16th Biodiversity Conservation Awards

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 communication professionals who have placed their abilities at the service of protecting our natural heritage.

The scheme comprises three award categories:

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SPAIN

Recognizing the execution of projects, policies and/or activities of particular significance for the protection and conservation of habitats, species or ecosystems in Spain, completed before December 31, 2020 or which have achieved concrete, proven benefits for biodiversity conservation in their area of work prior to that date.

BBVA FOUNDATION WORLDWIDE AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

Recognizing the execution of projects, policies and/or activities of particular significance for the protection and conservation of habitats, species or ecosystems in any country except Spain, completed before December 31, 2020 or which have achieved concrete, proven benefits for biodiversity conservation in their area of work prior to that date.

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARD FOR KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION AND COMMUNICATION IN BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SPAIN

Recognizing the dissemination of environmental knowledge to society at large and the building of social awareness on the importance of nature conservation through the publication of articles, monographs, multimedia materials or outreach books; the production, editing or presentation of reports or documentaries; the curating and design of exhibitions; or the launch of communicative ventures through any media channel (press, radio, television, film, documentary or Internet) completed before December 31, 2020 or which have achieved concrete, proven benefits for knowledge dissemination and communication in biodiversity conservation prior to that date.

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 2019.
• 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 2019.
• Stating activities relating to environmental and biodiversity conservation as part of their organizational purpose.

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARD FOR KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION AND COMMUNICATION IN BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SPAIN

Candidates will be natural persons of Spanish nationality working in communications and media.
Joint entries will be accepted from two or more persons that have work collaboratively on the forenamed tasks of biodiversity conservation communication and dissemination.

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SPAIN

Candidates should provide from three up to a maximum of six letters of nomination, with signatories from among the following categories:
• Representatives of national, international or supranational public institutions with competencies in nature conservation.
• Office-holders (presidents, directors) of scientific societies.
• Scientists or experts of acknowledged repute in ecology and conservation biology.
• National and international conservationist organizations.

Letters of nomination should be provided directly by their signatories before the deadline for entries (March 31, 2021 at 12:00, Spanish mainland time). They should offer a short reasoned account of the significance of the specific conservation project put forward for the award, along with its overall contribution to environmental conservation.

BBVA FOUNDATION WORLDWIDE AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

Candidates should provide from three up to a maximum of six letters of nomination, with signatories from among the following categories:
• Representatives of national, international or supranational public institutions with competencies in nature conservation.
• Office-holders (presidents, directors) of scientific societies.
• Scientists or experts of acknowledged repute in ecology and conservation biology.
• National and international conservationist organizations.

Letters of nomination should be provided directly by their signatories before the deadline for entries (March 31, 2021 at 12:00, Spanish mainland time). They should offer a short reasoned account of the significance of the specific conservation project put forward for the award, along with its overall contribution to environmental conservation.

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARD FOR KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION AND COMMUNICATION IN BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SPAIN

Candidates should provide from three up to a maximum of six letters of nomination, with signatories from among the following categories:
• Representatives of national, international or supranational public institutions with competencies in nature conservation.
• Office-holders (presidents, directors) of scientific societies.
• Office-holders (presidents, directors) of associations of media professionals specializing in the dissemination and communication of environmental conservation matters.
• Scientists or experts of acknowledged repute in ecology and conservation biology.
• National and international conservationist organizations.

Letters of nomination should be provided directly by their signatories before the deadline for entries (March 31, 2021 at 12:00, Spanish mainland time). They should offer a short reasoned account of the significance of the candidate or candidates’ single most notable contribution to communication, education and awareness-raising in the realm of environmental and biodiversity conservation, along with their general contribution to disseminating knowledge and mobilizing social awareness around the need to conserve nature.

No candidate may appear in more than one award category.

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 English or in Spanish.

In the two categories whose focus is Spain, all documentation must be presented in Spanish, with the exception of letters of nomination, which may be in English.

Materials documenting the execution of the candidate project or the communication and dissemination activity may be presented in other languages, provided they are accompanied by a summary in Spanish. In the category “BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation,” this summary may be written in either Spanish or English.

Any candidate materials that cannot be uploaded or electronically identified should be sent by postal mail to the following address, with the candidate’s name clearly stated:

16TH EDITION BBVA FOUNDATION AWARDS FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

Fundación BBVA, Paseo de Recoletos, 10 28001, Madrid, Spain

The submission period for these awards closes on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 12:00 (Spanish mainland time), by which point the candidate’s submission must be completed in its entirety. No entries will be accepted after this date and time, even if the candidate has previously sent additional documentation by postal mail.

