What will your support be used for?

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Ask any conservationist what they need, and the answer is always "funding". It seems that everyone is always vying for funding, and time that is spent on grant applications is time that isn't spent on actually engaging in conservation. Also, it is an unfortunate reality that many grants come with restrictions on how the funding can be used, which can sometimes lead to situations where a project is over-funded in one area, but is prohibited from moving those funds to another area in desperate need. 

The Harris Conservation Initiative will still seek out grants and apply to those that fit our stated goals, but your direct contributions will allow us to use the funds where they are needed most, at the time they are needed most, with no delays. The funding you provide will allow us to act with a level of security and stability that will allow us to get down to the matter at hand- conserving our natural heritage.

Our team is made up of dedicated professionals who are passionate about making a difference in the lives of those we serve, as well as students who will be the next generation of conservation leaders. 

The field of conservation is grossly underpaid, to the extent that there is concern that it is becoming a "rich person's game".  It isn't common for student interns to be paid in "experience", which, while valuable, is rarely accepted as valid currency when the rent is due.

Likewise, professionals in the field of conservation who have earned their degrees often subsist on low wages. The Harris Conservation Initiative is dedicated to the idea of paying everyone who works for us a fair wage. 

Unfortunately, most grants do not allow for salaries to be paid from the funding they provide. A project may be "fully funded", and yet rely on volunteer work to be enacted. That needs to change, and with your help, we can. 

When Norman started the Harris Conservation Initiative, there was one non-negotiable element to this nonprofit: having been the first member of his family to ever attend college, Norman wants others to have the same opportunities that he has been fortunate enough to experience. Funding will be used to allow both talented "up-and-coming" students and seasoned researchers to travel from the host countries of our partner projects to other host countries, for the purposes of gaining field experience in new ecosystems.