FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Coexistence Champions

Can only individuals apply or can groups of individuals, organisations and/or collectives apply jointly?

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This programme is intended for individual Champions only. We welcome collaborative projects, but one consultant must take primary responsibility and be the named applicant.

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What are the location and nationality requirements?

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All projects must be based in India. Additionally, applicants must be able to demonstrate that they reside for a substantial period (approximately 180 days in a year) within the landscape where the project is based. Applicants must also indicate their longer-term engagement with the landscape in which they plan to work.

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You must be an Indian citizen and a resident to apply. If you are in the OCI category, you will need to have an Indian bank account and have been resident in India for at least 183 days in the current financial year and must continue to be resident for a minimum of 183 days during every subsequent financial year for the duration of the programme.

 

Applications who do not meet these criteria will not be considered.

 

Do I need to be employed with an organisation to apply?

 

No. You need not be working full-time with an organisation. If you are employed with an organisation, you will be asked to provide a letter of support from your organisation at a later stage. If you are not currently working with an organisation, we strongly encourage you to collaborate with an organisation and/or a network in the landscape where your project will be based to ensure that you have the required institutional field support. 

 

Do I need a mentor’s support for the application?

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Yes. You are required to identify a mentor, preferably within the organisation that you are affiliated with, or a person in a leadership position from the professional network in the landscape where your project will be based, to provide professional support during the programme.

 

Am I eligible to apply if I have more or less than 5–10 years of work experience?

 

This programme is specifically designed for mid-career conservationists. The programme content, kind of support and peer learning environment are tailored for individuals at this stage in their careers. If you have less than 5 years experience, we encourage you to apply in the future. If you have more than 10 years of experience, you may find that the programme does not fully align with your professional needs. However, if you feel that the programme meets your current needs, you are welcome to apply; please be sure to explain your motivation clearly in your application.

 

I live and work in the project area but am not originally from the community. Can I still apply?

Yes, you may apply. However, you will need to demonstrate that you are: 

a. Deeply embedded in the landscape and community and committed to long term change

b. Working in collaboration with community members or accountable to them; 

c. Recognised to have legitimacy for your work in the community

 

I don’t work on wildlife conflict directly. Can I still apply?

 

Yes. We welcome applications from those whose work advances coexistence in any form. This could include education, community health, governance, storytelling, farming practices, or cultural preservation, as long as it is grounded in the values we have detailed and furthers coexistence on the ground. 

 

How explicit do I need to be about outreach in my project?

 

You will be required to briefly describe how your work will engage your target audience, the broader conservation space, and the general public. Since leading paradigm shift is a core objective of the programme, storytelling plays a vital role. The induction will include support to build your storytelling skills, and you will be asked to deliver storytelling outputs in collaboration with the programme team. As always, we emphasize that these approaches be grounded in your local context and community.

 

Does the project have to be new?

 

No, the project does not need to be entirely new. However, it should present a compelling approach to celebrating coexistence in the community and amplifying community voices. We are looking for projects that are innovative and impactful, even if they are not completely novel.

 

What costs will the project cover?

 

We are open to compelling justifications for the costs you propose, other than capital expenses such as land, buildings and vehicles. If there are concerns around this, we will follow up at the proposal stage. We understand that fieldwork can be resource heavy, especially around salaries, but do note that we are unlikely to support budgets made up only of salary costs.

 

Is this a full-time commitment?

 

No, but it is a significant and ongoing commitment over a minimum of 2 years.  The budgets should also reflect the quantum of work and impact that you hope to achieve. Champions must be able to dedicate adequate time and energy to undertake the project effectively and meet their commitments, but are not expected to work solely on this project.  

 

How will my application be evaluated?

Applications will be assessed based on:

• Ability to further coexistence in ethical, compelling and inspirational ways

• Alignment with and commitment to the values and philosophy of coexistence as articulated above

• Measurable goals and metrics, and demonstrable ability to deliver described project outputs

• Commitment to outreach

• Strength and feasibility of the proposed project

• Embeddedness and relationship with the community, including collaboration with and accountability to the community and to local government institutions

• Willingness to reflect, learn, and adapt