Introduction
Primate Conservation, Inc. (PCI) is an all-volunteer, nonprofit private foundation that supports field research and conservation projects focused on rare, poorly understood and endangered wild primates.
The organisation provides small grants to graduate students, primatologists and conservation professionals studying primates in their natural habitats. Its funding helps researchers collect scientific evidence, assess threats, engage local communities and develop practical conservation plans.
PCI is registered in the United States as a 501(c)(3) private foundation and is headquartered in Charlestown, Rhode Island.
History and Background
Primate Conservation, Inc. was founded in 1992 by primatologist and author Noel Rowe.
The idea for the organisation emerged after Rowe witnessed the destruction of a lowland forest reserve in Madagascar. This experience demonstrated the urgent need to protect tropical forests and support researchers working directly with threatened primate populations.
PCI awarded its first grant in 1993. Since then, it has provided full, partial or renewal funding to more than 650 projects in 29 primate-range countries.
The organisation was created in response to several related challenges:
- Rapid disappearance of tropical forests
- Hunting and illegal wildlife trade
- Insufficient information about rare primates
- Limited research funding for graduate students
- Lack of conservation capacity in some range countries
- Difficulty launching new field projects
- Limited international attention for lesser-known species
PCI’s small-grants model is based on the principle that committed field researchers can become an endangered species’ most effective defenders by producing evidence, involving communities and drawing attention to conservation needs.
Mission and Purpose
Primate Conservation, Inc. is dedicated to studying, preserving and maintaining the habitats of the world’s least-known and most endangered primates.
Its primary purpose is to fund original field research that can inform and support practical conservation planning.
Its objectives include:
- Improving knowledge of rare primate species
- Documenting population size and distribution
- Identifying threats to primates and their habitats
- Supporting early-career conservationists
- Encouraging conservation leadership in range countries
- Developing evidence-based conservation plans
- Protecting tropical forest habitats
- Increasing public awareness
- Promoting local participation
- Supporting long-term species monitoring
- Building conservation research capacity
Why Primate Conservation Matters
Primates include apes, monkeys, lemurs, lorises, galagos and tarsiers. Most primates live in tropical forests and play important ecological roles.
They contribute to healthy ecosystems through:
- Seed dispersal
- Pollination
- Seed predation
- Forest regeneration
- Maintenance of plant diversity
- Support for wider food webs
Many primate species face increasing threats from:
- Deforestation
- Commercial logging
- Agricultural expansion
- Mining
- Road construction
- Hunting
- Bushmeat trade
- Illegal wildlife trafficking
- Human-wildlife conflict
- Climate change
- Small and fragmented populations
PCI prioritises lesser-known species because limited scientific information can make it difficult to design conservation strategies or attract larger-scale funding.
Geographical Focus
Primate Conservation, Inc. supports projects in countries where wild primates naturally occur.
Its historical funding distribution includes approximately:
- 40% for projects in Asia
- 26% for mainland Africa
- 20% for Madagascar
- 15% for South America
Percentages are approximate and may reflect overlapping or rounded historical figures.
The organisation’s grant guidance identifies Asia and West Africa as regions of particular interest, although suitable projects from other primate-range regions may also be considered.
Countries supported have included:
- Brazil
- China
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Ghana
- Honduras
- India
- Indonesia
- Kenya
- Madagascar
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Nigeria
- Peru
- Tanzania
- Vietnam
- Other primate-range countries
Species and Taxonomic Focus
PCI has funded projects covering a wide range of primate groups.
Its historical funding distribution includes:
- Leaf monkeys – approximately 28%
- Lemurs – approximately 20%
- Apes – approximately 17%
- New World monkeys – approximately 13%
- Cheek-pouch monkeys – approximately 12%
- Lorises and galagos – approximately 6%
- Tarsiers – approximately 4%
The organisation has supported projects concerning 21 of the world’s 25 most endangered primates identified at the time of its reporting.
Governance and Structure
Primate Conservation, Inc. operates as an all-volunteer organisation. Its structure helps minimise administrative costs and direct most available funding towards field projects.
Director
Noel B. Rowe is the founder and Director of Primate Conservation, Inc.
He is the author of The Pictorial Guide to the Living Primates and co-editor of the All the World’s Primates resource.
His responsibilities include:
- Organisational leadership
- Grant administration
- Donor engagement
- Communication with applicants
- Programme oversight
- Conservation outreach
- Development of primate-information resources
Board of Directors
The Board oversees grant decisions, financial management and the organisation’s conservation strategy.
Board members participate in the evaluation of proposals and make final funding decisions after considering scientific reviews.
Scientific Advisory Board
PCI’s Scientific Advisory Board includes researchers with expertise in primatology, anthropology, ecology and conservation biology.
