Applications Invited for GDF Conservation and Communities Fellowship

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About the Organization

Global Diversity Foundation was established in 2000 with the goal of conserving biological and cultural diversity through community-based action research, capacity-strengthening and partnershipbuilding. Over the past two decades our organisation has grown and our mission has evolved. During our first decade we established field programmes in selected global regions to support indigenous communities as they conserve biodiversity, improve their livelihoods and build their capacities and institutions.

We work with changemakers to help communities & environments flourish. We offer changemakers the resources they need to achieve solutions to complex challenges.

Our partners:

Common Purpose is a global not-for-profit on a mission to develop people who can cross cultural, institutional and social boundaries. Both at work and in society, they deliver compelling, surprising, and powerful leadership programmes and workshops.

The Human Edge operates on the belief that effective mentoring empowers individuals and organisations to go further, faster. By enabling leaders to unlock their human potential, they can better lead others and support their communities to fulfil their potential.

About the Fellowship

An online and in-person programme for Global South leaders and organisations working at the frontline of conservation.

We are delighted to launch the second edition of the Conservation and Communities Fellowship (CCF), in collaboration with Common Purpose and The Human Edge. The fellowship will run from November 2025 to May 2026.

The Fellowship is a 7-month, online and in-person programme for 24 community-based conservation leaders from the Global South. It is a unique learning experience designed to grow your mentoring, leadership and practical knowledge and skills, and to build a long-lasting community of practice. The CCF will strengthen your capacity and that of your organisation in fundraising, project design and evaluation.

Do you work within grassroots Global South civil society organisations at the intersection of biodiversity and livelihoods? Are you struggling to directly access funds for your projects and programmes. If so, please apply!

The CCF is fully funded for all participants, thanks to the generosity of our funders. This means there are no fees to join or participate in any part of the programme.

We will ask all fellows to contribute a small amount towards their travel to the in-person gathering in Kenya in November 2025. This modest contribution helps ensure fairness and shared responsibility, while keeping the programme accessible to everyone. You do not need to apply for a travel allowance separately, we will assess each fellow’s individual circumstances and request a contribution accordingly. Contributions will not exceed 300 Euros each, and we are happy to help fellows fundraise for their travel cost contributions.

Who is it for:

The Fellowship is open to applicants from the Global South who are leaders in local civil society or grassroots organisations whose work focuses on the intersection of biodiversity conservation and community livelihoods.

Successful candidates will be highly motivated individuals who show commitment to bringing about positive change and who can demonstrate their leadership potential and capability. They are able to critically assess their personal and organisational challenges, and are capable of clearly articulating their learning requirements and needs.

Why take part:

the CCF is commmitted to:

• Adopting contextual approaches and giving space to local and indigenous epistemologies;
• Promoting the redistribution of opportunities and the scaling of results;
• Open-ended and horizontal learning processes that centre peer-to-peer learning;
• Promoting the decolonisation of funding practices and the creation of direct dialogues between donors, local NGOs and community leaders;
• Consolidating a knowledge and practice-based network offering support to conservation leaders beyond the fellowship;
• Understanding that leaders are embedded in organisations, and our work must engage the full organisational ecosystem to be effective.

How does it work:

Fellows will receive training, facilitation and peer support in four streams:

• Mentoring, led by The Human Edge, trains fellows in the art of mentoring to enhance their management and relationship-building through a process of individual and relational growth.
• Leadership, led by Common Purpose, enhances fellows’ ability to engage with diverse stakeholders and build communities of cooperation and collaboration to deliver conservation outcomes.
• Capabilities & Capacities, led by GDF Team and CCF Alumni, focuses on technical skills, including proposal writing, project management, and team management.
• Communities and Conservation, led by GDF Team and CCF Alumni, offers a space for critical dialogue and debate around policies, practices and public discourses on the topic of community-based conservation.

How to Apply

Application deadline: Midnight (BST) on 13 June 2025.

Apply here

For more information please check the Link

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Tags Environment and Sustainability Livelihood Skill Development Leadership Others