Call for Applications: 2016-2017 Indigenous Leaders Conservation Fellowship!, Deadline: 30 September 2016

Conservation International is inviting indigenous peoples to apply for the 2016-2017 Indigenous Leaders Conservation Fellowship. This seven-month fellowship creates opportunities for new leaders from indigenous and traditional people’s communities and organizations from different parts of the world.

This fellowship program will enable selected applicants to develop their leadership skills, interact with indigenous organizations and leaders in their region, and provide assistance to their community and/ or organization through a specific project.

The Indigenous & Traditional Peoples Conservation Fellowship is sponsored by Conservation International to create opportunities for leaders and scholars from indigenous and traditional people’s communities and organizations. The fellowship is intended to allow leaders to explore solutions to problems identified by the community that are affecting their lands, communities and livelihoods.

Focus Areas

support for a research project into the conservation strategies employed by indigenous communities to strengthen their land and resource rights over their territories;
support for the development of a concept note for a project that will address recommendations arising from the research and to be implemented by the community.

Theme

The theme of this year’s fellowship will be: “Indigenous Peoples and Conservation: How conservation efforts can contribute to the realization and/or strengthening of indigenous peoples’ rights to their resources.”
Fellows will be asked to develop case studies on strategies indigenous peoples have implemented to conserve specific resources in their territories, and how these strategies were carried out.

Benefits

Fellowship funding with a total value of $8,000 USD. This will cover costs for the research duration and attendance in any national meeting determined to be of relevance to the research and to the community.
Access to CI’s research and data on mitigation, adaptation and biodiversity conservation and contacts with CI professionals in the headquarters and field offices as well as with key CI partners, including mentoring from the members of the Indigenous Advisory Group of CI.
A meeting with CI staff at CI headquarters to present results of the research and to develop concept notes for funding proposals. Other meetings will be arranged depending on the interest and availability of partners.

Eligibility Criteria

Applications from indigenous individuals from all over the world will be accepted.
Applicant must be a member of an indigenous or traditional community, preferably with links to an indigenous organization at the national/regional level.
Applicants should focus proposals in the following areas: management of community conserved lands/indigenous territories and/or community managed marine areas, traditional knowledge, or development of community protocols for issues of access and benefit sharing.
There are no age or gender limitations to this fellowship.
Applicant must be flexible and able to travel nationally and internationally.
There are no education limitations on this fellowship. However, applicant must be able to communicate ideas clearly and concisely, orally and in writing.

How to Apply

Applicants must submit their applications with the following materials as an attachment either Word document or a PDF file at the address given on the website.

Curriculum Vitae or resume, as well as a copy of applicant’s personal identification information.
A nomination letter from applicant’s sponsoring community and/or indigenous organization; demonstrating applicants have the support of the community in which applicants will be working.
A completed application form, including work plan proposal and estimated budget template. These forms are available on the CI website.
A 2-3 page outline of applicant’s research project proposal, explaining their proposed area of work. This is not intended to be a full project proposal, but a detailed abstract, in order to give the selection committee a good idea of applicant’s project. Anything longer than 3 pages will not be considered.
The nomination letter should both clearly state “Indigenous and Traditional Peoples Conservation Leaders Fellowship”.

For more information, please visit 2016-2017 Indigenous Leaders Conservation Fellowship.