18th Biodiversity Conservation Awards

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 2021.
• 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 2021.
• 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 worked 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 competences in nature conservation.
• Office-holders (presidents, directors) of scientific
• 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 specified in point 4 of these call conditions. 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 competences in nature conservation.
• Office-holders (presidents, directors) of scientific
• 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 specified in point 4 of these call conditions. 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 competences 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 specified in point 4 of these call conditions. 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 candidature 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 Bio diversity 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:

18TH EDITION BBVA FOUNDATION AWARDS FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
Fundación BBVA, Paseo de Recoletos, 10
28001, Madrid, Spain

The submission period for these awards closes on Friday, March 31, 2023 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, 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 ).
2. Description of the organization in charge of the project (5 A4 pages ).
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 18th 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 18th 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 ).
2. Description of the organization in charge of the project (5 A4 pages ).
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
5. Copy of letters of nomination (between three and six letters) addressed to the chair of the jury in the 18th edition of the BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation, signed by the representatives of the project. 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 18th 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 ).
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 18th 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 18th 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 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 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
• Social impact and public recognition of the dissemination activities.

The jury in each category of this 18th 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, contribution or concrete action 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 choice of category appearing will depend on the language selected at the top right of the screen:

A. Spanish:

1. BBVA Foundation Award for Biodiversity Conservation in Spain
2. BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation
3. BBVA Foundation Award for Knowledge Dissemination and Communication in Biodiversity Conservation in Spain

B. English:

1. BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation

IMPORTANT: The award category cannot be changed once you have saved the form for the first time.

Step 1 I ORGANIZATION

No candidature may appear in more than one category in the same award call. However the same organization can submit as many projects as it chooses in either of these two categories, as long as they are are clearly differentiated in the project description and come with their own letters of support or nomination.

A. 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.

Indicate also whether the project has been submitted in earlier award editions, in which case you should specify the year and title.

B. Description of organization in charge of the project: Covering the following points:

1. Description of the organization:
   1. a) Type
   2. b) Legal form
   3. c) Number and profile of the organization’s staff
   4. d) Number of volunteers working with the organization
   5. e) Characteristics of the external professional services required to carry out its activities
2. Description of the organization’s activity and track record:
   1. a) Providing information on the main projects undertaken in the last five years, with dates.
   2. b) 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 2MB.

You will find a sample description for the present call at this link.

Step 2 I LETTERS OF SUPPORT OR NOMINATION

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

The letters, which will be kept confidential, should be dated and signed, and can be presented in either Spanish or English. They should be addressed to the chair of the jury in the corresponding category of the BBVA Foundation Awards for Biodiversity Conservation. Files should be in .pdf format and no larger than 2MB.

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

1. The signatories of letters of support or nomination should be identified on the online form using the “Add endorser” button. Their details will be saved and a letter request issued.
2. The signatories of letters of support or nomination will receive an email directing them to access the form by entering their email address and a password generated automatically by the system and included in the message they received. Once they have entered these data through the corresponding link, they will be sent a second activation password (OTP code) that they will be asked to provide. This second password will be valid for 10 minutes.
3. This will take signatories to the digital environment where they can upload their letters, which is configured in English by default. They can switch to Spanish by selecting “Esp” in the top right-hand corner. At this point, they can also edit their personal details, except for the email address. The page for uploading letters will remain active until the closing date for submissions.
4. Once the letter has been uploaded the system will send a confirmation email to both the person completing the form and the endorsing or nominating party.
5. Once signatories of letters of support or nomination have been identified and at least three letters requested, you can continue completing the form, to the end if you wish, even though the letters have not yet come in. Signatories, meantime, can upload their letters through the link provided up to the closing date for submissions.
6. If the email address of a signatory is changed after a letter has been requested, the link provided 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.
7. The system allows you to send a reminder to endorsers who have not attached a letter by clicking on the envelope icon next to their name.

Letters of support or nomination may not be provided by the person submitting the candidature, who will have no access to their contents.

Step 3 I PROJECT PARTICIPANTS

Provide details on key project participants up to a maximum of five, including:

1. Participant details.
2. Brief outline of the role performed in the candidate project (maximum 500 characteres).
3. A curriculum vitae of no longer than 5 pages, to include: participant’s personal details, education, current position, activities carried out in the frame of the candidate project, previous professional/scientific experience, and other merits.

Files should be attached in .pdf or .docx format and be no larger than 2MB.

A sample CV for the present call is available at this link.

