The Habitats Trust

What The Habitats Trust does

The Habitats Trust is a nonprofit charitable trust founded in 2018 and headquartered in Noida, India, focused on protecting the country's natural habitats and lesser-known indigenous species of flora and fauna. The organization operates as a grant-making foundation and conservation facilitator, distributing funding across five grant tiers — Conservation Grant (up to INR 1 crore), Action Grant (INR 25 lakh), Research Grant (INR 40 lakh), Seed Grant (INR 3 lakh rolling), and Conservation Hero Grant (INR 15 lakh) — to mid-sized conservation organizations, research institutions, and grassroots individuals across India. Since inception, it has received over 10,000 registrations and 2,000 applications, ultimately supporting 37 recipients working on lesser-known species and neglected habitats ranging from pygmy hogs in Assam to coral reefs in the Andamans.

Beyond grant-making, THT runs seven programme verticals: On-Ground Initiatives, Marine Programme, Tech for Conservation (deploying camera traps, mobile alert lights, Open Data Kit applications, and human-wildlife conflict early warning systems), Education & Awareness, Communications & Outreach (including the 'On The Brink' documentary series launched in 2020), Ecological Restoration, and Conservation Behavioural Science. The trust is governed by Founder & Trustee Roshni Nadar Malhotra (also Chairperson of HCLTech and Trustee of the Shiv Nadar Foundation) and Director Rushikesh Chavan. Its selection process includes screening, field verification, sub-jury evaluation, and final jury rounds featuring eminent conservationists. Revenue inflows are not publicly disclosed; the organization operates on a donations and CSR-support model, with HCLTech providing core financial and dissemination backing.

Name

The Habitats Trust

Legal name

The Habitats Trust

Website

https://thehabitatstrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Habitats Trust is a nonprofit founded in 2018 in India that funds and runs programmes to conserve lesser-known wildlife species and natural habitats, primarily through five grant tiers and seven conservation programmes serving NGOs, researchers, and grassroots conservationists across India.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB), Biodiversity, Conservation & Natural Capital Funds (FSANAJAG)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation
• Conservation grants
• Habitat protection
• Species conservation
• Ecological restoration

Headquarters

HQ city

Noida

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Conservation Grants: THT provides financial grants to conservation organizations and individuals working on wildlife conservation in India. The trust has awarded grants since 2018, with amounts ranging from INR 3,00,000 to INR 1,00,00,000.
2. Donations and Support: As a nonprofit organization, The Habitats Trust operates through donations and support, with HCLTech connection through its trustee Roshni Nadar Malhotra.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Habitats Trust is a nonprofit charitable organization that provides financial grants to conservation organizations and individuals working on wildlife conservation in India, with a special focus on lesser-known species and neglected habitats. It also operates multiple conservation programmes including On-Ground Initiatives, Marine Conservation, Tech for Conservation, Education & Awareness, Communications & Outreach, Ecological Restoration, and Conservation Behavioural Science. Grant amounts range from INR 3,00,000 to INR 1,00,00,000.

