Introduction

The Wild Animal Initiative Challenge Grants 2024 is a funding opportunity for researchers exploring critical research questions that will unlock new avenues of wild animal welfare research. The grants support projects that are not prioritized by other funders and are led by experienced principal investigators. Each round of Challenge Grants focuses on specific themes, with flagship projects demonstrating high relevance to priority research areas, novelty, and methodological rigor.

Scope of Work

The Wild Animal Initiative Challenge Grants support research projects that address critical research questions in wild animal welfare. The grants prioritize projects that are novel, methodologically rigorous, and relevant to high-priority research areas. The projects should be led by experienced principal investigators and demonstrate a high degree of impact on wild animal welfare.

Eligibility

Challenge Grant projects must be led by an experienced principal investigator affiliated with a university or research institution. The projects can include financial support for students or early-career collaborators. Applicants may request consideration for a WAI Fellowship, which offers mentorship and a supplementary stipend to postdoctoral researchers and PhD students pursuing a career in wild animal welfare research. Projects must be led by or include collaborators who are residents of all countries where field work will take place. If a project is managed by an NGO, the NGO must be registered in the country where field work will take place.

Budget and Duration

Grants are between $50,000 and $100,000 USD total. The funding prioritizes direct research costs, such as supplies and materials. Other expense areas, like stipends, salaries, and capital equipment, are funded if fully justified relative to the project goals.

Additional Information

The Wild Animal Initiative prioritizes projects that are relevant to at least one of the following priority topics: welfare indicator validation, interspecific interactions, population dynamics, cause-specific mortality, landscape ecology, cascade effects, welfare interventions, juvenile welfare, invertebrate welfare, and fish welfare. Projects must adhere to the Wild Animal Initiative's guidance for animals involved in research.

Key Dates

The application deadline for the Wild Animal Initiative Challenge Grants 2024 is November 1, 2024.

Application Process

Proposals must clearly explain how the project is relevant to wild animals' welfare, as defined by Wild Animal Initiative. Proposals must clearly identify and explain the project's relevance to one or more of the themes featured in the call. Projects must adhere to Wild Animal Initiative's guidance for animals involved in research. Proposals must clearly justify the study approach chosen, including identifying the resources available for the study and the expertise of team members. Proposals must clearly describe the amount of time required from each project team member and confirm that they are able to make that commitment.

Selection Process

The selection process for the Wild Animal Initiative Challenge Grants 2024 is based on the following criteria:

• Scope: The approximate number of animals who could potentially benefit from the results of a project.

• Impact: The likelihood that a project will lead to an improvement in wild animal welfare now or in the future, and the magnitude of that potential improvement.

• Engagement: The extent to which a project is likely to accelerate or inspire other research or action in support of wild animal welfare.

• Neglectedness: The distinctiveness of a project's relevance to wild animal welfare, such that it would be unlikely to attract funding from another organization.

• Feasibility: The likelihood that a project could be carried out as described and accomplish its objectives.

• Research ethics: The risk of a project causing harm to human or non-human animals through its methods.

• Cost-effectiveness: Given two projects of approximately equal overall merit in terms of the preceding criteria, they will give preference to the one with the lower budget.

• Relevance to research priorities: Projects must connect wild animal welfare to at least one of the following priority topics: welfare indicator validation, interspecific interactions, population dynamics, cause-specific mortality, landscape ecology, cascade effects, welfare interventions, juvenile welfare, invertebrate welfare, and fish welfare.

Reporting Requirements

Reporting requirements for the Wild Animal Initiative Challenge Grants 2024 are not specified in the provided document.

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