The EA Animal Welfare Fund aims to effectively improve the well-being of nonhuman animals.
This request for proposals aims to help solicit applications in areas where the Fund Managers would like to see more proposals. These areas don’t necessarily reflect the fund’s overall priorities, rather areas that we would like to see additional proposals from in future, and may require active funding from us.
This is a list, in alphabetical order, of those areas (and sometimes distinct subareas nested within). Proposals that don’t address any of these areas will still be considered for funding but, all else equal, are less likely to receive funding. Proposals also need not address all areas or subareas and can just focus on one or more. Proposals for unrestricted funding will still be considered.
We would love to hear from you regarding any of the below! If in doubt, please err on the side of reaching out. Our deadline for submitting proposals for the next round is June 13th. To apply for funding, please review some further information here prior to submitting a proposal via the application form linked here.
Areas in Which We’d Like to See More Proposals
Alternatives to Using Animals
We’d be interested in hearing from you if:
- You want to tackle some “big-picture” question regarding the price, scale, or timeline of alternative proteins
- You would like to do novel work to support plant-based alternatives, and gather shareable information regarding the outcomes of your efforts
- You would like to launch a new non-profit venture, or you would like to trial something new, in the alternative protein space
- You work with a group and want to lobby for or against some legislation on alternative proteins
- You’d like to lobby for public funding of open-access R&D on alternative proteins
- You’d like to scope some opportunities for policy work on alternative proteins
- You’d like to do some research regarding alternative protein field-building opportunities
- You’d like to explore the potential of some alternative(s) to the various desired outputs from the farming of invertebrates. For instance, alternatives to honey, pollination services, farmed vertebrate animal feed, shellac, or carmine.
- You’re a scientist and want to pursue alternative protein field-building activities, such as organizing conferences, trainings, courses, or events
Large-Scale and Neglected Animals Farmed or Otherwise Impacted by the Food System
We’d particularly like to see more proposals regarding:
Crustaceans and Other Invertebrates
We’d be interested in hearing from you if:
- You’re interested in completing any research to better understand how, or even if, the welfare of farmed crustaceans or other invertebrates can be improved (e.g., assessing various welfare indicators on crustaceans farms in top producing countries)
- You’re interested in completing any work on farmed crustaceans or other invertebrates that impacted on an industrial scale (e.g., corporate campaigns on carmine, silk, or honey)
Fish
We’d be interested in hearing from you if:
- You want to do any research about what may improve the welfare of fish (e.g., assessing various welfare indicators on fish farms in top producing countries)
- You work with a group in a low or middle-income country, especially one in Asia, and are interested in completing work on farmed fish
- You work with a group and want to lobby for welfare legislation for farmed fish
- You work with a group interested in doing corporate campaigns on farmed fish in future
- You’re interested in completing work on bait-fish, or doing research to better understand possible approaches to improving the welfare of bait-fish
- You’re interested in completing work on stocked fish, or doing research on possible approaches to improving the welfare of stocked fish
- You’re interested in completing work on wild caught-fish, or doing research to better understand possible approaches to improving the welfare of wild-caught fish
Large-Scale and Neglected Geographies
We’d particularly like to see more proposals regarding:
Africa
We’d be interested in hearing from you if:
- You live locally and want to pursue field-building activities, such as organizing conferences, trainings, or events
- You want to establish a new group or initiative that focuses on farmed animal advocacy or plant-based alternatives in Africa
- You work with an organization and want to conduct cage-free campaigns, farmed animal advocacy, or plant-based advocacy in Africa
Asia
We’d be interested in hearing from you if:
- You’re based in China, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, or another large Asian nation. We’d be interested in talking with you about any project you’re currently working on or might want to start
- You’re working with an organization on cage-free campaigns in Asia, or work that is otherwise helpful for a cage-free transition within Asia
- You live locally and want to pursue movement-building activities, such as organizing conferences, trainings, or events
- You want to establish a new group or initiative that focuses on farmed animal advocacy or plant-based alternatives in Asia
- You work with an organization and want to do more cage-free campaigns, farmed animal advocacy, or plant-based advocacy in Asia
- You work with an organization in Asia that does, or could do, work focused on farmed fish
The Middle-East
We’d be interested in hearing from you if:
- You’re based in the Middle East (e.g., Turkey), we’d be interested in talking with you about any project you’re currently working on or might want to start
Research
We’d be interested in hearing from you if:
- You’re interested in completing any research to better understand how, or even if, the welfare of farmed crustaceans or other invertebrates can be improved
- You’re interested in eliciting forecasts on some strategically relevant questions
- You want to do high-quality research on some promising approach (e.g., an approach we have previously funded) that’s currently used by large groups
- You want to do any research about what may improve the welfare of fish
- You’re interested in research to better understand possible approaches to improving the welfare of bait-fish, stocked fish, or fish farmed for food
- You wish to do research on something that’s relevant to all or some large-scale and comparatively neglected geography, such as, Africa, Asia, or The Middle-East
- You’re interested in engaging with thinking on longtermism and its application to animal advocacy
- You’d like to scope some opportunities for policy work on alternative proteins or wild animal welfare
- You’d like to do some research regarding other alternative protein, wild animal welfare, or invertebrate welfare field-building opportunities
Wild Animal Welfare
We’d be interested in hearing from you if:
- You want to tackle some “big-picture” question regarding wild animal welfare
- You would like to launch a new non-profit venture, or you would like to trial something new, in the wild animal welfare space
- You’re a scientist and want to pursue field-building activities, such as organizing conferences, trainings, courses, or events
- You’re a scientist that could add welfare metrics to your current or planned research
- You’d like to do some research regarding wild animal welfare field-building opportunities
- You’d like to scope some opportunities for initial policy work on wild animal welfare
- You’d like to explore the potential of non-controversial means to improve the lives of any relatively large-scale population of wild animals
- You’re interested in exploring what for-profit business ideas might exist in the wild animal welfare space
Expressions of Interest, Feedback, and Applying for Funding
Can academic researchers apply for the Animal Welfare Fund?
Definitely! :)