Product overview

The Habitats Trust is a nonprofit wildlife conservation organization that offers a portfolio of grant programs and conservation programs rather than a traditional tech product. Their core offerings include five grant programs: THT Conservation Grant (up to INR 1 crore for organizations), THT Action Grant (INR 25 lakhs for on-ground conservation), THT Research Grant (INR 40 lakhs for interdisciplinary research), THT Seed Grant (INR 3 lakhs rolling grant), and Conservation Hero Grant (INR 15 lakhs for grassroots conservationists). These grants support conservation organizations and individuals working on India's lesser-known species and critical habitats. Beyond funding, THT operates seven conservation programs: On-Ground Initiatives, Marine Programme, Tech for Conservation, Education and Awareness, Communications and Outreach (including the 'On The Brink' film series), Ecological Restoration, and Conservation Behavioural Science. They also maintain an online THT Grants Portal for application submissions. The organization functions primarily as a grant-making foundation and conservation facilitator rather than a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• THT Conservation Grant A flagship grant providing financial support of up to INR 1,00,00,000 for organizations focused on India's conservation challenges, especially for lesser-known species and critical habitats. Administered over three years with two recipients selected. Organizations must be at least 5 years old with 3 years of conservation experience.
• THT Action Grant A grant of up to INR 25,00,000 supporting individuals and organizations working on on-ground action conservation projects focusing on lesser-known species and habitats requiring urgent conservation intervention. Administered over two years with three recipients selected.
• THT Research Grant A grant of up to INR 40,00,000 supporting organizations engaged in interdisciplinary research on ecological, social, and technological aspects of conservation. Promotes research that directly informs on-ground action and contributes to conservation efforts in India.
• THT Seed Grant A rolling grant of up to INR 3,00,000 filling urgent and critical gaps in conservation action for lesser-known species and critical habitats. Open to applicants year-round with maximum duration of one year.
• Conservation Hero Grant A grant of INR 15 Lakhs recognizing grassroots conservationists working in their individual capacity to protect India's biodiversity, providing them a platform to expand their activities and garner further support.
• Tech for Conservation Programme A specialized program focusing on using technology for conservation purposes, supporting innovative technological solutions for wildlife protection, habitat monitoring, and human-wildlife conflict mitigation through tools such as mobile-phone operated alert lights, camera traps, Open Data Kit applications, and early warning systems.
• On-Ground Initiatives Programme Core conservation program facilitating real-time field operations for preserving habitats and species on ground and underwater through comprehensive, scientific, impact-oriented initiatives.
• Marine Programme Program focused on marine conservation efforts protecting ocean habitats and aquatic species in India's coastal and underwater environments.
• Ecological Restoration Programme Program dedicated to restoring degraded ecosystems and habitats to their natural state, supporting conservation of ecological functionality.
• Conservation Behavioural Science Programme Program applying behavioral science principles to conservation challenges, understanding and influencing human behavior for better wildlife protection outcomes.
• On The Brink (Film Series) Documentary film series showcasing wildlife conservation stories and the work of conservationists protecting India's biodiversity, used as part of the Communications and Outreach Programme to raise awareness.
• THT Grants Portal Online application portal for submitting grant applications to The Habitats Trust Grants programme, including eligibility screening, document submission, and management of the rigorous screening, field verification, sub-jury, and jury evaluation process.

Quantifiable outcome

• 37 conservation organizations and individuals supported since 2018
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Durrell Wildlife Conservation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme, a long-term collaborative partnership for conservation of the critically endangered pygmy hog in Assam.
• IUCN Wild Pig Specialist GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical partner in the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme providing expertise on wild pig conservation.
• Government of Assam - Forest DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner in the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme working with Protected Area administrators to develop and implement grassland management measures.
• Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate ChangecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry partner in the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme providing policy and regulatory support.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aaranyak: Northeast India-focused conservation organization working on species recovery, habitat protection, and community conservation. Comparable as a recipient-style conservation operator in India and an actual THT Strategic Partnership grantee.
• Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust: Species-focused conservation trust that operates conservation breeding and recovery programmes globally. Directly comparable as a thematic partner of THT (Pygmy Hog) and a similar species-recovery-focused trust structure.
• Wildlife Trust of India: India-focused conservation NGO that funds and runs species recovery and habitat restoration projects. Most directly comparable to THT in terms of geographic focus, species-habitat mandate, and grant-making model within India.
• Bombay Natural History Society: One of India's oldest conservation organizations focused on wildlife research, conservation breeding, and habitat protection. Comparable as a science-driven India conservation entity, though with a longer institutional history and research-led orientation.
• Nature Conservation Foundation: India-based conservation research and action organization. Highly comparable to THT in mission (science-based, lesser-known species/habitats, India-only), though NCF is more research-led and is also a THT grantee.
• Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment: India-based conservation research and action organization with interdisciplinary focus on biodiversity and ecosystems. Comparable in research-grant orientation and is an actual THT Action Grant recipient.

Broad incumbents

• WWF India: Indian arm of WWF operating large-scale species and habitat conservation programmes domestically. Directly comparable as a conservation grant-maker and on-ground operator in India, but with much broader species scope and larger budget.
• Conservation International: Global conservation organization working on biodiversity hotspots, species protection, and natural climate solutions. Comparable as a large-scale conservation funder and policy advocate, though with global rather than India-only scope.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: One of the world's largest wildlife conservation organizations with active programmes in India. Comparable as a science-based conservation funder and operator, though significantly larger and more globally diversified than THT.
• The Nature Conservancy: Largest global conservation organization working on habitat protection at scale. Comparable as a science-driven conservation grant-maker and operator, but with vastly greater resources and a global footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/habitatstrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheHabitatsTrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thehabitatstrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Habitats Trust