Wolf footage grant program

Video: Voyageurs Wolf Project

Wolves are returning to  landscapes across California, and ranchers or landowners are often the first to witness their arrival! The Wolf Footage Grant Program is a micro-grant initiative that partners with landowners to advance wolf research & coexistence.

Submitted footage supports research by WFW wildlife biologists Dr. Anna Doty and Dr. Omar Khayem, helping improve our understanding of wolf behavior and inform science-based, nonlethal coexistence on working lands.

Image: California Department of Fish & Wildlife

Learn more

Learn more about our research team and our on the ground work to protect wolves in CA.

How to Participate

  1. Submit your footage via Google Drive Link to reena@womenforwolves.org

  2. Include basic details (date, location, context)

  3. Our team reviews and follows up within 1–2 weeks

  4. Compensation is provided upon acceptance via Paypal, Zelle, Venmo, Wire Transfer or Apple Pay.

Micro-Grant Compensation

Compensation is based on the quality and research value of footage:

$50–$150
Short clips or single sightings with clear wolf presence

$150–$400
Behavioral footage (pack dynamics, repeated visits, movement patterns)

$400–$1,000+
High-value or rare footage that significantly contributes to research

Ongoing contributors may receive:

  • Seasonal stipends

  • Equipment support (trail cameras, SD cards)

  • Continued collaboration opportunities

Image: Janet Pesaturo

Why participate?

By sharing footage, you are:

  • Supporting real scientific research on wolves

  • Helping develop nonlethal coexistence strategies

  • Contributing on-the-ground knowledge from working landscapes

  • Building a direct relationship with researchers

  • Ensuring rural perspectives are included in wolf science

What we’re looking for

We welcome:

  • Trail camera footage of wolves

  • Phone videos of sightings or tracks

  • Pack movement or repeated presence

  • Interactions with landscape or livestock (non-graphic)

  • Seasonal patterns or behavioral observations

Footage does not need to be professional—clear, honest documentation is most valuable.

A relationship-first approach

This program is built on respect.

We aim to:

  • Work collaboratively with landowners

  • Share findings back with participants

  • Support solutions that work for both livelihoods and wildlife

  • The most important wildlife observations don’t come from afar—they come from the people living with them.