The Advisory Board’s role includes:
- Reviewing grant proposals
- Assessing scientific merit
- Evaluating research methods
- Considering conservation relevance
- Identifying feasibility concerns
- Helping prioritise applications
Each proposal is reviewed by independent scientific experts before final consideration by the Board.
Funding Model
PCI is funded through individual donations, memberships and other charitable contributions.
The organisation operates with limited administrative expenses because staff, Board members and scientific reviewers volunteer their time.
PCI reports that more than 94% of its budget has historically been directed towards field projects in primate-range countries.
Donations are used to support:
- Field research
- Population surveys
- Habitat assessments
- Conservation education
- Community engagement
- Monitoring
- Equipment and field supplies
- Initial development of conservation programmes
Contributions to PCI are generally tax-deductible in the United States to the extent permitted by law.
Funding and Grants
The Primate Conservation, Inc. Grant Program provides seed funding and matching grants for field research and conservation involving rare and endangered primates.
Grants generally range from $500 to $5,000.
The organisation states that grants average approximately $2,500, with a maximum award of $5,000.
PCI may provide:
- Full funding for small projects
- Partial project support
- Matching grants
- Seed funding
- Renewal funding for continuing projects
- Director’s discretionary grants in certain cases
Who Can Apply?
Eligible applicants include:
- Graduate students
- Primatologists
- Qualified conservationists
- Field researchers
- Researchers affiliated with universities
- Staff of nonprofit conservation organisations
- Appropriate local research institutions
Projects should focus on wild primates in their natural habitats.
Local participation is strongly encouraged. Involvement by citizens and institutions from the country where the primates occur is considered an advantage.
Priority Projects
Priority is given to projects that:
- Study poorly known primate species
- Focus on endangered or critically endangered primates
- Conduct research in natural habitats
- Generate information needed for conservation
- Include local researchers or community members
- Develop practical conservation recommendations
- Address immediate threats
- Have realistic methods and budgets
- Can lead to longer-term protection
PCI is particularly interested in original research that can be used to formulate and implement conservation plans.
Eligible Project Activities
Funding may support:
- Population surveys
- Distribution mapping
- Behavioural ecology
- Habitat assessments
- Threat analysis
- Hunting and trade studies
- Human-primate conflict research
- Conservation education
- Community engagement
- Ecological monitoring
- Species identification
- Protected-area research
- Baseline field studies
- Conservation action planning
Budgets may include reasonable field expenses such as:
- Local transportation
- Field accommodation
- Research supplies
- Local assistants
- Essential field equipment
- Community activities
- Printing educational materials
- Data collection
- Survey costs
All costs must be clearly connected to the proposed field project.
Ineligible Costs
PCI does not normally fund:
- Conferences
- Travel to scientific meetings
- Legal actions
- Tuition fees
- Institutional salaries
- University overhead
- Nonprofit administrative overhead
- Projects without a direct primate-conservation connection
The applicant’s institution must agree that no portion of the grant will be deducted for administration or overhead.
Application Deadlines
PCI normally reviews applications twice each year.
Published deadlines are:
- 1 February
- 20 September
Funding decisions are generally announced by:
- 15 May for the February round
- 15 December for the September round
Applicants should confirm current dates with PCI before submitting because programme schedules can change.
Application Requirements
Applicants must complete the PCI cover sheet and Institutional Agreement Form.
A complete proposal normally includes:
- Project title
- Principal investigator information
- Institutional affiliation
- Project period
- Total budget
- Amount requested
- Support from other sources
- Project abstract
- Conservation justification
- Background information
- Previous research
- Previous conservation action
- Study objectives
- Research methods
- Work plan
- Timeline
- Detailed budget
- Bibliography
- Project-location map
- Curriculum vitae of key personnel
- Research permits or permit information
- Institutional Agreement Form
- Names of three qualified independent reviewers
Proposals must be written in English and follow the formatting and length requirements published by PCI.
Institutional Agreement
PCI awards grants through colleges, universities and nonprofit organisations.
The administering institution must confirm that it will not deduct:
- Administrative fees
- Institutional overhead
- Indirect costs
- Other unrelated charges
This requirement ensures that the full grant benefits the approved researcher and conservation project.
Review and Selection Process
Proposals are evaluated competitively by outside reviewers and PCI’s Board of Directors.
Assessment considers:
- Conservation importance
- Scientific merit
- Quality of research methods
- Applicant qualifications
- Project feasibility
- Budget reasonableness
- Urgency of the threat
- Relevance to rare or endangered primates
- Local participation
- Potential for practical conservation action
Not every technically sound proposal can be funded because PCI operates with limited resources.
Major Programs and Initiatives
Small Grants for Field Conservation
PCI’s main programme provides small grants that allow researchers to begin or continue field studies.
Seed funding can help researchers:
- Establish baseline information
- Demonstrate project feasibility
- Identify previously undocumented populations
- Build local partnerships
- Generate results for larger applications
- Attract future conservation funding
Renewal Support
Projects that produce valuable findings may receive renewal funding.