If the submission contains errors that can be corrected, 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 rectify the information, so the entry may be accepted for consideration.

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

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SPAIN

1. Description of the specific project carried out (5 A4 pages max.).
2. Description of the organization in charge of the project (5 A4 pages max.).
3. Curriculum vitae of key project participants (up to a maximum of five CVs, each no longer than 5 A4 pages).
4. Copy of documentation substantiating the execution of the project.
5. Copy of letters of nomination (between three and six letters) addressed to the chair of the jury in the 16th edition 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 project carried out.
6. A letter signed by the candidate and addressed to the chair of the jury in the 16th edition of the BBVA Foundation Award for Biodiversity Conservation in Spain, as per the sample letter accompanying the online form.

BBVA FOUNDATION WORLDWIDE AWARD FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

1. Description of the specific project carried out (5 A4 pages max.).
2. Description of the organization in charge of the project (5 A4 pages max.).
3. Curriculum vitae of key project participants (up to a maximum of five CVs, each no longer than 5 A4 pages).
4. Copy of documentation substantiating the execution of the project.
5. Copy of letters of nomination (between three and six letters) addressed to the chair of the jury in the 16th edition 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 project carried out.
6. A letter signed by the candidate and addressed to the chair of the jury in the 16th edition of the BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation, as per the sample letter accompanying the online form.

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARD FOR KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION AND COMMUNICATION IN BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SPAIN

1. Description of communication and dissemination activities (5 A4 pages max.).
2. Curriculum vitae of candidate(s) (up to a maximum of twenty).
3. Copy of communication and dissemination materials of the greatest significance and impact.
4. Copy of letters of nomination (between three and six letters) addressed to the chair of the jury in the 16th edition of the BBVA Foundation Award for Knowledge Dissemination and Communication in Biodiversity Conservation in Spain, signed by the representatives of the organizations or the individual experts endorsing the candidature, with arguments supporting the merits of the candidate(s) and impact of the activities carried out.
5. A letter signed by the candidate and addressed to the chair of the jury in the 16th edition of the BBVA Foundation Award for Knowledge Dissemination and Communication in Biodiversity Conservation in Spain, as per the sample letter accompanying the online form.

The BBVA Foundation guarantees the confidentiality of all documents, which will be kept on record after the award decision.

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’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 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’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 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 KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION AND COMMUNICATION IN BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SPAIN

A single award comprising 80,000 euros, a diploma and a commemorative artwork.
In the event that the award goes to a joint entry comprising two or more individuals, its monetary amount will be divided equally between 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 their monetary amount.

All entries correctly submitted will be assessed by a jury made up of eminent researchers and experts in conservation, 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.
• Innovation and originality of the contribution made to biodiversity conservation.
• Excellence in project performance and implementation.
• Social impact of the project’s results.

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.
• Innovation and originality of the contribution made to biodiversity conservation.
• Excellence in project performance and implementation.
• Social impact of the project’s results.

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARD FOR KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION AND COMMUNICATION IN BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SPAIN

• Innovation and originality of the dissemination activities, which may comprise the publication of articles, monographs, multimedia materials or outreach books; the production, editing or presentation of reports and documentaries; the curating or design of exhibitions; or the launch of communicative ventures through any media channel (press, radio, television, film, documentaries or Internet).
• The scientific rigor of the content and the technical quality of the formats used.
• Social impact and public recognition of the dissemination activities.

The jury in each category of this 16th edition of the BBVA Foundation Awards for Biodiversity Conservation will be chaired by the Director of the BBVA Foundation or a person he appoints in his stead; a member designated by the BBVA Foundation to act as secretary, with speaking but no voting rights, and between six and a maximum of ten members, who will be researchers, experts and other professionals of acknowledged eminence in their fields, 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 vacant.

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.

No awards may go to any project, activity or intervention already recognized in earlier editions of these awards.

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 attend 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.

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.

The online form invites you to choose between English (ENG) and Spanish (ESP) in the top right-hand corner of the screen.

1. The form corresponding to the BBVA Foundation Award for Biodiversity Conservation in Spain can be completed in Spanish only.
2. The form corresponding to the BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation can be completed in Spanish or in English.

No entry may be submitted in more than one category in the same award call. However the same organization may submit more than one project.

