Kensington Conservation Grant — Research Program

The Kensington Conservation Grant is an annual US$10,000 award from The Explorers Club, supported by Jeff Willner and Kensington, for on-the-ground cultural or environmental conservation research. The current application round funds projects in the 2027 field season.

It is intended for graduate students, post-graduate researchers, early-career scientists, and independent explorers, including people trained through alternative pathways. Recipients conduct their own fieldwork and must build public-facing storytelling into the project.

Benefits & funding

Each award is US$10,000.
Funded project fieldwork may last no more than 12 months; follow-up laboratory work and scientific publication time are outside that cap.
The grant does not cover salaries for the applicant or team members, or business-class airfare. Reasonable fees for local guides, assistants, and specialist services may be budgeted.
Other concurrent project funding is encouraged, but applicants must disclose funding and media commitments that could conflict with The Explorers Club’s first right to cover the project for popular media.

Eligibility

Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
The program is open to graduate students, post-graduate researchers, early-career scientists, and independent explorers. Formal academic qualifications are valued but are not the only accepted route; relevant skills gained through alternative pathways are also considered.
Proposed work must be field research with cultural or environmental conservation relevance, and applicants must demonstrate commitment to exploration and storytelling.
The Explorers Club states that it cannot consider proposals for fieldwork conducted in China or applications from Chinese citizens.
Explorers Club membership is not required. No residence, gender, or stated years-of-experience requirement is published.

Can you apply?

Here's who can apply

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Age requirement
≥ 18 yrs

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Application process

1
Read the guidance and complete the nine-step online form on the official program page; the form does not save progress after the browser is closed.
2
Provide applicant, citizenship and residence details, qualifications, the project abstract, field dates and locations, methods, outcomes, ethics, storytelling plans, and a detailed budget.
3
Submit a video statement of no more than three minutes, CVs for the applicant and team, a rights-cleared applicant photograph, and relevant project materials.
4
Upload two recommendation letters from people who know the applicant and project but are not project team members, and document the status of any required permits.
5
Accept the first-rights and ethics statements, then submit by the deadline.

Program timeline

Now through September 28, 2026
Applications are open for the 2027 field season.
Application deadline.
September 28, 2026, 6:00 PM ET
March 2027
General Explorers Club grant-cycle timing indicates award announcements in March unless a program states otherwise.