News published 17 April 2025

We are excited to announce that Reverse the Red has launched the Species Pledge Accelerator Award. More than 46,000 species are known to be threatened with extinction, and with many species still unknown, this number could be as high as two million. With 57% of known threatened species requiring additional Urgent Management Actions (GBF Target 4) beyond protected areas and climate solutions, we have the opportunity to catalyze strategic actions for species.

The Reverse the Red Accelerator Award has been developed to mobilise innovation, refine recovery-focused strategy, increase collaboration, and support the acceleration of action foundational to recovering species and creating positive impact on wildlife and biodiversity. Reverse the Red will award grants of up to USD 15,000 and provide additional strategic, promotional, and network support to accelerate action for threatened species to the winners, who will be announced at the World Conservation Congress in October 2025.

This competitive opportunity is for organisations or groups that have submitted a Reverse the Red Species Pledge for an endangered, critically endangered, or extinct in the wild species of Animal, Fungi, or Plant. Upon making a species pledge, organisations will receive information about applying for the Accelerator Award.

To be eligible, all candidates must submit a species pledge and a pre-application by the deadline of April 25, 2025, 11:59 p.m. EDT. Applicants whose pre-applications are successful will be invited to submit a full application. All candidates will receive a decision on their pre-application by the end of May, 2025.

Reverse the Red will host a final information session on April 22, 2025 at 8:00am EDT / 12:00pm GMT.

A session prepared by the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group can also be reviewed:

The Reverse the Red Species Pledge is designed to understand which organisations, groups, and agencies are committed to specific strategic recovery actions for identified species in specific countries. In 2022, 196 countries committed to the Global Biodiversity Framework with specific commitment to Goal A and Target 4 – halting extensions, reversing declines, and recovering populations; plant, fungi, and animals. To achieve these targets, we need coordinated, strategic efforts from all partners and this Species Pledge is our first step to understanding which organisations are committing their skills, experience, and knowledge to participating in the recovery of specific species. The Species Pledge is designed to connect the strategic actions of partners in support of National Biodiversity targets and goals. Recognising current commitments to species recovery or thoughtfully making new commitments to strategic actions for species recovery, the Species Pledge is for any organisation or group committed to specific actions aligned with a larger strategy to see populations of threatened species recovered in the wild. Organisations can learn more and make a pledge at www.reversethered.org/reverse-the-red-species-pledge.

This is a great opportunity to showcase the work that your organisations are doing, the impact you have for species, and tie your work to this global movement working to halt extinctions, reverse declines, and restore populations.

Thank you so much for your interest and please let Megan at Reverse the Red know if you have any questions at any time: megan.joyce@reversethered.org