• Details of organization: Specifying particulars such as name and contact data, type of organization, tax identification number, legal form and date of establishment, among others. Candidates must also state whether the project has been submitted in earlier editions of the Awards, specifying the year and title of the project.
  • Description of organization in charge of the project: Covering the following points:
    • Description of the organization:
      • Type
      • Legal form
      • Number and profile of the organization’s staff
      • Number of volunteers working with the organization
      • Characteristics of the external professional services required to carry out its activitie
    • Description of the organization’s activity and track record:
      • Providing information on the main projects undertaken in the last five years, with dates.
      • Providing information on the main projects scheduled for the near- and mid-term future, with projected dates

The description should have a maximum of 5 pages and be attached as a .pdf or .docx file no larger than 2 MB.

You can access a sample description for the present call at this link.

Candidates may provide from a minimum of three to a maximum of six letters of support or nomination.

 

Letters should be dated and signed, and can be presented in either English or Spanish. Files should be in .pdf format and no larger than 2 MB.

The process for presenting letters of support or nomination is as follows:

• The candidate will complete a section of the online form identifying the signatories of letters of support or nomination, who will then receive an email with a direct link to the form enabling them to attach their letters.
• The system will also inform the candidate that an email requesting the letter has been sent to the address provided for this purpose.
• Using the link sent with the email, signatories will attach their letters of support or nomination in the relevant section of the candidate’s online form, and may also edit their identifying details, except for the email address. This link will remain active until the candidate finalizes the submission.
• Both candidate and endorsing parties will receive an email acknowledging receipt of the letter of support or nomination.
• After identifying the signatories of letters of support or nomination, the candidate can continue filling in the form even though the letters have not yet come in. However, the submission will not be deemed complete until at least three letters have been attached.
• If the candidate changes the email field of any signatory to whom the endorsement request has already been sent, the attached link will cease to be valid. The signatory will be sent an email stating that their letter is no longer needed. In the event that they have already uploaded it, the letter will be deleted. Only the last person whose name appears in the online form will be able to access the virtual environment.

Letters of support or nomination are confidential. They should be addressed to the chair of the jury in the corresponding edition of the BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation, and should be sent directly by their signatories before the entry deadline specified in the present call. They will in no event be provided by the candidates themselves, who will have no access to their contents.

Information on key project participants up to a maximum of five, including a brief description of the functions they performed (maximum of 500 characters).

1. Each participant should provide a curriculum vitae of up to 5 pages. Files should be attached in .pdf or .docx format and be no larger than 2 MB.
2. You can access a sample CV for the present call at this link.

• Biodiversity conservation project summary: Provide a concise outline (maximum of 2000 characters) of the key aspects of the candidate project.
• Type of project: State whether the candidate project dealt with habitats or species or was organized along campaign or other lines. In the case of habitats, specify either terrestrial and marine, and in the case of species, specify a conservation status of those employed in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), choosing from extinct, endangered or least concern.
• Geographical scope of the project: State the geographical scope within which the project unfolded: local, regional, national, in collaboration with other countries, etc.
• Letter of presentation of the candidature: Provide a letter signed by the representative or head of the candidate organization, addressed to the chair of the jury in the corresponding edition of the BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation. The letter should be attached as a .pdf file no larger than 2 MB.

You can access a sample letter of presentation for the present edition of the BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation at this link.

• Summary of use to be made of prize money if the project wins the award: Give a concise account (maximum 200 characters) of how the money will be spent in the event of winning the award.
• Description of the biodiversity conservation project: Provide a project narrative that covers the points listed under the following headings.
  • Background: description (background, needs and context), project beneficiaries and location of project.
  • Objetives, methodology, work plan and funding: objectives (general and specific), work schedule (start and end date of activities), project implementation (methodology, work plan and project team), degree of cooperation needed to carry out the project, and source and application of funds.
  • Project results and impact: description of concrete, tangible results obtained, an account of the specific biodiversity conservation benefits deriving from these results, list of organizations that have verified results, evaluations of project results, objective indicators of the project’s effectiveness and impact (effects on beneficiaries, project quality, place and duration, resources employed) and impact (social, economic, cultural, political, others).
  • Account of steps undertaken to ensure project continuity going forward.
  • Communication activities (directed at the media) and dissemination initiatives (publications, workshops, lectures, etc.) around the project and its results.

This description should run to a maximum of 5 pages and be attached as a .pdf or .docx file no larger than 4 MB.

You can access a sample project description for the present edition at this link.

