check out the full story: https://conservationallies.org/how-ukraines-conservationists-won-43-battles-for-nature/

05/06/2026

We are launching a new grant, the Asia Conservation Action Fund—backing locally led conservation across Asia’s Protected Areas.

Too often, the people doing the most effective conservation work are the least funded. We want to change that.

The Asia Conservation Action Fund offers:

💰 Up to $15,000 per grant
🌏 Open to IUCN member NGOs based in Asia
🌱 Focused on reducing deforestation, strengthening community health, and building local leadership

If this sounds like your organization, please apply by May 29:
https://conservationallies.org/asia-conservation-action-fund/

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If you’re working outside of Asia, our other active grants may be of interest:

► Africa Conservation Action Fund
To fund and empower locally led conservation organizations across Africa protecting biodiversity, reducing deforestation, and strengthening communities in and around Protected Areas.
💰 Up to $20,000
📅 Apply by May 22, 2026
https://conservationallies.org/conservation-action-fund-for-africa/

► Critical Land Acquisition Program
For securing high-priority habitat for Endangered species worldwide.
💰 $25K–$50K
📅 Rolling applications
https://conservationallies.org/critical-land-acquisition-program/

04/22/2026

🌏 Earth Day 2026.

From orangutans in Sumatra to lemurs in Madagascar, jaguars in the Amazon to elephants across Africa—Conservation Allies supports 50 grassroots partners across 6 continents, protecting millions of acres of habitat worldwide.

Today we're grateful for the forests, oceans, and wild places that keep this planet alive—and for the people around the world working to keep them that way.

04/09/2026

We're proud to announce the launch of the Conservation Action Fund for Africa (CAFA)!

Africa's Protected Areas are among the most biodiverse on Earth, yet many of the organizations working hardest to protect them operate with little to no access to funding. CAFA is our effort to change that.

Through this new initiative, Conservation Allies will award up to 8 pilot grants of up to $20,000 each to locally led NGOs implementing practical, results-oriented conservation actions. Priority areas include reducing deforestation, supporting community health through nursing and family planning services, and building long-term conservation partnerships with local leadership.

As Dr. Tracy Farrell, North America Regional Director of IUCN, puts it: "These grants are designed to be efficient, responsive, and catalytic—empowering local leadership to protect biodiversity while strengthening livelihoods where it matters most."

Eligible organizations must be locally or nationally founded and led, an IUCN member in good standing, and support or manage a WCPA-recognized Protected Area with at least a three-year track record.

Visit our website to learn more about the Conservation Action Fund for Africa!
https://conservationallies.org/conservation-action-fund-for-africa/

03/25/2026

When Don Luis heard chainsaws cutting through one of Panama's most biodiverse rainforests one February morning, he knew exactly what was at stake. What he did next set off a chain of events that—together with our partner Adopta Bosque —brought construction to a halt and sparked an ongoing fight to expand protections for Sierra Llorona, a forest home to jaguars, harpy eagles, and species found nowhere else on Earth.

🌿 Read his story:
https://conservationallies.org/how-a-local-hero-changed-the-fate-of-a-rainforest/

03/15/2026

A pangolin and a Sambar Deer walk into a sacred forest...

This isn't a joke—it's a win from Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, captured by our partner Applied Environmental Research Foundation. The Indian Ground Pangolin is Endangered and among the world's most trafficked animals. The Sambar Deer is Vulnerable and increasingly rare across much of its range. Spotting both together in a community-restored sacred grove is the kind of proof that patient, community-led conservation delivers.

For over 30 years, AERF has worked with communities across the Northern Western Ghats to restore sacred groves, and moments like this are why.

You can help make more moments like this possible by supporting AERF's sacred grove restoration 🌳

DONATE TO AERF Verified for authenticity Learn More IMPACT PROMISE Our Partners are carefully selected due to their high conservation impact Partner Snapshot Partner Name Applied Environmental Research Foundation (AERF) Location: Western Ghats, India Appeal Category: Community Support & Development....

03/03/2026

Today, March 3, we celebrate UN World Wildlife Day—a global reminder that the future of our planet depends on the protection of wild species and the ecosystems they call home.

At Conservation Allies, we’re proud to support frontline conservation partners across the globe who are safeguarding some of the world’s most threatened wildlife and habitats.

Join us in standing up for wildlife—today and every day. 💚

02/13/2026

Conservation Allies has joined the Nature Crime Alliance! This global partnership unites governments, civil society, law enforcement, and businesses to combat illegal logging, mining, wildlife trafficking, and other crimes against our planet 🌍

For years, we’ve supported frontline conservationists across the world. Through this alliance, our partner organizations gain stronger global collaboration, greater visibility, and expanded tools to identify, disrupt, and prosecute nature crime.

Read more about this exciting new partnership!
https://conservationallies.org/conservation-allies-expands-global-impact-through-nature-crime-alliance-partnership/