Gorilla, Chimpanzee and Bonobo Conservation Fund (15.629)
Gorilla, Chimpanzee and Bonobo Conservation Fund (Assistance Listing 15.629) is run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, part of the Department of the Interior. It awarded $11.1 million in 42 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $264,850 per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $250,000. Half of the 42 awards fell between $105,307 and $410,656, and they ranged from $37,955 to $897,128.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$11.1 million
- Grant awards42
- Typical award$250,000
- Awarded in FY 2025-$65
- Size rank1,461 of 1,823
- Type of assistanceProject grants (discretionary)
Key findings
- It is the 1461st largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 96% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 9 states and territories.
What the program funds
The objective of the fund is to sustain viable populations of great apes in the wild and to assist in the conservation and protection of great apes by supporting conservation programs in which populations of great apes are located and by supporting the CITES Secretariat.
Open opportunities
No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.
Rules from the program listing
Who can apply
Applications may be submitted by any government agency responsible for conservation and protection of apes and any other organization or individual with demonstrated experience in ape conservation.
What the money can and cannot pay for
Funds provided under this program support projects that will enhance programs for conservation of great apes by assisting efforts to—(1) implement conservation programs;(2) address the conflicts between humans and great apes that arise from competition for the same habitat; (3) enhance compliance with CITES and other applicable laws that prohibit or regulate the taking or trade of great apes or regulate the use and management of great ape habitat; (4) develop sound scientific information on, or methods for monitoring—(A) the condition and health of great ape habitat;(B) great ape population numbers and trends; or (C) the current and projected threats to the habitat, current and projected numbers, or current and projected trends; (5) promote cooperative projects on the issues described in paragraph (4) among government entities, affected local communities, nongovernmental organizations, or other persons in the private sector; or (6) address root causes of threats to great apes in range states, including illegal bushmeat trade, diseases, lack of regional or local capacity for conservation, and habitat loss due to natural disasters.
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Award range and average, in the agency's words
Variable amounts. Generally $50,000 or less. Higher amounts may be requested.
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2025: No new projects were funded in FY25.Fiscal Year2026: No new projects were funded in FY26.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Gorilla, Chimpanzee and Bonobo Conservation Fund (15.629) awarded $11.1 million across 42 grant awards, an average of $264,850 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildlife Conservation Society | New York | 10 | $2.5 million |
| Re:wild | Texas | 2 | $995,908 |
| Pan African Sanctuary Alliance | Oregon | 2 | $818,577 |
| Fauna & Flora International | 2 | $682,530 | |
| Wild Chimpanzee Foundation - Germany E.V. | 2 | $645,745 | |
| Gunung Palung Orangutan Conservation Program, Inc. | Massachusetts | 1 | $499,978 |
| Health in Harmony, Inc. | Oregon | 1 | $499,777 |
| Wildlife Impact | Oregon | 1 | $455,700 |
| Zoologische Gesellschaft Frankfurt Von 1858 E.V. | 1 | $449,573 | |
| Hutan | 2 | $429,735 | |
| Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia | 1 | $416,948 | |
| Wildlife Asia Limited | 1 | $340,189 | |
| Wildlife Conservation and Science (Malaysia) BHD. | 1 | $299,130 | |
| Pan Eco | 1 | $295,159 | |
| University of Wisconsin System | Wisconsin | 1 | $287,226 |
| MGVP Inc | Maryland | 1 | $250,050 |
| Wildlife Alliance Inc. | New York | 1 | $227,188 |
| Borneo Nature Foundation International | 1 | $208,116 | |
| World Wildlife Fund, Inc. | District of Columbia | 1 | $199,935 |
| Wild Earth Allies, Inc. | Maryland | 2 | $197,062 |
Who usually wins
Nonprofits received 74% of the money, colleges and universities 2.6%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonprofits | 26 | $8.3 million | 74% |
| Other | 15 | $2.6 million | 23% |
| Colleges and universities | 1 | $286,468 | 2.6% |
By state
2 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards. They are New York and Oregon.