Deadline: 3-Jul-23
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is seeking qualified organizations to support the management of the newly established Kibira Foundation and lead the implementation of activities under the co-management framework.
Candidates can apply as: (1) A qualified non-governmental organization (NGO) organization with the necessary track record and expertise to equip the Foundation with sound management structure and support implementation of its key conservation actions; (2) Auxiliary non-profit organizations with specialist expertise in one or more areas of intervention to undertake designated activities.
Key Components
The co-management structure includes the following key components:
- The Government appoints the park manager based on criteria jointly defined by OBPE and the foundation. The foundation will recruit a technical advisor to serve as counterpart to the park manager. The eco-guards will remain the staff of OBPE (Government staff) while the tour guides will be employed by the foundation.
- OBPE will retain the responsibility to manage the anti-poaching department while the foundation will lead the departments of tourism and community relations. Ecological monitoring will be a shared responsibility between OBPE and the foundation.
Scope of Work
The grant will support the selected lead organization to improve its capacities and quality of work to deliver the following services:
- Establish the management capacity of the Kibira Foundation by supporting the installation of policy structures, operational processes, and conservation programmes. Under the direction of the Kibira Foundation’s board of directors, the grantee will support financial management, monitoring and evaluation, and stakeholder engagement to strengthen the Foundation’s track record and network of partners;
- Support the development of the Kibira Foundation’s strategic plans, including the land use and restoration plan, gender strategy, resource mobilization plan, and other relevant guiding frameworks. The grantee will support the identification of necessary actions, resources, and timelines required to achieve conservation and fundraising goals;
- Faciliate fair and equitable distribution of benefits for local communities, including a focus on women, youth and Indigenous peoples, in order to elevate socioeconomic status and empower local peoples to become agents of change;
- Foster inclusion by promoting the active involvement of local community members in conservation actions. The grantee should facilitate knowledge exchange and learning opportunities to strengthen community ties by organizing workshops, training sessions, or peerto-peer exchanges;
- Expand the Kibira Foundation’s network of local or regional implementers with specialist expertise in one or more areas of intervention;
- Work closely with members of the Kibira Foundation and UNCDF Nature Assets Team to understand existing programming, structures, and processes. The grantee should engage collaboratively with various members of the Foundation, UNCDF, and the Government of Burundi through regular consultations and information sharing sessions
Areas of Intervention
- Forest conservation and restoration
- Implement measures to halt further deforestation and ensure the protection of the forest;
- Restore degraded areas by implementing reforestation initiatives to increase tree cover and biodiversity;
- Promote sustainable practices for fuelwood, charcoal, and bamboo extraction, ensuring responsible and regulated harvesting methods;
- Empower local youth, women and Indigenous peoples to participate in protection and reforestation activities.
- Biodiversity conservation and protection of endangered species
- Implement measures to halt the decline in endangered primate populations within the Kibira National Park;
- Combat deforestation and habitat fragmentation by ensuring reforestation programmes prioritize key primate habitats;
- Work with local communities to deepen awareness and application of sustainable resource use practices in line with primate protection
- Sustainable livelihood generation and economic development
- Improve access to sustainable and diversified livelihood opportunities for local communities, including a focus on women, youth and Batwa peoples;
- Empower local communities to adopt sustainable livelihood practices and income-generating activities that are compatible with the conservation goals of the Foundation.
- Community engagement, Indigenous empowerment and cultural preservation
- Improve land access and rights of Batwa communities in order to allow Batwa communities to access conservation benefits and reduce land speculation;
- Effectively integrate communities and empower Batwa and local peoples to be self-determining and responsible for the Forest
- Enable long-term social cohesion, community resilience and development through enhanced social and cultural linkages with the forest.
Funding Information
- Forest conservation and restoration
- Total available award: Up to USD 1,800,000
- Biodiversity conservation and protection of endangered species
- Total available award: Up to USD 1,000,000
- Sustainable livelihood generation and economic development
- Total available award: Up to USD 1,200,000
- Community engagement, indigenous empowerment and cultural preservation
- Total available award: Up to USD 1,000,000
- UNCDF contributions may range from USD 100,000 to USD 1,875,000 for the first phase and an additional USD 100,000 to USD 3,125,000 for the second phase.
- The project is expected to have a 60-month duration. Activities under this Financing Grant agreement are expected to be terminated no later than 31st December 2027.
Eligibility Criteria
- Only applicants that meet the eligibility requirements and minimum criteria for the submission will be scored:
- The applicant or lead applicant must be a registered entity
- The applicant or lead applicant must be a non-profit organization
- Applicants may apply independently or as part of a consortium, provided the consortium partnership was established prior to issuance of this request for applications
- The lead applicant must be a registered entity with at least five years of operations and must have statutory accounts and financial statements for at least four operating years.
- Applicants applying within a specialized area of intervention must be a registered entity with at least three years of operations and must have statutory accounts and financial statements for at least two operating years.
- Country of operation: Eligible organizations will be duly registered, headquartered in or otherwise have substantive operations in Burundi.
For more information, visit UNCDF.
