The Conservation, Food and Health Foundation

Overview

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