Sansom Conservation Leadership Alumni Fund
The Sansom Conservation Leadership Alumni Fund
The Sansom Conservation Leadership Alumni Fund (also known as the SCLA Fund) has been established with thanks to the generosity of Robert Sansom to support high impact conservation projects undertaken by alumni from the University of Cambridge Masters in Conservation Leadership.
The SCLA Fund is administered by the Masters in Conservation Leadership Team in the Department of Geography, with grants being awarded by a Selection Panel. The maximum grant permitted is £60,000.
Applications should demonstrate that the proposed project:
- addresses an important biodiversity conservation issue;
- is feasible and likely to achieve its aims;
- is appropriate to the local situation;
- is feasible to be delivered with the skills and potential of the applicant;
- has an appropriate budget to achieve the stated outcomes.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applications can only be accepted from a member or members of the University of Cambridge Conservation Leadership Alumni Network. All graduates of the Cambridge Masters in Conservation Leadership are automatically members of this network, which is not available for anyone else to join.
- Applications must propose a project that will have a clear benefit for advancing conservation.
- The impact of the project must be pragmatic, measurable and long-lasting.
Selection Panel
The Selection Panel is responsible for the evaluation of applications to the Fund and selecting the most appropriate projects to receive grants.
The Selection Panel consists of:
- Chris Sandbrook, Director of the Masters in Conservation Leadership
- A representative of CCI
- 2 alumni representatives
Applying to the SCLA Fund
The 2026-27 round is now closed.
Please use the online application form below. This form cannot be saved so please download the questions to prepare your answers before you begin. Please refer to the Guidance for Applicants for supporting information.
If you have any queries regarding an application, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions below, or contact the Conservation Leadership Networks Manager
- SCLA Fund – Application Form Questions
- SCLA Fund – Guidance for Applicants
- SCLA Fund – Frequently Asked Questions
- SCLA Fund – Pro Forma Budget Template
- SCLA Fund – Referee Form
- SCLA Fund – Social and Environmental Impact Assessment
Projects Funded
SCLA Fund 2021-22
The three successful projects from the first round of the SCLA Fund:
SCLA Fund 2022-23
The three successful projects from the second round of the SCLA Fund:
- Enhancing conservation impact
- Maximising the conservation values of local ecological knowledge
- Elimisha outreach project: using art for conservation
SCLA Fund 2023-24
The three successful projects from the third round of the SCLA Fund:
- Promoting pluricultural and intersectional Conservation Leadership in Latin America
- Grassroots pathway to biodiversity recovery
- Guardians & Ambassadors: community-based capacity building for human-elephant co-existence in Zimbabwe
SCLA Fund 2024-25
The three successful projects from the forth round of the SCLA Fund:
- Kumisi Lake Restoration - A community-led wetland conservation initiative in Georgia that lays the foundation for long-term environmental protection
- Nature Perspectives - An innovative initiative using AI simulations to create meaningful connections with the natural world through nonhuman perspectives
- Charting a Regenerative Pathway for Tourism in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador - A project focused on sustainable tourism development
SCLA Fund 2025-26
The three successful projects from the forth round of the SCLA Fund:
- Restoration of land and knowledge: building a network of indigenous seedling producers throughout the Brazilian Cerrado and Pantanal
- Restoring 100 Hectares: Participatory Strategies for Managing Invasive Senna uniflora in Gujarat’s Grasslands
- Buzzing Coexistence: Strengthening Strategies and Capacity in Mexico for Coexisting with Wildlife in a Changing Climate