The Conservation, Food and Health Foundation seeks to protect natural resources, improve the production and distribution of food, and promote public health in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. The foundation helps build the capacity of organizations and coalitions with grants that support research or improve the learning and generation of local solutions to complex problems.
The foundation supports projects that demonstrate local leadership and promote professional development in the conservation, agricultural, and health sciences; develop the capacity of local organizations; and address a particular problem or question in the field. It prefers to support projects that address under-funded issues and geographic areas.
Geographic Focus
The foundation supports low- and lower-middle-income countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. It prefers to support organizations located in low- and middle-income countries or organizations located in upper-income countries whose activities are of direct benefit low- and middle-income countries. The foundation does not support the states of the former Soviet Union or former Eastern Bloc countries.
Fields of Interest
The foundation supports special projects and programs of non-governmental organizations in three areas: conservation, food, and health. Examples of areas of interest within these fields follow, but are not meant to be exclusive.
Conservation
Conservation grants help improve ecological and environmental conditions in low- and middle-income countries. The foundation supports field research and related research activities, training, and technical assistance efforts that:
- help conserve ecosystems and protect biodiversity
- train local leaders in conservation and protection of resources, with an emphasis on technical and scientific training
Food
Food grants help research-based efforts to improve food and nutrition security and improve natural resources and ecosystems. Areas of interest include projects that:
- promote or develop specific sustainable agriculture practices with potential to advance science and practice in other countries;
- test and refine innovative education and training interventions for small scale farmers; and
- advance new approaches to control pests and diseases affecting important food crops in low-income countries.
Health
The foundation supports public health programs that focus on populations rather than individuals. It funds programs that emphasize disease prevention and health promotion over those that emphasize disease diagnosis, treatment, and care. It supports research, technical assistance, and training projects that:
- improve public health through community-based efforts that address health promotion, disease prevention, family planning, and reproductive health; and
- increase the understanding and treatment of neglected tropical diseases
Types of Support
The foundation does not provide general operating support. It favors research, training, and technical assistance projects that:
- employ and/or train personnel from developing countries
- are led by organizations with strong records of accomplishments in a particular field and have potential for replication
- focus on regional or cross-boundary issues and opportunities
- feature collaborative partnerships embedded in strong networks
- strengthen local leadership and scientific capacity
- influence public discourse and policy
- focus on prevention rather than remediation
- attract additional support and hold promise for continuation or impact beyond the period of foundation support
Exclusions
The Conservation, Food & Health Foundation does not provide support for:
- buildings, vehicles, land purchases or capital improvements
- direct medical care or treatment at hospitals or clinics
- medical equipment for hospitals or clinics
- wells, pumps or water systems
- emergency relief or humanitarian aid projects
- microenterprise, tourism, job training or livelihood projects
- feeding or food distribution programs
- projects to improve farming for export crops
- basic farming, beekeeping, chicken, or animal husbandry training projects
- films, videos, books or websites
- scholarships, fellowships, tuition or travel grants
- conferences
- general operating support
- individuals, businesses, churches, government, orphanages and humanitarian aid agencies
Eligibility
The foundation supports most types of non-governmental organizations that can provide evidence of their nongovernmental status or charitable purpose.
In general, the foundation will support:
- Non-governmental organizations (NGO)
- Nonprofit organizations
- Civil society organizations
- Community-based organizations
- Colleges, universities and academic institutions
The foundation does not support businesses, government agencies, humanitarian aid organizations, other foundations or churches.
Policies
- Most grants are made on a one-time basis.
- There is no policy concerning a minimum or maximum grant size. The average grant is approximately $20,000. Grants exceeding $30,000 are rarely awarded.
- The foundation will not consider more than one proposal from an organization in any calendar year and will not fund an organization more than once in a funding year.
- The foundation will not fund overhead or indirect costs of projects.
- The foundation is very willing to cooperate with other funding sources with compatible interests to support a joint project or to provide matching funds. From time to time the foundation may also set matching requirements for grantees, particularly in cases where the foundation cannot provide full funding for the project.
- The political beliefs of the applicants or the political relations of any state with the United States shall not be taken into account in making or not making any grant, except that the foundation will comply with any requirements imposed by law.
- Grantees are expected to meet the foundation’s reporting requirements within one year of the previous proposal application. Returning applicants should submit an interim report with all copies of the proposal for renewal. A report outline will be sent with the initial grant letter. Reporting requirements are designed to maintain a reasonable balance between obtaining sufficient information for the foundation to assess expenditures, accomplishments and difficulties and avoiding burdensome work for grantees.
Deadline September 3 2019
Correspondence and inquiries should be directed to:
Conservation, Food & Health Foundation
c/o Prentice A. Zinn, Administrator
GMA Foundations
2 Liberty Square, Suite 500
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
Phone: 617-391-3091
