Wild Animal Initiative Fellowships for Early-Career Scientists

Wild Animal Initiative offers Validation Grants to support research that validates proposed wild animal welfare indicators—including whether indirect measures reliably reflect welfare (affective states). The grant call states that applications are open through 31 October (year not specified in the source). Funding is up to $200,000 USD total, with projects funded for up to 3 years. Wild Animal Initiative explains that animal welfare is not directly measurable and is instead inferred through indirect indicators. Validation is needed to confirm that those indicators consistently reflect presumed welfare states. Validation Grants support research projects that measure proposed welfare indicators under conditions expected to produce predictably positive or negative welfare impacts. WAI also indicates interest in negative results, such as cases where indicators respond inconsistently to welfare treatments. The organization notes that validated welfare indicators are a key bottleneck in wild animal welfare science and are described as a prerequisite for many other WAI grants (example provided: Welfare Ecology Grants). The source does not specify eligible applicant organization types (e.g., universities, NGOs, companies, or individuals). Instead, it provides eligibility and design requirements for projects. Based on the stated criteria, applicants must propose research that meets the following project-focused requirements: If there are additional applicant eligibility requirements (organizational status, geography, registration, etc.), they are not specified in the source and should be confirmed in the official guidance linked from the WAI page. Validation Grants fund research activities aimed at validating welfare indicators, including: WAI also explicitly states interest in negative results, including indicator responses that vary or fail to align consistently across welfare treatments. Validated welfare indicators are described by Wild Animal Initiative as the foundation for subsequent wild animal welfare research. Without validation, other work that depends on reliable welfare measurement may be undermined. By funding projects that establish whether indicators work under controlled conditions—and whether findings are transferable—Validation Grants aim to reduce uncertainty in downstream research and interventions (including future WAI grant programs). The source provides a summary of the process but refers readers to an announcement document for detailed CFP guidance.

1. What is the main purpose of Wild Animal Initiative Validation Grants?

Validation Grants fund research that tests whether proposed welfare indicators reliably reflect welfare (affective states) in wild animals, using validation experiments under predictably positive or negative conditions.

2. How much funding is available?

The source states “Up to $200,000 USD total.” It does not specify how much any single award will provide.

3. What is the maximum project duration?

Projects may be funded for up to 3 years.

4. What is the application deadline?

The source states applications are open through 31 October, but it does not provide the year or deadline time/time zone.

5. Are studies involving animals in captivity eligible?

Yes. Captivity studies are acceptable if the welfare indicators and treatment conditions make results likely transferable to wild individuals of the same or closely related species.

6. What happens after submitting an EOI?

If shortlisted, applicants are invited to submit a full proposal, an indicator validation plan, and supporting documents including an animal methods form and collaborator CVs.

7. What types of projects are not allowed?

WAI states that projects must not have objectives not required for welfare indicator validation. Review the official Wild Animal Initiative — Validation Grants page and the linked announcement document for the complete call for proposals (including detailed instructions for the EOI form and required submission materials). Then, ensure your project design explicitly tests welfare indicator validity under conditions expected to produce predictable welfare changes and addresses how the results support future welfare research and interventions.