If you are interested in applying for a Whitley Award, we recommend that you first review some of Our Winners and their projects to get a better idea of what we fund, and then read the information on applying below.  Good Luck!

Applying for a Whitley Award

The number of Whitley Awards available varies annually depending on sponsorship, but this does not alter the application process.  Applicants do not need to specify which award they would like to be considered for, as they will automatically be considered for all awards available.

WHITLEY AWARDS 2012 DEADLINE:   Monday 31st October 2011. 

Please ensure you apply in good time to meet the deadline.  Incomplete or applications received after this date will not be considered.

Please follow five easy steps to apply:

1. Check your eligibility
Application to The Whitley Awards is open and applicants do not need to be nominated.  Only applications from individuals who are nationals of the countries where they are working, that are not defined as a High-Income Economy by the World Bank (with some exceptions - see FAQs section), only are eligible to apply. We judge each application on its own merits, however there are a number of things the Whitley Award Judging Panel are looking for in a strong application. Please refer to the eligibility section of the FAQs. Many of the answers to your questions can be found here, and we recommend you read the FAQs fully. However, if you still have a query after reading the information available on this website, please contact the WFN office.

2. Download a form
Once you have decided to apply, simply download the Application form AND the Guidance notes from the Download an application form page.

Please note the application form is reviewed annually and you need to use a form for the year for which you are applying.  Applications made on out-of-date forms from previous years will not be considered.

3. Contact your three referees
You need to arrange for three referee statements to be submitted in support of your application. Information on what is required of referees can be found in the Guidance Notes, which also contain a referee form for you to email to your referees. References need to refer to your proposal, so your referees will also need a copy of your completed application form. Referees should email completed references to info@whitleyaward.org.  References must be a scan of a signed letter on headed paper emailed direct from the referee, not the applicant. Reference forgeries are easily identifiable and will be followed by immediate rejection of the whole application with a lifetime bar on reapplication.

4. Submit your application
All applications need to be received by email (not via post) to info@whitleyaward.org (see Guidance Notes for further information).  Do not forget to attach your photos too!  We will accept application materials in formats other than email only in exceptional circumstances. If email submission is not possible, please contact the WFN office.

5. Your application is complete!
However, please note that no application is fully complete without the receipt of three references, which must reach us by the deadline. If an email facility is not accessible, then references may be posted, but we regret we cannot accept late references which reach us after the deadline, and incomplete applications will not be considered. Due to the volume of applications, we regret that we are not able to chase your referees.

Shortlisted candidates for the Whitley Awards will be notified by March.  Close contact is required from late March to mid-May to ensure we have all the materials we need for your involvement in the Whitley Award week as a finalist.  The finalists are then invited to London for interview in May (8th - 11th May 2012). The awards are presented at an Awards Ceremony later that week.  Please note that decisions on grants are not made until after the interview and being selected as a finalist does not mean you will necessarily receive a grant.

Reporting requirements

Should you be successful in receiving funds from WFN, an important condition of the grant is submission a formal report after 12 months, completed by using our Standard Reporting Form, to document your progress. An informal report using our Interim Reporting Form is expected 6 months after receipt of funding. If you are a Whitley Award Winner, and reported as requested, then following a strong report you will be eligible to apply for Continuation Funding, which is open to previous Whitley Award winners only.  Please note that it is rare for Continuation Funding to be awarded immediately following succesful closure of a Whitley Award grant. For more about Continuation Funding, please see 'Applying for Continuation Funding' below.

Applying for the Whitley Gold Award

As of 2011/12 the Gold Award will be awarded to a previous Whitley Award winner in recognition of outstanding achievement in the field of biodiversity conservation. This year, applicants to the Whitley Awards are, therefore, not eligible for the Gold Award

Applying for Continuation Funding

Applications for Continuation Funding (which is available to previous Whitley Award winners only) will be considered only once a full report has been received (see 'Reporting requirements ’, above).

Once you have submitted your report, if you are interested in applying for Continuation Funding, please e-mail the WFN Awards Manager at david@whitleyaward.org in the first instance.

Applications for Continuation Funding are considered bi-annually following announcement by WFN.  The two deadlines are currently the end of March and the end of September. 

All applications for Continuation Funding should refer to the original support given by WFN and how the work has progressed. As with applications for the Whitley Awards, three referee statements are required. References may be from referees you have used before, but the statements must all be new, and should refer specifically to your new proposal for Continuation Funding. Applicants may apply for grants of between £30,000 to £60,000 for their project, over a period of one to two years.