| WAZA Nature Connect Grants |
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Applications Now Open!
WAZA is excited to announce the launch of the next phase of its Nature Connect Grants to develop initiatives that inspire kids and their families to connect with nature and take action to support its conservation. These grants are made possible through the generous support of the Disney Conservation Fund and also the expertise of the International Zoo Educators Association.
Applying for a WAZA Nature Connect GrantWAZA would like its global community of member organisations to create innovative ways to enhance the connection that families have with the natural world and get them involved in taking conservation action. For this next year of funding we are looking for two types of projects: Family conservation Action projects (approx 20 grants available)
Conservation campaigns culminating in action events for families (~10 grants available)
WAZA grants are for initiating new projects rather than funding established programs – think of them as seed money for you to try new ways of involving families in taking conservation action. (for example: helping non-nature orientated families become more comfortable or excited about Nature, initiating a community based conservation project, providing training and skills for sustainable living). Projects may take place local to the applying institution or as part of their field programs. In either case, collaboration with other NGOs with relevant expertise is encouraged.
A key thing to remember is that all initiatives should involve direct experiences of nature and active participation. We are not interested in projects based in classrooms, lecture halls or online. These projects should focus on supporting individuals, families and communities in taking action in support of nature. The WAZA Nature Connect Program is also about learning what works and what doesn’t so we will be expecting you to build in evaluation steps and to be making adjustments to your project as you learn. WAZA is learning too! We are conducting a research project monitoring trends in how people across the world value nature and take action to protect it and live sustainably. This is feeding into evaluation of progress against the CBD Aichi Target 1. people are aware of the values of biodiversity and the steps they can take to conserve and use it sustainably. By enrolling all the WAZA funded projects in this research we will not only collect useful monitoring data for Aichi 1 but also gather information on the range of interventions and their impact. Contact us for more information on the research project. You should also consider how your projects could be extended and built upon once the WAZA grant comes to an end. We will expect regular updates and a report on completion of the project. We will use your reports to publicise your work in WAZA publications and at the annual conference. We want everyone to hear about and be inspired by the great work you, the membership, are doing in connecting people to Nature! Resources for Applicants WAZA has put together a number of resources to inspire you: Past Recipients WAZA Nature Connect Grants. For the Family conservation action grant program in particular you may well find projects conducted by past recipients inspirational. Please feel free to talk to any of the recipient zoos about their experiences with this grant.
Click on the video above to view a project run by Africam Safari: Mexico: an example of a family nature club we have funded. As of July 2018, we have funded 32 projects in 22 countries, reaching more than 3000 families and 12 000 individuals worldwide. A complete list of WAZA Nature Connect Grant awardees as of July 2018 include:
For the Campaigning and conservation events grant, we plan to produce resource materials in collaboration with #NatureForAll. We will be publisizing and posting these resources on our webpages towards the end of 2018.
#NatureForAll is an IUCN led coalition of partners, including WAZA, who represent a variety of sectors — health, urban, protected areas, communications, technology, education, arts, tourism, science, youth, and more. The aim of this global movement to inspire a new generation of thinkers and doers across all sectors of society to connect with nature and take action to support its conservation. At its core is a very simple idea: the more people experience, connect with, and share their love of nature, the more support there will be for its conservation.Click here to access a number of #NatureForAll resources.
The Children & Nature Network: The Children & Nature Network is a global movement to connect all children, their families and communities to nature through innovative ideas, evidence-based resources and tools, broad-based collaboration and support of grassroots leadership. Their website is packed with inspiration including relevant literature, tools, infographics, webinars and training events. Do you have any questions or comments about the WAZA Nature Connect Grant? We would love to hear from you. Click here to send us an email.  Community Beach Clean up - Zoos Victoria 2017
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