Continuing applicants must explain:
- Previous activities
- Research findings
- Use of earlier PCI funding
- Conservation outcomes
- Need for additional support
- Proposed next steps
All the World’s Primates
PCI is associated with All the World’s Primates, an extensive educational and scientific database.
The resource contains information about primate species and subspecies, including:
- Photographs
- Distribution maps
- Habitat
- Social behaviour
- Diet
- Physical characteristics
- Conservation status
- Extinction risks
- Scientific references
- Videos
- Vocalisations
- Multilingual glossaries
The database includes thousands of photographs and more than 10,000 references, with contributions from hundreds of scientists.
Membership helps support PCI’s conservation work while providing access to the database.
Primate Conservation Education
PCI promotes awareness of the ecological importance of primates and the threats they face.
Its educational resources help:
- Students
- Researchers
- Conservation practitioners
- Teachers
- Wildlife enthusiasts
- Policymakers
- Members of the public
The organisation encourages responsible consumption, conservation advocacy, sustainable tourism and support for field projects.
Impact and Examples of Work Funded
Global Project Portfolio
Since awarding its first grant in 1993, PCI has provided full, partial or renewal funding for more than 650 projects across 29 countries.
This portfolio has generated scientific information and conservation attention for rare species that might otherwise have remained poorly documented.
Tonkin Snub-Nosed Monkey in Vietnam
PCI has supported conservation research involving the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey, one of the world’s rarest primates.
Field research helps establish population status, habitat distribution and threats while informing protection measures.
Pig-Tailed Langur in Indonesia
Research supported by PCI has examined the pig-tailed langur, or simakobu, in Indonesia’s Mentawai Islands.
Studies of its behavioural ecology and habitat needs contribute to conservation planning for this highly restricted island primate.
Yellow-Tailed Woolly Monkey in Peru
PCI has funded projects concerning the yellow-tailed woolly monkey in northern Peru.
Supported activities have included ecological research, community conservation and efforts to draw attention to threats affecting cloud-forest habitat.
Cross River Gorilla in Nigeria
The organisation has contributed to projects involving the Cross River gorilla, a critically endangered ape found along the Nigeria–Cameroon border.
Research and surveys help identify populations and inform habitat protection.
Tana River Red Colobus in Kenya
PCI has supported work related to the Tana River red colobus, a highly threatened primate with a restricted range in Kenya.
Greater Bamboo Lemur in Madagascar
The Foundation has funded research on the greater bamboo lemur, one of Madagascar’s most endangered lemurs.
Studies help document populations, habitat requirements and conservation priorities.
Golden Langur Conservation in India
PCI supported conservation education and community awareness concerning golden langurs around Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam.
The project connected research with participation by communities living near important primate habitat.
Sclater’s Guenon in Nigeria
PCI funded surveys of Sclater’s guenon populations in southern Nigeria.
Research has contributed to knowledge of the species’ distribution, ecological status and conservation needs.
Slow Loris Research in Singapore
A PCI-supported preliminary study investigated the greater slow loris in Singapore, helping improve understanding of its presence and conservation status.
Gorilla, Chimpanzee and Orangutan Research
Although PCI prioritises lesser-known primates, it has also supported projects involving:
- Western lowland gorillas
- Chimpanzees
- Orangutans
- Bonobos
- Gibbons
These studies have examined population status, habitat use, behaviour and human-related threats.
Building Early-Career Conservation Leadership
PCI’s greatest long-term contribution is its support for students and early-career researchers.
A small initial grant can enable a researcher to:
- Complete graduate fieldwork
- Publish scientific findings
- Establish a conservation organisation
- Develop expertise in a threatened species
- Build relationships with local communities
- Secure larger grants
- Continue a career in primate conservation
Supporting Local Conservation Capacity
PCI values participation by researchers and citizens from primate-range countries.
Locally led conservation provides several advantages:
- Greater knowledge of local conditions
- Stronger community relationships
- Culturally appropriate engagement
- Lower operational costs
- Long-term presence
- Direct communication with authorities
- Sustainable monitoring
Financial Efficiency
PCI’s volunteer structure enables the organisation to direct most of its budget to field projects.
This approach allows relatively modest donations to support tangible conservation research in habitat countries.
Conclusion
Primate Conservation, Inc. is a specialised private foundation supporting field research on rare, poorly understood and endangered primates.
Founded by Noel Rowe in 1992, the organisation has funded more than 650 projects in 29 countries since awarding its first grant in 1993. Its portfolio covers primates ranging from lemurs and langurs to gorillas, gibbons, tarsiers and New World monkeys.
PCI provides seed, matching and renewal grants generally ranging from $500 to $5,000. Priority is given to scientifically sound projects that study threatened primates in their natural habitats and generate information that can guide practical conservation.
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