The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Awards Programme

By celebrating the achievements of inventors, creators and innovative companies around the world, the WIPO Awards Program aims to help foster a culture in which innovation and creativity are encouraged at every level of society. The publicity generated by the WIPO Awards also offers a means to promote wider understanding of how the intellectual property system works to serve creativity and innovation. The awards programme includes the following: (i) WIPO Award for Inventors; (ii) WIPO Award for Creativity; (iii) WIPO Award for Innovative Enterprises; and (iv) Women Inventors.

WIPO is only able to consider nominations for awards from the organizers of a national or international level competition or exhibition. Requests to participate in the Awards Program should be submitted to WIPO at least three months in advance of the event. The selection procedure of the winners is the responsibility of the organizers, within the framework of the guidelines provided by WIPO. The WIPO Awards are to be bestowed at the highest level of awards.

More information on WIPO Awards Programme is found here.

Geo Challenge Grants
This program offers grants valued between US$5,000 and US$100,000, either directly from Google.org, or through grant recommendations from the Google.org Fund of Tides Foundation. These grants are issued through an open application process - legally qualified, public charitable organizations with a compelling idea about how maps can help them work more effectively are eligible. Smaller mapping applications requiring only static data might receive US$5,000 in funding, while development of tools that enable many organizations to create maps might receive US$100,000. The organisers have partnered with Google Earth Outreach on this program to help evaluate proposals from a technical standpoint and to help us ensure the grants are successful.

Small Grants Program - Anthropology & Environment Section

The goal of the Anthropology & Environment Section's Small Grants Program is to foster collaboration among practicing and academic anthropologists, grassroots activists, and/or organizations and inspire innovative solutions to environmental issues. 

More info on the SGP is found here 

ESRI grant for GIS (Geographic Information Systems) products

Any non-profit or non-government organization working for social justice, environment, indigenous rights or public benefit in any nation, or any individual volunteering for these types of groups, may apply for a grant. There are no grant cycles or deadlines, you can apply any time. A "basic" request is limited to Single-user versions of Arcview software (up to 3 copies), Extensions, online and live training, books, GIS Data and ESRI conference passes.

Further information can be found here!

Royal Geographic Society Grants

The Society provides funding for geographical research, fieldwork and teaching. The grants are wide-ranging and offer support to desk and field-based researchers, research teams and school teachers. Grants are for work in both the UK and overseas and range in value from £350 to £15,000. For more info click here.

To access a comprehensive list of grant opportunities click here.

30th International Geographical Congress Award

The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) offers five grants of up to £750 to assist with the cost of attending an international conference. The conference must be organised by a geographical organisation, association or union affiliated with, or a member of the International Council of Science (ISCU) or other such similar international organisation.
Priority will be given to early career researchers presenting papers and seeking to cover travel expenses, although help with conference fees, accommodation, and maintenance costs will also be considered.

Next Deadline: 15 February 2010. For more information about the award click here.

ESRI Conservation Program (ECP): conservation geography, activism and multicultural social change

The Environmental Systems Research Institute provides many resources and avenues for non-profit organizations interested in developing GIS capacity but who lack the funds to pay retail costs. The ESRI Conservation Program (ECP) was ESRI's first non-profit grant program and is it's largest and broadest, reaching well beyond conservation groups to support all types of non-profits. ECP has helped to create and develop spatial analysis, computer mapping and geographic information systems (GIS) capability among thousands of non-profit organizations and individual projects of all sizes and types worldwide.

For more info click here

No-profit supply of computers to Developing Countries

Computer Aid International has already shipped over 50,000 PCs to more than 90 developing countries. Of those 50,000 shipped over 35,000 have gone to educational institutions and the remaining to community organisations working in fields as diverse as HIV/Aids, environment, human rights, and primary healthcare. Computer Aid International aims to: (i)  Increase the number of refurbished computers being re-used overseas; (ii) increase the number of UK organisations donating their used IT equipment for re-use overseas; (iii) identify and work with those organisations in recipient countries able to derive maximum value from refurbished computers; (iv) provide training and work experience in computer repair to people from socially excluded communities.

More info on the facility are found here 

The World Summit Award (WSA)

The World Summit Award (WSA) is the global initiative to select and promote the world's best e-Content and innovative ICT applications. WSA was started in 2003 in the framework of the United Nations' World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) as a contribution of the Austrian Government to the global effort to bridge the digital divide and close the content gap. WSA activities include national contests and selections of best practice, a global contest held every 2 years and content-focused national and international conferences with exhibitions — the WSA Road Show.

