The Fund has 4 areas of focus:

1. Species Research
2. Habitat Protection
3. Conservation Education
4. Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation

Each year the Fund has specific conservation priorities it supports. Below are focus items:

Species Research: Marine Fish Sustainability

Research that contributes to the ability to create sustainable populations of marine fishes through aquaculture, with great emphasis on the most popular marine fishes in home hobbyist and commercial aquariums. Research can focus on fish lifecycles, nutrition, reproduction and aquaculture techniques.

Species Research: African Mammals

Research focused on ecology and conservation; specifically distribution, ranges, corridor mapping and threats. Research focused on physiology, disease/mortality, longevity, distribution and other measures of population health in African mammals.

Species Research: Marine Mammals

Research on the ecology, behavior, distribution, reproduction, physiology and population health of marine mammals.

Species Research: Penguins and Alcids

Research on the conservation, behavior, distribution, reproduction, longevity, mortality, physiology and population health of penguins and alcids. Research also can include diet studies, disease detection, prevention and treatment, and testing of new data collection technologies.

Species Research: Sharks

Research on the conservation, ecology, behavior, distribution, reproduction, physiology and population health of sharks.

Species Research: Reintroduction

Research that provides data and recommendations on the best practices for reintroduction of rescued and/or rehabilitated mammals into the wild.

Animal Rescue/Rehab: Wildlife Trade and Anti-Poaching

Programs designed to reduce wildlife trafficking and enforce wildlife trade laws, with specific emphasis on programs reducing illegal trade of endangered species products. Efforts to reduce poaching of endangered and threatened species. Particular interest in programs focused on reducing trafficking of rhinoceros, shark, parrot, pangolin, elephant or big cat products.

Animal Rescue/Rehab: Elephants

Programs designed to protect, rescue or rehabilitate African or Asian elephants.

Animal Rescue/Rehab: Sea Turtles

Programs designed to protect, rescue or rehabilitate North, Central or South American sea turtles (including nest protection).

Animal Rescue/Rehab: Penguins

Programs designed to protect, rescue or rehabilitate penguins.

Animal Rescue/Rehab: Marine Mammals

Programs designed to protect, rescue or rehabilitate marine mammals.

Animal Rescue/Rehab: Rhinoceros

Programs designed to protect, rescue or rehabilitate African rhinoceros.

Animal Rescue/Rehab: Wolves

Programs designed to protect, rescue or rehabilitate North American wolves.

Animal Rescue/Rehab: Great Apes

Programs designed to protect, rescue or rehabilitate Great Apes.

Animal Rescue/Rehab: Xenathrans

Programs designed to protect, rescue or rehabilitate anteaters, sloth and armadillos.

Animal Rescue/Rehab: Native Wildlife Near SEA Parks

Native wildlife rescue programs located in Florida, California, Texas, Pennsylvania, or Virginia. Proposals that focus on prevention education, operational sustainability, supplies and dietary needs are most successful.

Conservation Education: Nature Deficit Disorder

Programs designed to encourage youth to spend more time outdoors connecting with nature. This includes education programs for youth who live in biodiverse range countries to understand the value of nature and the mechanisms for sustainability.

Conservation Education: Leadership Development

Programs designed to identify potential conservation leaders and develop their leadership skills and knowledge base. Specifically, these programs can target young adults and offer peer connections within the conservation community to further develop the next generation of conservation leaders.

Conservation Education: Alternative Income

Programs designed to retrain or develop viable alternative employment opportunities for people and communities reliant upon economic opportunities that directly impact wildlife and habitat. Programs can include training and support to provide alternatives to poaching, livestock farming, or logging.

Habitat Protection: Coral Reef

Support for the creation, restoration and maintenance of marine protected areas along coral reefs located in North, Central and South America. Successful proposals can include research necessary to implement marine protected areas, populations studies of reef species, and restoration efforts to reverse the impacts of man-made and natural impacts to the reef.

Habitat Protection: Marine/Aquatic Debris

Efforts to remove marine and aquatic debris from waterways, estuaries, coasts and underwater. Includes efforts to identify sources of pollution and physically remove debris.

Habitat Protection: Habitat Restoration

Projects providing important large scale habitat enhancements such as corridor mapping, and creation and protection of habitat for endangered species limited by range restrictions are considered.

Habitat Protection: Freshwater Ecosystems

Projects focused on restoration, preservation, and protection of Florida-based freshwater ecosystems, with specific focus on the Florida Everglades.