Durable Financing

Kenya Conservancies Fund

A small grants facility that supports conservancies to strengthen biodiversity conservation and venture into nature-based enterprises for their long-term sustainability.

About KCF

Catalytic funding for locally-led conservation

The Kenya Conservancies Fund (KCF) supports new, nascent and underserved conservancies — including landscape associations — that have limited access to traditional funding sources. It provides catalytic support in their foundational stages, from consensus building and legal registration to operational and capital expenditure and building governance capacity.

Managed by KWCA, KCF is a strategy to accelerate durable financing for conservancies and help Kenya expand land under conservation and reach effectiveness under Target 3 of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Catalytic grants of

$5K–$120K

A sinking fund transitioning to a revolving fund offering market-rate loans as conservancies become investment-ready.

Focus Areas

What we fund

Grants support a range of activities that strengthen conservancies and deliver clear conservation and community benefits.

Participants at a RISE project peer exchange on gender equity in community conservancies

Capacity & governance

Leadership training, governance frameworks, financial management and policy development.

Biodiversity conservation

Rangeland restoration, ecological monitoring, wildlife conservation and ecosystem management.

Climate-resilient livelihoods

Community enterprises in ecotourism, beekeeping, crafts and other nature-based value chains.

Our Principles

We fund conservancies that

We support conservancies and landscape associations with grants and technical assistance to bridge critical funding gaps and build the resilience they need to succeed.

Environmental & economic resilience

Habitat restoration, species conservation and monitoring, increased wildlife numbers, and diversified revenue such as tourism, livestock, carbon and biodiversity credits.

Local communities at the centre

Involving communities and stakeholders in decision-making — those most familiar with local conservation challenges and opportunities.

Long-term sustainability

Bolstering conservancy capacity in governance, management and planning, including infrastructure such as tourism facilities, visitor centres and offices.

Equality & inclusion

Valuing the participation of women and youth in governance and management, and in income-generating activities and community-based tourism.

Who Can Apply

Eligibility criteria

The Fund supports conservancies in Kenya at different stages of development — nascent, emerging and early-mature — that meet the following criteria:

Demonstrated conservation significance — high biodiversity, a wildlife corridor or buffer zone.
A registered conservancy entity with well-defined, legally recognised boundaries free from disputes.
Evidence of community participation and buy-in.
Evidence of good governance and sound organisational and financial management.
A registered member of KWCA and a recognised member of a Landscape Association.
Demonstrated need and readiness to use funds effectively.
Compliance with KWCA’s minimum governance and accountability standards.

The Process

How to apply

The application process has four stages. Applications are only accepted after a Call for Ideas has been announced on our website and social media.

Call for Ideas

Submit a concept note using the template on our website. An independent review committee assesses applications against the eligibility and evaluation criteria.

Full Proposal

Shortlisted applicants are invited to submit full proposals. The committee conducts due diligence and may request additional documentation.

Recommendations & Selection

Final funding recommendations are approved by the Fund’s board, and grant agreement letters are prepared for the selected conservancies.

Agreement & Disbursement

The funding agreement is executed and funds are disbursed by bank transfer within a month of signing the contract.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How much funding is available?

KCF provides catalytic support of between $5,000 and $120,000, with the exact size determined by the scale of the funding gap.

How long is the funding period?

The funding period is up to 2 years. Conservancies implement their proposed activities within this timeframe and report on progress as outlined in the grant agreement.

Can a conservancy submit more than one application?

No — only one grant application per conservancy is considered per funding cycle. Conservancies are encouraged to prioritise their most critical needs.