What is the Indianapolis Prize?
About the Indianapolis Prize
What can we do that will really make a difference to saving the lives of endangered & threatened animals around the world?
The Prize combines significant financial support with programs that build emotional and intellectual support, one person at a time, over many years and several generations. It combines a monetary award large enough to have a serious impact on an individual conservationist with programs that would inspire and educate the public about the true heroes of conservation and their dedication, and ultimately, their victories in the constant battle to save wildlife and wild places from extinction. The Indianapolis Prize awards $250,000 to an animal conservationist who has achieved major victories in advancing the sustainability of an animal species or group of species. The Prize also awards five DeHaan Finalists and an Emerging Conservationist with $50,000 each. Granted biennially, this award was established to bring the world’s attention to the cause of animal conservation and the brave, talented and dedicated men and women who spend their lives saving the Earth’s endangered animal species.
Recognized as the Nobel Prize for animal conservation, the Indianapolis Prize is a signature conservation initiative of the Indianapolis Zoological Society, Inc. Since its inception as the largest individual monetary award given for animal conservation, the Prize has awarded more than $6.2 million and in 2023, reached more than 2 billion people globally.
The Prize draws attention to the important work of leading animal conservationists whose work protects species and creates successful and replicable conservation methods that ensure future generations will live in a flourishing and sustainable world.
This represents the vitality and commitment of the Indianapolis community’s dedication to make a difference to our natural world. No other city or community in the world has an award program with the magnitude and impact of the Indianapolis Prize.
Indianapolis is a Leader for Animal Conservation
“Today’s conservationists, by strenghthening our planet’s biodiversity, are literally defining the world we will live in tomorrow. They are establishing the textures of our landscapes, the color and clarity of our skies and waters, and the sounds that will sweeten our lives.” – Michael I. Crowther
Behind the Prize
Indianapolis Prize Book
Kenya, Madagascar and Mauritius are only a handful of the breathtaking international locations that audiences of the Indianapolis Prize Gala have been transported to over the years, thanks to Mays Entertainment, LLC. Whether it’s trekking through the heart of the rainforest or diving into the depths of an ocean to follow DeHaan Finalists and Winners, the goal is to share the incredible stories of conservation heroes.