Environment, Food Production and Public Health

Fields of Interest

The following are examples of the Foundation’s areas of interest within the fields of conservation, food, and health, and are not meant to be exclusive.

Conservation

• Conservation grants promote environmental conservation through field research, projects, and advocacy that:
  • Protect biodiversity and preserve natural resources.
  • Help mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.
  • Build the scientific and technical capacity of local conservation organizations and promote local, regional, and international partnerships.
  • Increase engagement between scientists, local communities and organizations, and decision-makers.
  • Partner with indigenous communities and local people.

Food

Grants in the food and agriculture program area focus on research-based projects that build capacity for self-sufficiency and resilience to climate change, strengthen local food systems, and support healthy nutrition through projects that:

• Enhance food security.
• Develop and promote sustainable agricultural practices
• Build the capacity of small-scale farmers.
• Advance farmer research and research partnerships.
• Develop environmentally sound and affordable approaches to control pests and diseases affecting important local food crops.
• Promote indigenous food sovereignty and knowledge systems.
• Address challenges of uptake and scalability through new methods of extension, education, and technology transfer.

Health

The Foundation supports efforts that test new ideas and approaches that promote public health, with a special emphasis on reproductive health and family planning and their integration with other health promotion activities.  It favors community-level disease prevention and health promotion projects and efforts that help strengthen regional and country public health systems over disease diagnosis, treatment, and care provided by clinics, hospitals, and humanitarian aid programs.

Activities that help increase capacity include applied research, program development, technical assistance, and training projects that:

• Promote reproductive health and family planning.
• Address issues related to mental and behavioral health.
• Address issues relating to pollution and environmental health.
• Increase the understanding of zoonotic and neglected tropical diseases.
• Address issues relating to nutrition and health.

• The Foundation supports local, state, and regional organizations in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Middle East in the countries where the projects are based.  It also supports organizations located in upper-income countries working with local partners in these areas.  It does not support projects in post-Soviet states or Balkan states.
• Most types of organizations that can provide evidence of their non-governmental status or charitable purpose are eligible to apply, including non-governmental organizations, nonprofit organizations; civil society organizations; community-based organizations; and colleges, universities, and other academic institutions.
• Government agencies and religious organizations may be included as project partners but are not eligible for direct funding.