Support Those Impacted by Foreign Aid Suspension
The U.S. Department of State’s 90-day stop-work order for U.S. foreign assistance resulted in immediate funding loss for many conservation organizations that rely on these resources to maintain their critical work. For many organizations, this represents a true economic emergency.
WCN’s Emergency Relief Fund is designed to provide rapid support to organizations experiencing a crisis. You can help conservationists bridge this sudden funding gap and continue protecting our planet’s most vulnerable wildlife species.
We are extremely thankful to our community, who, in response to this critical situation, have thus far raised $1.3 million to help conservationists bridge this sudden funding gap. Our Emergency Relief Fund is already distributing funding, and our Wildlife Funds have granted over $1 million to affected organizations.
As we monitor the situation with our partners, these funds provide a lifeline. Yet significant gaps remain. You can help us protect our planet’s most vulnerable species.
DONATE TO SUPPORT THE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND
You can also donate directly to any of the organizations below that have been impacted by these orders or to any of WCN’s Wildlife Funds— which can provide emergency support to grantees.
Check the information on the organizations and Wildlife Funds below for ongoing updates on how WCN’s emergency funding is being deployed.
Cheetah Conservation Botswana
Remaining Emergency Funding Amount Needed: $155,813Cheetah Conservation Botswana
Total Amount Needed: $162,813 USD
Current Amount Raised: $7,000 USD
Cheetah Conservation Botswana aims to preserve the nation’s cheetah population through scientific research, community outreach and environmental education, working with rural communities to promote coexistence with Botswana’s rich diversity of carnivore species.
Hutan
Emergency Funding Amount Needed: $204,000Hutan
Funding Amount Needed: $204,000 USD
Current Amount Raised: $0 USD
HUTAN is a grassroot non-profit organization dedicated to conserve the orangutan, elephant and other wildlife species in the forests of Lower Kinabatangan and across Sabah.
MarAlliance
Remaining Emergency Funding Amount Needed: $10,000MarAlliance
Funding Amount Needed: $15,000 USD
Current Amount Raised: $5,000 USD
MarAlliance explores, enables, and inspires conservation action for threatened marine wildlife and their critical habitats, working with dependent human communities.
Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association
Emergency Funding Amount Needed: $110,000Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association
Funding Amount Needed: $110,000 USD
Funding Amount Raised: $0 USD
Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association applies home-grown solutions to protect and restore threatened wildlife and wild places.
Saiga Conservation Alliance
Emergency Funding Amount Needed: $314,251Saiga Conservation Alliance
Funding Amount Needed: $314,251
Current Amount Raised: $0 USD
Saiga Conservation Alliance (SCA) is committed to restoring the saiga antelope to its position as the flagship species of the Central Asian and pre-Caspian steppes, reflecting the species’ cultural and economic value to local people and its fundamental role in the steppe ecosystem.
Seratu Aatai
Emergency Funding Amount Needed: $70,000Seratu Aatai
Funding Amount Needed: $70,000 USD
Current Amount Raised: $0 USD
Seratu Aatai works to ensure elephants and people live in harmony.
Small Mammal Conservation Organization
Emergency Funding Amount Needed: $250,000Small Mammal Conservation Organization
Funding Amount Needed: $250,000 USD
Current Amount Raised: $0 USD
Small Mammal Conservation Organization works with key stakeholders to empower local communities, maintain healthy landscapes and protect imperiled small mammal species.
California Wildlife Program
California Wildlife Program
WCN’s California Wildlife Program (CWP) aims to restore and connect fragmented habitat, benefiting pumas and other wildlife throughout California.
The CWP can provide emergency grants to organizations protecting California’s wildlife.
Elephant Crisis Fund
Estimated Financial Impact on Grantees: $5.1MElephant Crisis Fund
Total Estimated Financial Impact on Grantees: $5.1M
The Elephant Crisis Fund (ECF) identifies and supports the most effective projects and partners in Africa, and in ivory consuming nations, to end the ivory crisis and secure a future for elephants. The ECF exists to fuel their efforts, encourage collaboration, and deliver rapid impact on the ground.
The ECF can provide emergency grants to organizations protecting elephants throughout their range.
Lion Recovery Fund
Estimated Financial Impact on Grantees: $5.4MLion Recovery Fund
Estimated Financial Impact on Grantees: $5.4M
The Lion Recovery Fund (LRF) funds game-changing conservation actions by the most effective, vetted partners who work collaboratively to bring lions back. Through strategic investments and collaboration with other public and private donors, the Lion Recovery Fund aspires to double the number of lions in Africa, regaining those lions lost over the past 25 years. Its committed to seeing thriving savannah landscapes where Africa’s people, its economic development, and its lions all coexist.
The LRF can provide emergency grants to organizations protecting lions throughout their range. Learn how this emergency funding has made an impact in the field thus far.
Tsavo Trust (Kenya): Our emergency funding bridges the critical gap left by the US government aid freeze, ensuring Tsavo Trust can maintain vital protection of Kenya’s black rhino, elephants, and lions. The grant sustains essential aerial and ground anti-poaching patrols across the Tsavo Conservation Area—nearly half of Kenya’s protected lands—while supporting community-led conservation efforts during this uncertain funding period.
