BBVA Foundation Biodiversity Conservation Awards

The BBVA Foundation Awards for Biodiversity Conservation purpose in issuing this call is to recognize and reward the work done by conservationist organizations, institutions and agencies in carrying forward environmental conservation policies and projects, and the efforts of professionals engaging in any type of communication activities who have contributed to the protection of our natural heritage.

The scheme comprises four award categories:

BBVA Foundation Award for Biodiversity Conservation in Spain

BBVA Foundation Award for Biodiversity Conservation in Latin America

BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation

BBVA Foundation Awards for Knowledge Dissemination and Communication in Biodiversity Conservation in Spanish

For further information and enquiries: premios@fbbva.es

 

CONDITIONS DOWNLOAD CONDITIONS

INTRODUCTION

The BBVA Foundation Awards for Biodiversity Conservation express the identity of the BBVA Foundation along with its commitment to the conservation of the environment.

Their goal is to publicly recognize the work done by conservationist organizations, institutions and agencies in carrying forward environmental conservation policies and projects, and the efforts of communication professionals who have contributed to the protection of our natural heritage.

Awards go to:

• Projects, policies and/or activities based on the best available scientific knowledge that contribute outstandingly to the conservation and protection of habitats, species or ecosystems. Actions will focus respectively on Spain, Latin America and the rest of the world.
• Spanish-language dissemination of environmental knowledge and raising of social awareness around the value of conserving the natural environment.

 

OBJECT

The Foundation’s purpose in issuing this call is to recognize and reward the work done by conservationist organizations, institutions and agencies in carrying forward environmental conservation policies and projects, and the efforts of professionals engaging in any type of communication activities who have contributed to the protection of our natural heritage.

The scheme comprises four award categories:

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SPAIN

 Recognizing the execution of projects, policies and/or actions of particular significance for the protection and conservation of habitats, species or ecosystems in Spain, completed before December 31, 2023, with proven results in biodiversity conservation. Actions will invariably have taken as their basis the best scientific knowledge in conservation.

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN LATIN AMERICA 

Recognizing the execution of projects, policies and/or actions of particular significance for the protection and conservation of habitats, species or ecosystems in one or more Latin American countries, completed before December 31, 2023, with proven results in biodiversity conservation. Actions will invariably have taken as their basis the best scientific knowledge in conservation.

BBVA FOUNDATION WORLDWIDE AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

Recognizing the execution of projects, policies and/or actions of particular significance for the protection and conservation of habitats, species or ecosystems in any country, with a significance and scope that extends beyond its borders. All actions will have been completed before December 31, 2023, and will have achieved proven results in biodiversity conservation.

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARDS FOR KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION AND COMMUNICATION IN BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SPANISH

Recognizing the Spanish-language dissemination of environmental knowledge to society at large and the building of social awareness on the importance of nature conservation by means of articles, monographs, outreach books or multimedia materials; the production, editing or presentation of reports and documentaries; the curation and design of exhibitions; or the launch of communicative ventures through any channel (press, radio, television, film, Internet or social media, among others), completed before December 31, 2023, and that have achieved proven results in knowledge dissemination and communication in biodiversity conservation.

This category comprises two awards: one specific to audiovisual media and the other for remaining formats.

CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SPAIN

Candidates will be public or private non-profit entities with their registered offices in Spain, and meeting the following requirements:

• Legally established before the year 2022.
• Stating activities relating to environmental and biodiversity conservation as part of their organizational purpose.

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN LATIN AMERICA

Candidates will be public or private non-profit entities with their registered offices in a Latin American country, and meeting the following requirements:

• Legally established before the year 2022.
• Stating activities relating to environmental and biodiversity conservation as part of their organizational purpose.

BBVA FOUNDATION WORLDWIDE AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

Candidates will be public or private non-profit entities with their registered offices in any country, and meeting the following requirements:

• Legally established before the year 2022.
• Stating activities relating to environmental and biodiversity conservation as part of their organizational purpose.

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARDS FOR KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION AND COMMUNICATION IN BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SPANISH

Candidates will be natural persons of any nationality working in Spanish-language communication, dissemination and awareness-raising in the realm of biodiversity conservation. Joint entries will be accepted from two or more persons that have worked collaboratively on the above dissemination activities.

No candidature may be submitted for more than one award.

PLACE AND DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES AND REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION

All entries must be submitted using the online form provided on this website.

The documentation accompanying entries in the category BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation may be presented in Spanish or in English.

In the remaining categories, all documentation must be presented in Spanish, with the exception of letters of support, which may be in English.

Materials documenting the implementation of candidate projects or communication and dissemination activities may be presented in other languages, whatever the award category, provided they are accompanied by a summary in Spanish or in English.

The submission period for these awards closes on Friday, April 5, 2024 at 12 noon (Spanish standard time), by which point the candidature must have been submitted in its entirety. No entries will be accepted after this date and time.

