Policy Grant
About
The challenges facing our oceans demand that we introduce more youth and community members to ocean sciences, educate them on the importance of marine conservation, empower them to engage in scientific inquiry, and support evidence-based policy that protects marine ecosystems worldwide.
This grant supports innovative projects that are strengthening the translation of scientific evidence into management and governance.
Background
The need for financial support of marine conservation efforts is acute in many parts of the world, especially in developing nations and those with little or no access to conservation funding. The Society for Conservation Biology Marine Program initiated our Conservation Small Grants Program (CSGP) to fund worthy conservation projects around the globe. The objective of the SCB Marine Program CSGP is to advance the conservation of marine biodiversity and the communities which depend on healthy marine systems by providing funds to individuals or groups for research, conservation, and restoration activities in support of the program’s Mission and Goals.
Mission
To advance the science, education, and practice of conserving the Earth’s marine biological diversity.
Goals
- Be a global focal point for marine conservation
- Facilitate the dissemination of the science of marine conservation through education, publications, presentations, and media outreach
- Promote marine conservation as a priority for SCB
- Inform and facilitate the implementation of marine conservation policy
- Encourage communication/action across disciplinary, national and institutional boundaries
- Create the capacity to accomplish the aforementioned goals
Grant Amount: $1,000–$1,500 USD
Applicants must be members of the Society for Conservation Biology’s Marine Program and may include educators, researchers, practitioners, Indigenous groups, and K–12 school groups (students must be supervised by an adult). Eligible applicants may be affiliated with:
- K–12 schools
- Colleges/universities
- Community service organizations
- Indigenous organizations
Priority given to applicants demonstrating capacity to complete the work and first-time applicants.
Examples of eligible activities:
- Developing policy briefs or evidence summaries to inform marine conservation governance
- Organizing workshops bringing scientists, policymakers, fishers, and communities together
- Capacity-building on conservation laws, marine protected areas, and fisheries regulations
- Supporting community-driven planning processes grounded in scientific data
Non-eligible activities:
- Travel to the ICCBs, IMCCs, or other meetings.
- Personal expenses such as food, lodging, or professional membership fees.
- Researcher salaries;
- Tuition or course fees;
- Indirect/Overhead/F&A.
The most recent applications, for 2026, closed on January 15, 2026, 11:59 PM EST. Applications are not currently being taken.
Information, announcements, and application reminders for current and future grants rounds will be posted to the SCB Marine Program listserv, in the Marine Program news, and on the Program’s social media pages. If you have questions, please email the Marine Program Science Officer. Previous grant recipients may complete their final Small Grants Report Form using this form. If you require the guidelines document or forms in large print, audio, Braille, or a colored background, please contact the Marine Program Diversity Committee Chair Shaili Johri.
- Funds must be spent within 12 months of award
- Progress updates required every six months
- Written final report due at end of 12-month period
- Application Deadline: January 15, 2026, 11:59 PM EST
- Award notifications: 6-8 weeks (early 2026)
- Funds dispersed: Early 2026
Questions? Email scbmarinecomms@gmail.com with ‘MarineGrants2026’ in the subject line
Accessibility: Guidelines available in large print, audio, Braille, or colored background upon request.
Conservation Policy Small Grants Recipients
Zexin Long
China
Details
Bio:
Zexin Long is a PhD candidate at the Macau University of Science and Technology, specializing in marine spatial planning, ecological connectivity, and adaptive governance in rapidly developing coastal regions. He is also a member of the Marine Conservation and Integrated Governance Interdisciplinary Unit (MCIGI), where he contributes to interdisciplinary research linking marine ecological science with social-science perspectives and policy practice. His current work examines how shipping, coastal construction, fisheries, and other human pressures affect Chinese white dolphin habitat networks in the Pearl River Estuary. By integrating spatial analysis, ecological network modelling, and system dynamics, he seeks to translate scientific evidence into practical tools for marine protected area management and regional conservation policy.
Project Summary:
The Pearl River Estuary supports an important population of Chinese white dolphins, but intensive shipping, coastal construction, fisheries, and habitat fragmentation continue to weaken the connectivity of their habitats. This project will develop a practical Connectivity–Resilience Toolkit to help managers translate ecological evidence into adaptive conservation action. Existing dolphin distribution, corridor, human-pressure, and governance data will be consolidated into a clear set of management indicators. Two stakeholder workshops will be used to identify priority corridors, assess feasible interventions, and refine locally relevant management questions. A simplified scenario explorer will compare alternative pathways, including pressure reduction, stronger governance response, and bottleneck-focused resource allocation. The project will produce a bilingual policy brief, a one-page evidence summary, and training materials for students and community participants. Together, these outputs will support more transparent, targeted, and resilient management of the Pearl River Estuary Chinese White Dolphin National Nature Reserve and adjacent coastal waters over time.