Step 4 I PROJECT INFORMATION

Provide information and specific documentation relative to the biodivesity conservation project presented in this call:

A. 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 or marine, and in the case of species, specify a conservation status from those employed in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), choosing from extinct, endangered or least concern.

B. Geographical scope of the project: State the geographical scope within which the project unfolded: local, regional, national, in collaboration with other countries, etc. (maximum 500 characters).

C. Biodiversity conservation project summary: Provide a concise outline (maximum of 2000 characters) of the key aspects of the candidate project.

D. 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 Award for Biodiversity Conservation in Spain or the BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation. The letter should be attached as a .pdf file no larger than 2MB.

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

E. 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.

F. Description of the biodiversity conservation project: Provide a project narrative that covers the points listed under the following headings.

1. Background: description (background, needs and context), project beneficiaries and location of project.
2. 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.
3. 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).
4. Account of steps undertaken to ensure project continuity going forward.
5. 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 4MB. You can find a sample project description for the present edition at this link.

G. 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 digital 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, .mov, .wav or .mp3 format, and be no larger than 4MB.

Use of postal mail will be confined to substantiating documents that cannot be electronically identified, 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 this website.

Step 5 I SUMMARY OF CANDIDATURE

Before sending the submission and finalizing the process, you can check that the data entered in the various sections are correct by directly accessing the steps of the form through the corresponding tabs.

You can submit the completed entry by clicking on the “Send” button on the bottom right of the form. The system allows you to complete the process even if letters of support have not yet been received, as long as at least three have been requested.

The person completing the form and the candidate(s) will then receive an automated email with the summary and key details of their submission.

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 2021.
• 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 2021.
• 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 chooses 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.

Can an organization headquartered in Spain present an entry for the BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation?

• Yes, provided the candidate project has been carried out in a country other than Spain.

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, entity, company or collective 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, contribution or concrete action 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.

In which languages can letters of support or nomination be submitted?

• In Spanish or in English.

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

• 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 Award for Biodiversity Conservation in Spain and the Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation?

• 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 signatories of letters of support or nomination should be identified on the online form using the “Add endorser” button. Their details will be saved and a letter request issued.
• The signatories of letters of support or nomination will receive an email directing them to access the form by entering their email address and a password generated automatically by the system and included in the message they received. Once they have entered these data through the corresponding link, they will be sent a second activation password (OTP code) that they will be asked to provide. This second password will be valid for 10 minutes.
• This will take signatories to the digital environment where they can upload their letters, which is configured in English by default. They can switch to Spanish by selecting “Esp” in the top right-hand corner.
• At this point, they can also edit their personal details, except for the email address. The page for uploading letters will remain active until the closing date for submissions.
• Once the letter has been uploaded the system will send a confirmation email to both the person completing the form and the endorsing or nominating party.
• Once signatories of letters of support or nomination have been identified and at least three letters requested, you can continue completing the form, to the end if you wish, even though the letters have not yet come in. Signatories, meantime, can upload their letters through the link provided up to the closing date for submissions.
• If the email address of a signatory is changed after a letter has been requested, the link provided 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.
• The system allows you to send a reminder to endorsers who have not attached a letter by clicking on the envelope icon next to their name.
• 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?

• No. 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 technical 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 over various sessions, with users saving and retrieving the partially completed form until the process has finalized.
• The form will be saved automatically as you advance through the steps, but you can also save it manually using the “Save and Exit” button at the top right of the screen. Each time you save a partially completed form, the system will email you a link and a password that you can use until the submission is complete. Also, each time you return to the form, you will be sent an email with a reactivation password (OTP code).
• On accessing the saved form, it will open at the last page completed.
• Once the submission is complete, you will not be able to access it or make changes.
• In general, you are advised not to copy and paste text into the form. It is better to type in the content using the Latin alphabet, without an elaborate format, or to convert it first to a text file (.txt).
• Once the submission is complete, the person completing the form and the candidate(s) will receive a submission summary and a reference number which they should quote in all subsequent correspondence with the BBVA Foundation.
• The material for candidatures in the “BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation” can be presented in Spanish or in English.
• The material for candidatures in the two categories focused on Spain must be presented in Spanish, with the exception of letters of support or nomination, which may also be in English.
• We recommend that only one person complete the form, and that they do not 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. We suggest you keep them short.
• The system performs an automatic security scan of all attached documents, which may take some time depending on the size of the files.
• You are asked not to fill in the form using capital letters, unless their use is required by the rules of grammar or spelling.
• 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.

If we have not answered your questions, please contact the BBVA Foundation directly at premios@fbbva.es. We will be happy to assist you.