• Materials documenting the candidate project. You may include up to 20 attachments substantiating the execution of the candidate project. All materials should be uploaded via the online tool or identified via an external link (recommended for video and audio).
• Materials or documentation substantiating the execution of the project can be presented in any language. However each attachment should be identified by its original title and include a short description of the contents in Spanish, inserting the query link in the appropriate section. In the category “BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation,” this summary may be written in either Spanish or English (maximum 500 characters).

Files should be attached in .pdf, .docx, .mp4, .mkv, .avi, .wmv, .mov, .wav, .mp3 or .wma format, and be no larger than 4 MB.

Use of postal mail will be confined to substantiating documents that cannot be electronically transmitted, because no digital format is available. In such exceptional cases, the date considered will be that of the postmark. The postal address is:

BBVA FOUNDATION AWARDS FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

Fundación BBVA, Paseo de Recoletos, 10, 28001 Madrid – Spain

When materials are identified by an external link to a website, they should be available for download until at least the announcement of the jury’s award decision on the BBVA Foundation website ( www.biophilia-fbbva.es/en/).

What do the BBVA Foundation Awards for Biodiversity Conservation consist of?

• The BBVA Foundation Award for Biodiversity Conservation, in its Spain and Worldwide categories, comes with a cash prize of 250,000 euros, a diploma and a commemorative artwork.
• The BBVA Foundation Award for Knowledge Dissemination and Communication in Biodiversity Conservation in Spain comes with a cash prize of 80,000 euros, a diploma and a commemorative artwork. If this award goes to a joint entry comprising two or more individuals, its monetary amount will be divided equally between them.
• All awards in whatever category are subject to the withholding and other taxes stipulated in current legislation, which will be deducted from their monetary amount.

Does the winning organization have to disclose how it will spend the prize money?

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

And in the case of the BBVA Foundation Award for Knowledge Dissemination and Communication in Biodiversity Conservation in Spain?

• In this case, the award money can be spent as the winner sees fit.

Who can be a candidate in the BBVA Foundation Award for Biodiversity Conservation in Spain?

• Public or private non-profit entities headquartered in Spain and established prior to the year 2019.
• They must state activities relating to environmental and biodiversity conservation as part of their organizational purpose.
• For the award to be formalized, the Foundation will require the winning organization to provide a copy of its entry in the corresponding registry in Spain.

Who can be a candidate in the BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation?

• Public or private non-profit entities headquartered in any country and established prior to the year 2019.
• They must state activities relating to environmental and biodiversity conservation as part of their organizational purpose.
• For the award to be formalized, the Foundation will require the winning organization to provide a copy of its entry in the corresponding registry.

Can an organization present more than one candidate in the same award category?

• Yes, an organization can submit as many projects as it sees fit in the same award category, as long as they are suitably identified in the project description and the letters of support or nomination clearly state which project they are endorsing.

Can the same organization present candidates in more than one award category?

• If a Spanish organization submitting one or various projects in the Spain category also undertakes activities abroad as part of its organizational purpose, then it may additionally submit one or various projects in the worldwide category, provided they were executed in a country other than Spain, are clearly differentiated in the project description, and are accompanied by their own letters of support or nomination.

Who can be a candidate in the BBVA Foundation Award for Knowledge Dissemination and Communication in Biodiversity Conservation in Spain?

• Natural persons of Spanish nationality working in communications and media.
• Joint entries will be accepted from two or more persons (up to a maximum of 20) that have engaged collaboratively in tasks of biodiversity conservation communication and dissemination in Spain. In such cases, the documentation submitted should focus on this shared trajectory.

Can an organization put itself forward for the BBVA Foundation Award for Knowledge Dissemination and Communication in Biodiversity Conservation in Spain?

• No, this category is reserved for natural persons.

Can winning entries in previous editions compete in the awards?

• No organization or natural person can put themselves forward for a BBVA Foundation Award for Biodiversity Conservation if they have been winners in any of the previous three editions.
• No project, activity or intervention already recognized in earlier editions may be resubmitted for these awards.

How many letters of support or nomination does a candidate need to receive?

• Each entry should come with between three and a maximum of six letters of support or nomination.

Who can provide letters of support or nomination for the Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation and the Award for Biodiversity Conservation in Spain?

• Representatives of national, international or supranational public institutions with competencies in nature conservation.
• Office-holders (presidents, directors) of scientific societies.
• Scientists or experts of acknowledged repute in ecology and conservation biology.
• National and international conservationist organizations.

