The Boring Fund 2025: WILDLABS Conservation Technology Infrastructure Grants

Grant Overview

$80,000 Available for Essential Conservation Tech Projects That Keep the World Running

Donor: WILDLABS, Arm

About: The Boring Fund 2025 represents something most funders won’t admit they need to do – supporting the infrastructure work that everyone uses but nobody wants to fund. WILDLABS and Arm have committed $80,000 total this year (up from $50,000 in 2024) because last year’s response was honestly overwhelming – 227 applications for just 5 spots told them everything they needed to know about this funding gap.

Here’s what happened last year that made them double down. Applications flooded in from everywhere – 77 from Africa, 36 from Asia, 22 from South America. The message was clear: the conservation technology world desperately needs funding for what they call the “boring stuff.” But let’s be real about what boring actually means here. We’re talking about the documentation that makes or breaks whether someone can actually use your conservation tool. The cybersecurity measures that protect years of wildlife data from getting wiped out by ransomware. The training materials that turn brilliant research into something field teams can actually implement.

This isn’t your typical “build the next revolutionary wildlife app” competition. The Boring Fund specifically looks for projects addressing technical debt – all those essential tasks that get pushed aside when you’re chasing flashy innovation funding. Think of it as investing in the electrical grid instead of just the shiny devices that plug into it. Environmental technology projects often struggle with this same challenge, and that’s exactly what WILDLABS recognized.

What Actually Gets Funded Here

Let me walk through what catches their attention, because the categories are surprisingly specific. Community management comes first – and no, this doesn’t mean posting on social media. They mean building and sustaining technical communities that actually solve problems together. If you’ve ever tried to keep a group of conservation technologists engaged and productive, you know this requires equal parts psychology and project management.

Cybersecurity measures get serious attention too. Conservation organizations have been sitting ducks for cyberattacks, and this funding acknowledges that reality without sugar-coating it. Research institutions handling sensitive wildlife location data need these protections, but traditional research funding rarely covers security infrastructure.

Data mobilization represents another major focus area. This means taking those massive datasets sitting in someone’s hard drive and making them actually discoverable and usable. It’s not glamorous work, but it’s what transforms individual research efforts into community resources that accelerate future discoveries.

The Money Breakdown

Maximum funding hits $12,500 per project, but here’s something important – they genuinely encourage smaller requests. A $3,000 documentation project might have better odds than a $12,000 one if it addresses a critical community need. The timeline gives you seven months to complete your work (October 2025 to May 2026), which feels reasonable for substantial infrastructure development.

The application deadline is August 19, 2025 at 23:59 BST. No extensions, no exceptions – they’ve been very clear about this. Applications close and selection happens through September, with awards announced in September and projects starting in October.

What sets this apart from other conservation funding is the additional support structure. Award recipients get access to WILDLABS’ communication channels for sharing project updates, case studies, and interviews. This isn’t just nice-to-have promotional support – it’s how your infrastructure work becomes visible to the community that needs it. Nonprofit organizations working in conservation technology particularly benefit from this visibility boost.

Learning from Past Winners

Looking at successful 2024 projects reveals some patterns worth understanding. The projects that got funded shared common characteristics: they addressed specific technical pain points that multiple organizations face, had clear deliverables that other people could immediately use, and focused on community benefit rather than individual advancement.

One pattern emerges clearly – they favor projects that create reusable resources. A training curriculum beats a research paper every time. A data management tool that multiple organizations can implement beats a theoretical framework that sits in academic journals.

The geographic distribution of applications suggests they’re actively encouraging international participation, not just accepting it. Strong demand from the Global South indicates they understand that innovation in conservation technology happens everywhere, not just in well-funded Western institutions.

Who Actually Qualifies

The eligibility criteria look broad on paper, but the reality has more nuance. Individuals working in conservation technology can apply, as can nonprofit organizations, research institutions, conservation technology companies, and community groups. What matters more than organizational structure is your ability to deliver results that benefit the broader conservation technology ecosystem.

Previous grant recipients can apply for new projects, which suggests they’re building long-term relationships with productive applicants rather than just spreading funding around. Conservation technology startups should note this – getting one small project funded well might open doors to future opportunities.

The Application Strategy

The application process appears straightforward but don’t mistake simple for easy. They require thorough reading of both the launch page and the “Further Information” page before submitting. This isn’t bureaucratic busy-work – these documents contain specific guidance about what they’re actually looking for beyond the basic categories.