If the submission contains rectifiable errors, the BBVA Foundation will inform the candidate to this effect, giving a non-extendible period of ten calendar days as of this notification in which to correct them, so the entry may be accepted for consideration.

Candidatures will include only the documents appearing below, according to the prize category:

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SPAIN

1. Description of the action carried out (10 A4 pages max.).
2. Description of the organization in charge (5 A4 pages max.).
3. Copy of or access link to materials substantiating the execution of the action, where pertinent (up to a maximum of 20).
4. Optionally, letters of support (up to a maximum of three) addressed to the chair of the jury of the BBVA Foundation Award for Biodiversity Conservation in Spain, signed by the representatives of the organizations or the individual experts endorsing the candidature, with arguments supporting the significance and impact of the action carried out. These letters should be sent directly by their signatories before the deadline for entries stated in point 3 of these call conditions. Letters should offer a short reasoned account of the significance of the specific conservation action being submitted for the award, as well as its overall contribution to the conservation of the environment.

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN LATIN AMERICA

1. Description of the action carried out (10 A4 pages max.).
2. Description of the organization in charge (5 A4 pages max.).
3. Copy of or access link to materials substantiating the execution of the action, where pertinent (up to a maximum of 20).
4. Optionally, letters of support (up to a maximum of three) addressed to the chair of the jury of the BBVA Foundation Award for Biodiversity Conservation in Latin America, signed by the representatives of the organizations or the individual experts endorsing the candidature, with arguments supporting the significance and impact of the action carried out. These letters should be sent directly by their signatories before the deadline for entries stated in point 3 of these call conditions. Letters should offer a short reasoned account of the significance of the specific conservation action being submitted for the award, as well as its overall contribution to the conservation of the environment.

BBVA FOUNDATION WORLDWIDE AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

1. Description of the action carried out (10 A4 pages max.).
2. Description of the organization in charge (5 A4 pages max.).
3. Copy of or access link to materials substantiating the execution of the action, where pertinent (up to a maximum of 20).
4. Optionally, letters of support (up to a maximum of three) addressed to the chair of the jury of the BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation, signed by the representatives of the organizations or the individual experts endorsing the candidature, with arguments supporting the significance and impact of the action carried out. These letters should be sent directly by their signatories before the deadline for entries stated in point 3 of these call conditions. Letters should offer a short reasoned account of the significance of the specific conservation action being put forward for the award, as well as its overall contribution to the conservation of the environment.

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARDS FOR KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION AND COMMUNICATION IN BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SPANISH

1. Description of communication and dissemination activities (5 A4 pages max.).
2. Curriculum vitae of candidate(s) (up to a maximum of twenty candidates).
3. Copy of or access link to communication and dissemination materials of the greatest significance and impact, where pertinent (up to a maximum of 20).
4. Optionally, letters of support (up to a maximum of three) addressed to the chair of the jury of the BBVA Foundation Awards for Knowledge Dissemination and Communication in Biodiversity Conservation in Spanish, signed by the representatives of the organizations or the individual experts endorsing the candidature, with arguments supporting the merits of the candidate(s) and the importance and impact of the activities carried out. These letters should be sent directly by their signatories before the deadline for entries stated in point 3 of these call conditions. Letters should offer a short reasoned account of the significance of the candidate’s contribution in communication, education and awareness-raising in the realm of biodiversity and environmental conservation, along with their general contribution to disseminating knowledge and raising public awareness on the conservation of the environment.

The BBVA Foundation guarantees the confidentiality of all documentation, which will be archived following the award decision.

AWARD CONTENT

The BBVA Foundation Awards for Biodiversity Conservation will have the following content in each category:

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SPAIN

A single award comprising 250,000 euros, a diploma and a commemorative artwork. Once the award has been notified, the winning organization must furnish the following documentation:

• Document attesting to the nature of the organization and its engagement in the activities stated in point 2 of these call conditions. Also, where appropriate, a copy of the organization’s entry in the corresponding registry.
• Copy of the organization or institution’s bylaws or governing regulations.
• Copy of its tax identification number.
• Where appropriate, a certificate from the tax authorities attesting to its charitable or non-profit status.

Once these requirements are met, the BBVA Foundation will deliver the full amount of the award to the winning organization at a public ceremony convened for this purpose.

The prize money will be spent to further the organizational purposes of the receiving organization or institution in the manner that it determines, with the decision notified to the BBVA Foundation within the six months following the award presentation ceremony.

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN LATIN AMERICA

A single award comprising 250,000 euros, a diploma and a commemorative artwork. Once the award has been notified, the winning organization must furnish the following documentation:

• Document attesting to the nature of the organization and its engagement in the activities stated in point 2 of these call conditions. Also, where appropriate, a copy of the organization’s entry in the corresponding registry.
• Copy of the organization or institution’s bylaws or governing regulations.
• Copy of its tax identification number.
• Where appropriate, a certificate from the tax authorities attesting to its charitable or non-profit status.