What information should be provided in letters of support or nomination for the Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation and the Award for Biodiversity Conservation in Spain?

• Letters should offer a short reasoned account of the significance of the specific conservation project put forward for the award, along with its overall contribution to environmental conservation.

Who can provide letters of support or nomination in the case of the BBVA Foundation Award for Knowledge Dissemination and Communication in Biodiversity Conservation in Spain?

• Representatives of national, international or supranational public institutions with competencies in nature conservation.
• Office-holders (presidents, directors) of scientific societies.
• Office-holders (presidents, directors) of associations of media professionals specializing in the dissemination and communication of environmental conservation matters.
• Scientists or experts of acknowledged repute in ecology and conservation biology.
• National and international conservationist organizations.

What information should be provided in letters of support or nomination for the BBVA Foundation Award for Knowledge Dissemination and Communication in Biodiversity Conservation in Spain?

• Letters should offer a short reasoned account of the significance of the candidate or candidates’ single most notable contribution to communication, education and awareness-raising in the realm of environmental and biodiversity conservation, along with their general contribution to disseminating knowledge and mobilizing social awareness around the need to conserve nature. In the case of joint entries, letters should focus particularly on candidates’ collaborative contributions.

What is the procedure for providing letters of support or nomination?

• The candidate will complete a section of the online form identifying the signatories of letters of support or nomination, who will then receive an email with a direct link to the form enabling them to attach their letters.
• The system will also inform the candidate that an email requesting the letter has been sent to the address provided for this purpose.
• Using the link sent with the email, signatories will attach their letters of support or nomination in the relevant section of the candidate’s online form, and may also edit their identifying details, except for the email address. This link will remain active until the candidate finalizes the submission.
• Both candidate and endorsing parties will receive an email acknowledging receipt of the letter of support or nomination.
• After identifying the signatories of letters of support or nomination, the candidate can continue filling in the form even though the letters have not yet come in. However, the submission will not be deemed complete until at least three letters have been attached.
• If the candidate changes the email field of any signatory to whom the endorsement request has already been sent, the attached link will cease to be valid. The signatory will be sent an email stating that their letter is no longer needed. In the event that they have already uploaded it, the letter will be deleted. Only the last person whose name appears in the online form will be able to access the virtual environment.
• Letters of nomination should be provided directly by their signatories before the deadline for submissions.
• The content of letters of support or nomination is confidential, and may not be viewed by candidates.

Once the awards have been decided, will candidates have access to the letters of support or nomination received?

• To ensure the independence and rigor of the BBVA Foundation Awards for Biodiversity Conservation, comply with current legislation on the protection of personal data and preserve the confidentiality of the letters of support or nomination provided, candidates will in no event be given access to the content of such letters.

IMPORTANT: We recommend that you read carefully through the  Instructions, information and documentation  before filling in the form.

What practical aspects should I bear in mind when completing a submission?

• At each step, the online form will specify a series of fields for you to complete. Check that you have correctly filled in all the required fields before going on to the next page.
• Entries may be completed in various sessions, with users saving and retrieving the partially completed form until the process has finalized. Each time you save a partially completed form, the system will email you a link and a password that you can use to resume the process.
• Each time you access the saved form, it will open at the first page. To move to the next screen, use the buttons at the top of the page, not the arrows on your browser.
• Once the submission is complete, candidates will not be able to access it or make changes.
• Although the online form can be accessed from any fully updated browser, we recommend using Google Chrome.
• In general, you are advised not to copy and paste text into the online form. It is better to type in the content using the Latin alphabet or convert it first to a text file (.txt).
• Once the submission is complete, candidates will receive a reference number which they should quote in all subsequent correspondence with the BBVA Foundation. In the case of joint entries in the Knowledge Dissemination category, this information will be sent to all candidates.
• Candidates are advised to complete the form themselves and not to keep it open in multiple sessions simultaneously.
• To avoid incidents when uploading, the links provided and the file names of attached documents should not be excessively long or contain accents, commas or other symbols. You are accordingly advised to keep them short.
• You are asked not to fill in the form using capital letters, unless their use is required by the rules of grammar or spelling.
• Check that you have not left blank spaces at the end of user fields (especially in the email address field).
• Delete browsing history and cookies.
• Save the form after each completed step.
• If you do not receive an email confirming a partially saved form, check that it has not gone to your spam tray or that you are not using some filter that could block emails from the account premios@fbbva.es.