Conservation South Luangwa (Zambia): Following the sudden freeze of a significant portion of their operating budget, our emergency grant maintains CSL’s crucial protection of Zambia’s largest lion population. This timely support ensures uninterrupted aerial surveillance, K9 patrols, and rapid response deployments during a high-risk poaching period exacerbated by consecutive drought years. The funding preserves CSL’s momentum in expanding patrol coverage and removing deadly wire snares throughout South Luangwa Valley.
Pangolin Crisis Fund
Estimated Financial Impact on Grantees: $3MPangolin Crisis Fund
Estimated Financial Impact on Grantees: $3M
The Pangolin Crisis Fund (PCF) invests in the best projects to stop the poaching of pangolins, stop the trade and demand for pangolin products, and raise the profile of this little-known animal.
The PCF can provide emergency grants to organizations protecting pangolins throughout their range.
Rhino Recovery Fund
Estimated Financial Impact on Grantees: $3.8MRhino Recovery Fund
Estimated Financial Impact on Grantees: $3.8M
The Rhino Recovery Fund (RRF) invests in the most effective organizations and projects dedicated to defending our remaining rhinos and supporting their recovery.
The RRF can provide emergency grants to organizations protecting rhinos throughout their range. Learn how this emergency funding has made an impact in the field thus far.
Frankfurt Zoological Society (Zambia): When US Aid funding was abruptly cancelled, our emergency grant preserved core functionality for protecting Zambia’s only black rhino population. This intervention prevents the collapse of essential protection measures for this irreplaceable conservation asset.
Mozambique Wildlife Alliance: After losing one-third of their budget due to US Fish & Wildlife and INL funding cancellations, our $141,000 grant maintains their capacity to support the Mozambican government in disrupting rhino poaching syndicates. This work is vital to protecting Kruger National Park from criminal networks operating across borders.
Conservation Synergies: Our timely funding rescued integrity management initiatives in key rhino parks after INL grant cancellation threatened newly appointed staff positions. By sustaining these critical personnel, we’re enabling fundamental work on integrity plans that directly disrupt illegal wildlife crime networks at their source.
Cheetah Conservation Botswana
Cheetah Conservation Botswana
Total Amount Needed: $162,813 USD Current Amount Raised: $7,000 USD Cheetah Conservation Botswana aims to preserve the nation’s cheetah population through scientific research, community outreach and environmental education, working with...
Hutan
Hutan
Funding Amount Needed: $204,000 USD Current Amount Raised: $0 USD HUTAN is a grassroot non-profit organization dedicated to conserve the orangutan, elephant and other wildlife species in the forests of...
MarAlliance
MarAlliance
Funding Amount Needed: $15,000 USD Current Amount Raised: $5,000 USD MarAlliance explores, enables, and inspires conservation action for threatened marine wildlife and their critical habitats, working with dependent human communities....
Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association
Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association
Funding Amount Needed: $110,000 USD Funding Amount Raised: $0 USD Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association applies home-grown solutions to protect and restore threatened wildlife and wild places. Donate
Saiga Conservation Alliance
Saiga Conservation Alliance
Funding Amount Needed: $314,251 Current Amount Raised: $0 USD Saiga Conservation Alliance (SCA) is committed to restoring the saiga antelope to its position as the flagship species of the Central...
Seratu Aatai
Seratu Aatai
Funding Amount Needed: $70,000 USD Current Amount Raised: $0 USD Seratu Aatai works to ensure elephants and people live in harmony. Donate
Small Mammal Conservation Organization
Small Mammal Conservation Organization
Funding Amount Needed: $250,000 USD Current Amount Raised: $0 USD Small Mammal Conservation Organization works with key stakeholders to empower local communities, maintain healthy landscapes and protect imperiled small mammal...
California Wildlife Program
California Wildlife Program
WCN’s California Wildlife Program (CWP) aims to restore and connect fragmented habitat, benefiting pumas and other wildlife throughout California. The CWP can provide emergency grants to organizations protecting California’s wildlife....
Elephant Crisis Fund
Elephant Crisis Fund
Total Estimated Financial Impact on Grantees: $5.1M The Elephant Crisis Fund (ECF) identifies and supports the most effective projects and partners in Africa, and in ivory consuming nations, to end...
Lion Recovery Fund
Lion Recovery Fund
Estimated Financial Impact on Grantees: $5.4M The Lion Recovery Fund (LRF) funds game-changing conservation actions by the most effective, vetted partners who work collaboratively to bring lions back. Through strategic...
Pangolin Crisis Fund
Pangolin Crisis Fund
Estimated Financial Impact on Grantees: $3M The Pangolin Crisis Fund (PCF) invests in the best projects to stop the poaching of pangolins, stop the trade and demand for pangolin products,...
Rhino Recovery Fund
Rhino Recovery Fund
Estimated Financial Impact on Grantees: $3.8M The Rhino Recovery Fund (RRF) invests in the most effective organizations and projects dedicated to defending our remaining rhinos and supporting their recovery. The...
Application for support from WCN’s Emergency Relief Fund is by invitation only.