UAE Conservation Leaders Application Criteria

Our goal is to empower UAE-based conservation leaders by providing practical field experience, particularly focusing on projects that support species conservation in the field.

The maximum grant size is $20,000; however, preference will be given to applications requesting between $10,000 and $15,000 per project, or smaller amounts.

We prioritize highly threatened species listed on the global IUCN Red List or the Abu Dhabi Red List, including animals, plants, and fungi, whether marine or terrestrial. Our focus is on field conservation projects within the UAE, with a preference for species that receive little or no conservation attention.

We welcome UAE-based conservationists and researchers, including UAE nationals and foreign residents.  Projects do not need to be conducted through an established entity, and applications are open for all project leads including those from NGOs, universities, community groups, or agencies.  At the Fund, we particularly encourage early to mid-career practitioners seeking funding for hands-on fieldwork and research, with a preference for the participation of UAE nationals in the project team.

Our funding process is very competitive and aligned with the Fund’s small grants ethos.  An independent Advisory Board including representatives from the MBZ Fund and Mubadala will guide the selection process. We prioritize projects with measurable impact, feasibility, learning opportunities for the team, and community engagement. Special emphasis is placed on initiatives that provide practical field experience and capacity building, particularly those focused on highly threatened or little-known species that lack existing conservation attention.

This unique opportunity comes with some responsibility.  Projects must be conducted in the UAE and can last up to 12 months, and systematic reporting will be required.  As well as reporting, we will require content sharing with our communications team as your project will be featured on our website as a feature or a blog, on social media and potentially as a podcast or featured in the media.  We also encourage grant recipients to engage with Mubadala staff during project implementation, if appropriate and feasible.

Only applications submitted through the Fund’s online, web-based system will be considered. Supporting documents can be sent as email attachments, but the application itself must be online.

For more information, please also check our Frequently Asked Questions page.