Cassagnol Fellowship - 2026

Cassagnol Fellowship 

Call for Proposal Submissions 

Despite demands placed on biodiversity to meet current and future societal  needs, capacity deficits in many places around the globe continue to be evident  and include insufficient resources to sustain individual and organizational  capacities, limiting the ability to build local conservation leadership. Efforts to  foster and maintain conservation capacity have included the development of core  competencies, provision of resources, support for education, research, and training  and establishment of institutions. However, the complexity of balancing loss of  biodiversity with development combined with widening inequalities in capacity  continues to demonstrate that achieving inclusive conservation and sustainable  development requires scaling up and across to deliver individual, institutional, and  community capacities. At this critical moment in time, when biodiversity is faced with  growing threats, we require support for individuals and systems to continuously meet  the surge in capacity and close the gap between capacity needs and delivery. Reflecting on three decades of EFN work, the Cassagnol Fellowship creates an  opportunity to deliver on the lesson that supporting conservation leaders at their  home country universities, research centers, and conservation projects creates lasting  opportunities for co-development and collaboration, and therefore ensures longevity  of solutions while also sustaining the pipeline of conservation leaders.          

Eligibility Criteria 

The Cassagnol Fellowship is established for EFN alumni who intend to continue/return to work in higher education/academia, conservation research and outreach. Fellows will be selected based on academic and conservation research, outreach track record in their fields, and commitment to further the professional development of emerging conservation leaders.   

• Applicants must have completed their respective doctoral or master’s programs at institutions from anywhere around the world (preference given to those who have received EFN support within the past five years). PhD and master’s degree holders who currently hold an academic or research appointment, which will be active through the duration of the fellowship are eligible to apply.
• Applicants must have received a PhD/master’s degree or equivalent doctoral/master’s level research degree (preference given to those who completed their degrees within the past five years) in any discipline with strategic focus on conservation.
• Applicants who have not yet formally received their degree must present evidence of having completed the academic requirements before commencing the fellowship.
• Applicants must identify a mentor to support research and scholarly work. They should also identify a second mentor at their home institution. Both mentors are required to submit letters of recommendation during the application process.
• Applicants must have support from their institutions to pursue a 12-month fellowship appointment.
• Applicants must have an academic or research appointment in an eligible country Additionally, a letter of support from the institution should be included at the time of application.

 Selection Criteria 

Final fellowship recipients will be identified through a competitive selection process and scored based on a set of criteria including, but not limited to the following areas:   

• Academic achievement - fellows with strong PhD and master’s degree achievement who are actively conducting conservation research and capacity development.
• Strength and quality of proposal - uniqueness of the concept, relevance, and detailed plan of action, the proposed work demonstrates an understanding of the rationale, the proposed activities are feasible within the proposed work plan, and the budget is realistic.
• Individual and collective impact - applicant’s ability to succeed in conservation research and the development of capacities for emerging leaders; short and long-term impacts as well as far-reaching outcomes beyond proposed timeframe whilst taking into consideration a risk assessment; Contribution to and advancement of innovative programs in their field of study.
• Demonstration of commitment, inclusivity, and leadership.
• Project measurability - the proposed initiative has measurable outcomes and outputs.
• Collaborations - projects that enhance partnerships with a clear outline of each stakeholders’ role in delivering the proposed objectives.
• Recommendation letters and commitment to fellows’ advancement in the proposed work.

Please see Full guidelines here The fellowship covers a duration of 12 months and applicants may request up to $15,000. Please note that funding will vary and proposals should provide strong justification for all budgetary items. Applications must be submitted through the online portal by April 15, 2026 at 11:59pm ET.