WSA works to strengthen entrepreneurship within content industries and to bring about economic and cultural development through the creative use of ICTs. It supports the UN Millennium Development Goals of ending poverty, hunger and disease, saving the environment and giving a fair share to women.

WSA is an invitation project and a global activity for all who share the understanding of the crucial importance of excellent e-Content creation within the information society. Partners in over 160 UN member states are actively involved in WSA. New partners from all over the world are welcome to join!

More information on the initiative is found here.

The Do Something Awards

The Do Something Awards honour and fund young social entrepreneurs, activists, and community leaders age 25 and under who have significantly changed the world. Since 1996, Do Something has awarded community service grants and scholarships to young people throughout the United States and Canada.

This year, the Do Something Awards recognise five youth leaders with cash contributions of a minimum of US$10,000 for  four winners and, for one of the top five, the grand prize of US$100,000. Deadline for application: 15 December 2009

More information on the award is found here.

Google Earth Outreach supports

The Google Earth Outreach supports non-profit organizations that share their mission of community service in areas such as education & culture, environment & science, current affairs, global development, public health and social services. Non-profit organizations can use Google Earth Free to view and create KML files, can post those KML files on their site or email them to their partners, donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries. NGOs may not use Google Earth Free in the course of providing a paid service to other companies or organizations. Google Earth Outreach offers Google Earth Pro licenses to qualifying organizations. Google Earth Pro has powerful authoring features which allow for GIS data importation such as .shp and tab files, a movie making module, and a high resolution printing feature.

More information is found here.

2010 International Young Eco-Hero Awards

To recognize the individual accomplishments of young people (ages 8-16) whose personal actions have significantly improved the environment. Action For Nature will award cash prizes of up to $500 to young Eco-Heroes from around the world for their outstanding accomplishments in environmental advocacy, environmental health, research or protection of the natural world. Their individual initiatives will inspire others to preserve and protect our fragile environment.

For more info click here

Gilchrist Fieldwork Award Award

The Gilchrist Educational Trust offers an award of £15,000 to support original and challenging overseas fieldwork carried out by small teams of university academics and researchers. The research should include a single field session of at least six weeks. There should be strong links with the host country and preferably the research should be of applied benefit to the host nation. Next Deadline: 26 February 2010.

For more information about the award click here.

First Peoples Worldwide call for videos on climate change
First Peoples Worldwide (FPW) is looking for videos submitted by Indigenous-led NGOs or NGOs working with Indigenous Peoples. These videos must show how climate change is impacting the Indigenous community, their local environment, and how the Indigenous Peoples are using traditional knowledge to adapt to and mitigate climate change. Each video  received by FPW will be considered for a $5,000 grant to continue the organization’s work using traditional knowledge to adapt to and mitigate climate change. FPW does not require that submitted videos have special effects or finishing and can be produced using the video equipment and technical capacity available from the Indigenous community or organization. The deadline for submissions is October 31, 2009

For more information on grant applications click here.

Thesiger-Oman Fellowships

By the kind generosity of the His Majesty Qaboos bin Said Al Said, Sultan of Oman, the Society offers one annual fellowship of up to £8,000 for geographical research in the arid regions of the world, as a memorial to Sir Wilfred Thesiger. The annual fellowship reflects Thesiger’s interests in the peoples and environments of the desert. The fellowship will focus either on the physical aspects or on the human dimension of arid environments.The fellowship funds a researcher with an outstanding research proposal, including periods of arid environment fieldwork. To reflect Thesiger's interests, research within the Middle East and other arid regions he visited will be given priority, but applications for work in the world's other arid regions is also welcomed. Next Deadline: 27 November 2009

For more information about the award click here.

Conservation Innovation Grants

Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) is a voluntary program intended to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies while leveraging Federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection, in conjunction with agricultural production. Under CIG, Environmental Quality Incentives Program funds are used to award competitive grants to non-Federal governmental or non-governmental organizations, Tribes, or individuals. CIG enables NRCS to work with other public and private entities to accelerate technology transfer and adoption of promising technologies and approaches to address some of the Nation's most pressing natural resource concerns. CIG will benefit agricultural producers by providing more options for environmental enhancement and compliance with Federal, State, and local regulations. NRCS administers CIG.

For more information click here!

