Whitley Awards

GRANTS FOR GRASSROOTS ACTION

The Whitley Awards are our flagship prizes, presented by our Patron HRH The Princess Royal at a ceremony in London each spring. They are won competitively following assessment by an expert academic panel and worth £40,000 in project funding over one year.

Shining a spotlight

Winning a Whitley Award is not just about receiving financial support. WFN also accelerates the careers of conservationists by welcoming them to the world stage.

Increased visibility builds local pride for, and participation in, projects on-the-ground. It helps winners inspire more philanthropic support from new sources, and connect with other conservationists to share successes, failures and resources. In turn, with greater credibility, conservationists are in a better position to influence environmental policy on a regional, national and international scale.

Whitley Award winners are celebrated through a global PR campaign, tailor-made films narrated by Ambassador, Sir David Attenborough, and endorsement from high profile supporters such as Ambassadors, Tom Heap and Kate Humble.

“The Whitley Award has opened doors to very big stages that were not accessible to me in the past.”

Caleb Ofori-Boateng, 2019 Whitley Award winner

Catalysing success

During the week of the Whitley Awards ceremony in London, winners receive PR training, social media advice and speech coaching. This helps them to effectively communicate their work to an international audience and capitalise on the media spotlight following their win.

We also host events at which winners can network with funders, journalists, and NGOs.

Overseas and online training, where the agenda is set by alumni and focused on peer-to-peer exchange is also provided in some of the core skills necessary to the delivery of successful projects on the ground. Winners also gain access to pro-bono legal support.

Every cohort also joins a global community of peers with whom they can share knowledge, experiences and encouragement.

“WFN is solidarity, encouragement, growth, friendship, happiness and conservation success. Growing with world figures in conservation is a unique opportunity that no one else offers.”

Jon Paul Rodriguez, 2019 Whitley Gold Award winner