Ocean Park Conservation Foundation

OPCFHK envisions a world where Asian wildlife remains biologically diverse under the stewardship of humans, corporations and governments.  We are committed to advocating, facilitating and participating in effective conservation efforts of Asian wildlife, with an emphasis on Chinese white dolphins and giant pandas, as well as their habitats.  This will be achieved through partnerships, fundraising, research and education.

With limited available funds and given the urgency of conservation efforts, it is important that research studies are designed to be effective for conservation.  Therefore, we seek proposals with measurable conservation outcomes.

During 2016/17, the Foundation will continue to fund new conservation projects in the region.  In addition to the giant panda in China and the Chinese white dolphin in China and Hong Kong, we support projects on other threatened amphibians, reptiles, birds, fishes, invertebrates and other aquatic and terrestrial mammals, as well as their habitats throughout Asia.

Funding Focus and Selection Criteria

The Foundation solicits projects on threatened animal species in Asia, particularly on the Foundation’s thematic species; giant pandas and Chinese white dolphins.  The outcomes of the studies must contribute to successful conservation and could entail the development of conservation action plans and/or community education programmes.  All proposals must include relevant, specific conservation targets and measurable milestones and evaluation of the programme’s effectiveness with specific and quantifiable indicators.  Projects should focus on one of the areas below:

1. Conservation Research and Management
   1. Conduct in-situ field studies to enhance the understanding of the target species population, the condition of their habitats and the threats they face in the wild, and/or
   2. Collaborate with local communities, institutes and the government to formulate effective conservation management plans to preserve the threatened animal species and their habitats, and/or
   3. Conduct ex-situ studies on the target species to promote in-situ conservation efforts.

2. Community Education and Capacity Building
   1. Design and organise in-situ and ex-situ conservation education programmes to raise local communities’ awareness of wildlife conservation and to engage them to change their daily activities and behaviour in support of conservation efforts, and/or
   2. Conduct capacity-building programmes or workshops to advance the nature reserve and conservation education teams’ knowledge and skills for effective conservation action.

Regular projects last from 1 to 2 years should focus on either one nature of the above.  For multiple-year projects last for 3 to 5 years, both natures can be submitted but in two separate proposals.  Applicants shall also explain how resources and the project works are synergised and complementing each other to achieve the overall goal.

Priority will be given to threatened Asian species listed in the IUCN Red List categories of Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable.  Worthwhile projects addressing species in the Data Deficient or Near Threatened categories will also be considered.
Applications will be assessed based on the five selection criteria under each project nature below:

1. Conservation Research and Management
   1. scientific and conservation value and impact on in-situ wildlife conservation;
   2. applicants or collaborators’ research ability and experience, and previous project performance;
   3. presence of clear and achievable goals, sound methodology, reasonable timeline, realistic budget and work plan;
   4. effectiveness on enhancing local capacity community or students in professional techniques, conservation, or research ability; and
   5. presence of specific and practical long-term plans for conserving the target species/ habitat that is proposed by experts of the field, stakeholders and the project team after thorough discussion, presence of follow-up actions to achieve the target.
2. Community Education and Capacity Building
   
   1. ability to enhance the knowledge/ability of the participants or raise conservation awareness, and induce prominent and long-term attitudinal and behavioral change;
   2. applicants or collaborators’ community leadership and local knowledge, and previous project performance;
   3. presence of clear and achievable goals, sound methodology, reasonable timeline, realistic budget and work plan;
   4. effectiveness on mitigating/ eliminating specific threats or restoring the targeted species/ habitat, and bring significant, long-term benefits to the local community through capacity building; and
   5. presence of comprehensive evaluation of effectiveness can be achieved with detailed, realistic plan and specific indicators.

Moreinfo: http://www.opcf.org.hk/en/conservation-research/funding-application