The Groen Hart ("Green Heart")

The Groen Hart is responsible for the Tropical Forest Program of the Flemish Ministry of Environment, which was created in 2002 for the duration of five years. The objectives of the Tropical Forest Program are 'to support small and medium-scale activities that can contribute to the conservation and sustainable management of the tropical forests'. Activities in following domains can be financed: sustainable forest management and certification; (primary) forest reserves (support could be given through research projects, training, inventories, GIS/Mapping, control and management of forest reserves, development of bufferzone activities with local people, ecotourism, etc.); afforestation and restoration of degraded lands (including carbon registration). Beneficiary countries for the coming years are: Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Surinam (applications from Brazil are temporarily not accepted). Project proposals in other countries than the ones mentioned above are not eligible.

For more information click here!

Tech Awards

Awarding innovators from around the world who use technology to benefit humanity. Individuals, for-profit companies, and not-for-profit organisations are eligible to apply. The purpose of the Tech Awards programme is to inspire future scientists, technologists, and dreamers to harness the power and "promise of technology to solve the challenges that confront us at the dawn of the 21st Century". Deadline for submission: The Tech Awards accepts nominations year-round. Nominations are accepted all year round.

Further information can be found here!

The Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Award Scheme

Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Awards (DHPA) is a UK scheme to bring outstanding students from India, China, Hong Kong, South Africa, Brazil, Russia and the developing world to come and study for PhDs in top rated UK research facilities. The initiative was launched by the Prime Minister In November 2003. The Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) and the Research Councils recognise the great importance for the UK of being able to attract the best international research students, and we have agreed to continue to run a core paired awarding exercise for up to 58 new scholar starts in October 2009. This exercise will of course be contingent upon finding and confirming the necessary private sector sponsors and matching them to Research Council funding.  There is no standard application form and no deadline. Students apply to the university directly and can apply to more than one university.

Further information can be found here!

The National Geographic Society Conservation Trust

The objective of the Conservation Trust is to support conservation activities around the world as they fit within the mission of the National Geographic Society. The trust will fund projects that contribute significantly to the preservation and sustainable use of the Earth's biological, cultural, and historical resources. While grant amounts vary greatly, most range from U.S. $15,000 to $20,000.

Further information on eligibility, guidelines and restrictions can be found here!

International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) Fellowship Program

ITTO offers fellowships through the Freezailah Fellowship Fund to promote human resource development and to strengthen professional expertise in member countries in tropical forestry and related disciplines. The Programme supports mainly short-term activities, such as participation in international conferences, training courses and study tours, but also helps people to prepare manuals and monographs and provides small grants for post-graduate study.  The maximum amount for a fellowship grant is US$10,000. Only nationals of ITTO member countries are eligible to apply, and fellowships are awarded mainly to nationals of developing member countries. Further information can be found here!

Intel Public Affairs International Contribution

The Intel Corporation makes grants to eligible organizations in the communities where the company has a major presence. The company focuses primarily on education, through grants for programs that advance science, math and technology learning. Environmental programs are also strongly considered, with particular emphasis on technological components. Intel will support additional programs that improve the quality of life in its site communities. These requests will be evaluated on the basis of the services offered and the program's impact on the community. Cost-effectiveness of the program, its ability to be effectively measured and replicated, and the potential for Intel employee involvement are also significant factors. Countries eligible for Intel grants include China, Costa Rica, India, Ireland, Israel, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Further information can be found here.

Hewlett-Packard Equipment Grants

Through their philanthropy and education program, Hewlett-Packard provides grants of equipment to eligible organizations. Detailed proposals are required for consideration within the grant program. In addition, applicants must have other sources of funding; HP will not be the sole source of funding to ensure project independence.

For more information, including a list of featured grant programs click here.

Asset Building and Community Development; Peace and Social Justice; and Knowledge, Creativity and Freedom Grant Program

A resource for innovative people and institutions worldwide, the Ford Foundation offers grants through its Grant Program. Grants support Asset Building and Community Development; Peace and Social Justice; and Knowledge, Creativity and Freedom. The grant process begins with a letter of inquiry, followed by a formal proposal. Support is not normally given for routine operating costs or for religious activities.

There are no deadlines for inquiries and submission of proposals. Further information can be found here.

The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Grants Programme

IDRC funds research activities that are designed to directly benefit developing countries and their citizens.

More information on the facility is available here!

ESRI-Sponsored Grants

ESRI sponsors programs that help organizations serve society and better the environment using geographic information system (GIS) technology. ESRI-sponsored grants offer free software, hardware, and/or training for programs in the following areas:

UNDP GFO Small Grants Programmes - India
Small Grants Programme (SGP), funded by the United Nation Development Program (UNDP), Global Environment Facility (GEF), seeks to support initiatives, which demonstrate community-based innovative, gender sensitive, participatory approaches and lessons learned from other development projects that lead to reduce threats to the local and global environment.

For more information, click here!