The International Elephant Foundation (IEF) is pleased to announce that the Elephant Conservation and Research Funding Support Program is now open for application submissions in the categories of African Savannah Elephant, African Forest Elephant, Asian Elephant, and Ex-Situ Research.

To be considered for 2027 funding, applicants must complete the application in English using the online application portal and submit all materials no later than Friday, August 7, 2026.

Each year, IEF supports approximately 20–25 projects, with an average grant award of $15,000.

IEF prioritizes effective, sustainable conservation initiatives that create meaningful, lasting benefits for elephants, their habitats, and the communities that share their landscapes. Competitive applications will clearly demonstrate that proposed goals, methods, and interventions are:

• Functionally effective or supported by evidence
• Ethically and culturally appropriate
• Feasible within the project context
• Inclusive of relevant stakeholders in both development and implementation

Guidelines and application information can be found on our website here. We highly encourage you to take advantage of the Grant Writing Workshop video recording and sample application resources that are also available on the page.

We look forward to supporting impactful work that advances elephant conservation worldwide.

May 18, 2026: Conservation Chat with Dr. Nurzhafarina Othman at 4pm PDT/6pm Central
June 4, 2026: Conservation Chat with Christopher Powles of Mount Elgon Foundation at 9am PDT/11am Central
August 7, 2026: Deadline for 2027 Conservation Grant proposal submission