The initiative will provide funding to promote the protection of critical habitats for threatened resident and migratory birds in Chile. The call for proposals invites community-based organizations (CBOs), trade associations, cooperatives, farming communities, indigenous communities or associations, and nongovernmental organizations to apply through its digital platform by July 10, 2026.
A great crested grebe in flight. Photo credit: Ivo Tejeda.
A great crested grebe in flight. Photo credit: Ivo Tejeda.
With great enthusiasm for the arrival and implementation of this hemispheric initiative in Chile, the organizations leading Conserva Aves announce the official launch of the Initiative’s first public call for proposals in Chile—a borderless effort aimed at closing gaps in bird conservation across Latin America. Starting June 1, 2026, community-based organizations (CBOs), trade associations, cooperatives, agricultural communities, indigenous communities or associations, and nongovernmental organizations will be able to apply for available resources to fund the creation, expansion, or designation of private protected areas, in alignment with the new National System of Protected Areas (SNAP) under Law 21.600.
In this regard, Eugenio Rengifo, Executive Director of Fondo Naturaleza Chile—the environmental fund partnering on the initiative in Chile—notes: “This call for proposals represents a historic opportunity to channel direct resources to local communities, enabling effective, long-term conservation of our ecosystems most critical to bird life.”
The initiative in Chile will provide funding for projects with an implementation period of up to 36 months, awarding grants of up to USD 107,000 for the creation of new reserves, USD 60,000 for expansions, and USD 50,000 for certification processes.
Technical support will be a cornerstone in ensuring the viability of the selected proposed areas. Diego Urrejola, Executive Director of Fundación Cosmos, emphasizes the strategic value of this support: “We will provide training and direct guidance in the co-design of management and financial sustainability plans for the promoted territories, ensuring that protected areas conserve priority ecosystems while also becoming an opportunity for local development.”
Interested organizations must review the call for proposals before submitting their application and must create an account on the platform (link: https://fondonaturaleza.vform.io/process/9385/public) by July 10, 2026. Additionally, they may participate in an informational webinar to be held on June 16 to learn the details of the call for proposals.
The arrival of Conserva Aves in Chile marks a key milestone for biodiversity protection on a continental scale, as it connects local efforts with the migratory routes that span the hemisphere from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. The primary focus is on sites where threatened resident species interact with declining migratory birds.
Javiera Ferreyra, Director of the National Audubon Society in Chile, highlights the importance of this hemispheric effort: “Birds know no borders. As an organization with more than 120 years of experience in conservation, Audubon has contributed its cutting-edge science and technical expertise to this initiative to identify and prioritize the most important sites for bird conservation along migratory routes across the Americas. This prioritization takes on special relevance in places where migratory birds overlap with endemic and threatened resident species, as their protection contributes not only to local conservation but also to meeting continental goals for bird conservation across the hemisphere.” The analysis was developed by Audubon in close collaboration with the Chilean Network of Bird and Wildlife Observers (ROC), combining hemispheric-scale scientific information with local knowledge.
The call for proposals specifically invites community organizations, rural communities, and indigenous communities, promoting inclusive conservation based on the recognition of local knowledge. “As national partners, we will contribute technical expertise and a capacity-building process aimed at local partners, with the goal of supporting the conservation of birds and their habitats. We are convinced that making tools and knowledge available to communities is key to promoting effective and lasting conservation, grounded in active participation and the appreciation of local territories,” emphasizes Ivo Tejeda, Executive Director of the Chilean Network of Bird and Wildlife Observers (ROC, by its acronym in Spanish).
About Conserva Aves
Conserva Aves is about protecting habitats. It is an innovative, long-term hemispheric conservation initiative that seeks to protect threatened, endemic, and migratory birds, along with their habitats, throughout Latin America.
Conserva Aves is a partnership between the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), the National Audubon Society, BirdLife International, Birds Canada, and the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Environmental Funds (RedLAC).
In Chile, the project is implemented through a collaborative partnership between Fondo Naturaleza Chile—a national environmental fund that mobilizes resources for effective conservation and restoration, and a member of RedLAC—; the Cosmos Foundation—with over a decade of experience in management models that integrate conservation and community well-being—; the Chilean Network of Bird and Wildlife Observers (ROC), a BirdLife partner organization in Chile with extensive experience in bird conservation throughout the country; and with the support of Audubon Latin America and the Caribbean.