Your proposal needs to answer one fundamental question convincingly: How does this boring work make conservation technology more accessible and effective for everyone? The more specific and measurable your answer, the stronger your position becomes. Focus on community impact rather than personal accomplishments or organizational growth.

They’ve also set up a Q&A discussion thread and encourage applicants to use it. This suggests they prefer clarifying questions upfront rather than dealing with confused applications later.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

After reviewing hundreds of conservation technology applications across various programs, certain failure patterns become predictable. Don’t propose something that only works in your specific context – they’re looking for broadly applicable solutions. Don’t underestimate the time needed for proper documentation and community engagement. And definitely don’t ignore the cybersecurity angle if your project handles any sensitive data.

The biggest mistake though? Trying to make boring work sound revolutionary. Embrace the mundane nature of infrastructure work. They’re funding boring projects because they’re essential, not despite being boring. Institutional applicants often struggle with this messaging challenge – they’re used to selling innovation, not maintenance.

Strategic Context

Something most applicants miss: you’re not competing against hundreds of “revolutionary” conservation apps. You’re competing in a smaller pool of people who understand infrastructure thinking. The Boring Fund represents a strategic funding niche that most other grantmakers avoid, which actually improves your odds if you position correctly.

The partnership with Arm (the computing company) adds technical credibility and suggests they understand the real technological challenges facing conservation organizations. This isn’t feel-good environmental funding – it’s serious technical infrastructure support.

Plus, the WILDLABS community includes 6,000 conservation technology professionals across 120 countries. Getting funded means joining this network, which can be more valuable long-term than the money itself for establishing your reputation in conservation technology circles.

Looking at this realistically, The Boring Fund addresses something rare in the funding landscape – a grantmaker that actually understands how technology ecosystems work and scale. They recognize that without solid foundations, all the innovative conservation projects in the world won’t achieve lasting impact.

If you’re working on infrastructure that makes conservation technology more accessible, secure, or effective for everyone – even if it’s not flashy – this represents exactly the funding opportunity you’ve been looking for. The challenge is positioning your essential work as the foundation-building that it actually is.

Getting a compelling infrastructure proposal together requires thinking differently than most grant applications. If you’re serious about this opportunity and want strategic guidance on positioning your boring work as essential community infrastructure, that’s exactly what we help with at Grantaura. Professional grant writing support can make the difference between a proposal that sounds like maintenance work and one that positions your project as foundational to the entire conservation technology ecosystem.

Focus: Conservation technology, infrastructure development, data management, cybersecurity, documentation, training materials, community building, technical debt management

Region: Global, International, Worldwide

Eligibility:
– Individuals working in conservation technology
– Nonprofit organizations focused on conservation work
– Research institutions involved in conservation technology
– Conservation technology companies and startups
– Community groups engaged in conservation activities
– Projects must benefit the broader conservation technology community
— Cannot be limited to single organization use only
— Must demonstrate clear community impact and accessibility
– Previous Boring Fund recipients are eligible for new projects
– International applications are encouraged and actively supported

Benefits:
– Financial Award: Up to $12,500 per project (smaller amounts encouraged)
– Project Timeline: October 2025 to May 2026 (7 months)
– Platform Access: WILDLABS communication channels for project promotion
– Community Support: Access to 6,000-member global conservation technology network
– Technical Partnership: Engineering and technology guidance from Arm
– Case Study Support: Professional documentation of project results and impact
– Networking Opportunities: Connection to conservation technology practitioners worldwide

Deadline: August 19, 2025

Terms:
– Technical Debt Management: The accumulated maintenance and improvement work needed for existing technology systems that has been postponed for immediate development priorities but is essential for long-term sustainability.
– Conservation Technology: Digital tools, software applications, hardware devices, and data systems specifically designed to monitor, protect, study, and support wildlife conservation and ecosystem management efforts.
– Community Management: The systematic practice of building, growing, and maintaining online or offline communities of conservation technology practitioners around shared technical challenges and collaborative problem-solving.
– Data Mobilization: The comprehensive process of making existing conservation datasets more accessible, discoverable, and usable by researchers and field practitioners through improved organization, labeling, and distribution systems.
– Cybersecurity Measures: Technical protections and security protocols designed to protect conservation technology infrastructure, sensitive wildlife data, and community systems from cyber threats including ransomware, data breaches, and malicious attacks.
– WILDLABS: A global conservation technology community platform hosting over 6,000 professionals across 120 countries, focused on advancing the use of technology in wildlife conservation and ecosystem protection.