Once these requirements are met, the BBVA Foundation will deliver the full amount of the award to the winning organization at a public ceremony convened for this purpose.

The prize money will be spent to further the organizational purposes of the receiving organization or institution in the manner that it determines, with the decision notified to the BBVA Foundation within the six months following the award presentation ceremony.

BBVA FOUNDATION WORLDWIDE AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

A single award comprising 250,000 euros, a diploma and a commemorative artwork.

Once the award has been notified, the winning organization must furnish the following documentation:

• Document attesting to the nature of the organization and its engagement in the activities stated in point 2 of these call conditions. Also, where appropriate, a copy of the organization’s entry in the corresponding registry.
• Copy of the organization or institution’s bylaws or governing regulations.
• Copy of its tax identification number.
• Where appropriate, a certificate from the tax authorities attesting to its charitable or non-profit status.

Once these requirements are met, the BBVA Foundation will deliver the full amount of the award to the winning organization at a public ceremony convened for this purpose.

The prize money will be spent to further the organizational purposes of the receiving organization or institution in the manner that it determines, with the decision notified to the BBVA Foundation within the six months following the award presentation ceremony.

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARDS FOR KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION AND COMMUNICATION IN BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SPANISH

Two awards will be given, each consisting of 80,000 euros prize money, a diploma and a commemorative artwork.

In the event that an award goes to a joint entry comprising two or more individuals, its monetary amount will be divided equally among them.

The BBVA Foundation will deliver the full amount of the award to the winning individual(s) at a public ceremony convened for this purpose. The prize money in this category may be spent at the winner(s)’ discretion.

 

All awards, in whatever category, are subject to the withholding and other taxes stipulated in current legislation, which will be deducted from the corresponding monetary amount.

EVALUATION CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES

All candidatures correctly submitted will be assessed by a jury made up of eminent researchers and experts in environmental conservation and communication, who will reach their award decision by reference to the following evaluation criteria:

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SPAIN

• Direct contribution of the projects, policies or activities to the conservation of species, habitats and/or ecosystems under threat.
• Projects must be of an eminently applied nature and may not consist exclusively or principally of scientific research.
• Innovation and originality of the contribution.

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN LATIN AMERICA

• Direct contribution of the projects, policies or activities to the conservation of species, habitats and/or ecosystems under threat.
• Projects must be of an eminently applied nature and may not consist exclusively or principally of scientific research.
• Innovation and originality of the contribution.
• Geographical scope of the action.

BBVA FOUNDATION WORLDWIDE AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

• Direct contribution of the projects, policies or activities to the conservation of species, habitats and/or ecosystems under threat.
• Projects must be of an eminently applied nature and may not consist exclusively or principally of scientific research.
• Innovation and originality of the contribution.
• Geographical scope of the action.

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARDS FOR KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION AND COMMUNICATION IN BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SPANISH

• Dissemination activities may consist of articles, monographs, outreach books or multimedia materials; the production, editing or presentation of news stories, reports and documentaries; the curation and design of exhibitions; or the production and dissemination of content and activities through any media channel (press, radio, television, film, Internet or social media, among others).
• Innovation and originality of the dissemination activities.
• Scientific quality of the content.
• Social impact of the dissemination activities.

THE JURY

The jury in each category of the 19th edition of the BBVA Foundation Awards for Biodiversity Conservation will be chaired by the Director of the BBVA Foundation or his delegatee, and will include a person designated by the BBVA Foundation acting as secretary, with speaking but no voting rights, and between six and a maximum of ten members of outstanding merit and acknowledged prestige in the realm of environmental conservation and communication, appointed by the BBVA Foundation.

The composition of the jury will be publicly disclosed. The jury may choose to declare the awards wholly or partially void. The jury’s decision will not be open to appeal. No itemized or individual information will be provided on the submissions received or the deliberations of the prize juries. No laureate may hold the award in more than one category in this edition. No awards may go to winners in any of the previous three editions of the BBVA Foundation Awards for Biodiversity Conservation.

AWARD DECISION AND PRESENTATION

The awards will be decided in the six months following the closing date of the present call. The awards will be presented at a ceremony organized by the BBVA Foundation, during which the public will be informed of the activities and achievements of the winning entrants.

The individuals and organizations receiving the awards must agree to take part in this presentation ceremony. The submission of entries under this call signifies the acceptance of its conditions and award decisions, which are not subject to appeal, and renunciation of any claim in their respect.

ACCEPTANCE

Exceptionally, the BBVA Foundation reserves the right to make changes in the wording of these conditions, for duly justified reasons, with the sole purpose of clarifying their content, without such changes in any case implying a substantial or arbitrary alteration of the same. The text of the conditions, and the corresponding FAQs, which we advise you to read, will be available for the duration of this call on this website.