Deadline: 15-Jun-2026
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is inviting Civil Society Organizations and Community-Based Organizations in Liberia to implement a one-year community project focused on protecting human health, ecosystems, and food systems. The initiative supports mercury-free and mercury-reduction mining, safer agriculture, reduced chemical contamination, climate-resilient livelihoods, and stronger participation of women and youth. The maximum grant ceiling is $40,000, with the contract period running from July 10, 2026, to June 2027.
Overview of the UNDP Liberia Funding Opportunity
The United Nations Development Programme, also known as UNDP, is seeking Civil Society Organizations and Community-Based Organizations in Liberia to implement a project that reduces environmental and health risks while strengthening sustainable livelihoods.
The project focuses on community-led action to protect human health, ecosystems, and food systems from hazardous practices linked to mercury use in mining and agrochemical use in agriculture.
Selected organizations will work closely with relevant government institutions, stakeholders, and the GEF Small Grants Programme under UNDP.
Key Focus Areas
The funding opportunity supports environmental health, sustainable livelihoods, safer mining, and safer agricultural practices.
Key focus areas include:
- Developing simplified project proposals for grant funding
- Promoting mercury-free and mercury-reduction mining technologies
- Supporting safer agricultural practices such as Integrated Pest Management
- Reducing chemical contamination in soil and food crops
- Training farmers in compost use
- Strengthening community awareness of mercury and agrochemical risks
- Enhancing livelihoods through climate-resilient and environmentally sound practices
- Increasing women’s and youth participation in safe mining and agriculture initiatives
- Tracking environmental and health indicators
- Measuring mercury reduction and adoption of safer practices
- Evaluating community feedback and project impact
- Integrating gender, equity, and human rights principles
- Ensuring sustainability through local ownership and long-term continuity
Purpose of the Project
The purpose of this UNDP initiative is to support local organizations that can help communities reduce exposure to harmful environmental hazards.
The project aims to address risks linked to mercury use, agrochemical contamination, unsafe farming practices, and unsustainable livelihoods. It also seeks to help communities adopt safer, climate-resilient, and environmentally responsible alternatives.
The initiative combines environmental protection with livelihood improvement so that communities can protect health and ecosystems while also strengthening economic opportunities.
Funding Amount and Contract Duration
The maximum grant ceiling is $40,000.
The contract duration is one year, running from July 10, 2026, to June 2027.
Applicants should design activities, budgets, and work plans that can be realistically completed within this one-year implementation period.
What the Grant Can Support
The grant can support community-based activities that reduce environmental risks and improve sustainable livelihoods.
Supported activities may include:
- Community training on mercury risks
- Promotion of mercury-free mining technologies
- Awareness campaigns on agrochemical hazards
- Farmer training on compost use
- Integrated Pest Management training
- Activities that reduce chemical contamination in soil and crops
- Climate-resilient livelihood activities
- Women– and youth-led safe mining or agriculture initiatives
- Community monitoring of environmental and health indicators
- Feedback collection and impact evaluation
- Local ownership and sustainability planning
Explanation of Key Concepts
Mercury-Free and Mercury-Reduction Mining
Mercury-free mining refers to mining practices that avoid the use of mercury in mineral processing.
Mercury-reduction mining focuses on reducing mercury use and exposure where complete elimination may require a transition period. These approaches are important because mercury can damage human health, contaminate water and soil, and affect ecosystems.
Integrated Pest Management
Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, is a safer agricultural approach that reduces overdependence on chemical pesticides.
IPM may include better crop monitoring, biological controls, improved farming practices, and targeted pest control methods. The goal is to protect crops while reducing harm to soil, food systems, farmers, and surrounding communities.
Climate-Resilient Livelihoods
Climate-resilient livelihoods are income-generating activities that help communities adapt to environmental and climate-related risks.
In this project, such practices may include safer agriculture, environmentally sound production methods, community awareness, and activities that reduce dependence on harmful practices.
Who is Eligible?
Eligible applicants must be national or local Civil Society Organizations or Community-Based Organizations registered in Liberia.
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Be a CSO or CBO registered in Liberia
- Have a physical office in at least one of the project counties
- Demonstrate strong administrative capacity
- Demonstrate strong financial management capacity
- Show relevant institutional experience
- Have the ability to deliver project outcomes effectively
- Be able to work with government institutions, stakeholders, and the GEF Small Grants Programme under UNDP
The opportunity is designed for organizations with local presence, community trust, and practical experience in implementing development, environmental, livelihood, or community-based projects.
Proposal Assessment Criteria
Proposals will be assessed using a weighted scoring system.
The evaluation will include:
- 70 percent technical assessment
- 30 percent financial evaluation
Key assessment criteria include:
- Quality of project design
- Relevant organizational experience
- Experience with UNDP or similar agencies
- Local operational presence
- Realism of the work plan
- Budget efficiency
- Cost effectiveness
- Ability to deliver measurable results
Why It Matters
This funding opportunity matters because communities affected by unsafe mining and agricultural practices may face serious environmental, health, and livelihood risks.
Mercury exposure and chemical contamination can affect soil, crops, water, ecosystems, and human health. At the same time, communities often depend on mining and agriculture for income and survival.
By supporting safer mining, safer agriculture, and climate-resilient livelihoods, the project helps communities reduce harm while creating more sustainable economic opportunities. The focus on women, youth, equity, and human rights also helps ensure that vulnerable and underrepresented groups are included in community solutions.
How to Apply or Prepare a Strong Proposal
Applicants should prepare a clear, realistic, and cost-effective project proposal that responds directly to the funding objectives.
Step 1: Confirm Organizational Eligibility
Before developing the proposal, applicants should confirm that they are a registered national or local CSO or CBO in Liberia.
They should also confirm that they have a physical office in at least one of the project counties and can demonstrate administrative and financial management capacity.
Step 2: Define the Community Problem
Applicants should clearly describe the environmental, health, or livelihood problem the project will address.
The problem may relate to:
- Mercury use in mining
- Agrochemical risks
- Soil and food crop contamination
- Unsafe farming practices
- Limited awareness of health and environmental hazards
- Weak livelihood alternatives
- Low participation of women and youth
- Poor community monitoring of environmental risks
Step 3: Develop a Simple and Practical Project Design
The project design should explain the planned activities, target communities, expected results, and implementation approach.
A strong project design should show how the organization will reduce environmental risks while improving livelihoods and community awareness.
Step 4: Include Safe Mining and Safer Agriculture Activities
The proposal should clearly explain how it will promote mercury-free or mercury-reduction mining technologies and safer agricultural practices.
Where relevant, the proposal should include farmer training on compost use, Integrated Pest Management, and actions to reduce chemical contamination in soil and food crops.
Step 5: Integrate Gender, Youth, Equity, and Human Rights
Applicants should explain how women, youth, and vulnerable groups will participate in the project.
The proposal should show how gender, equity, and human rights principles will be included in planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
Step 6: Prepare a Realistic Work Plan
The work plan should match the one-year contract period from July 10, 2026, to June 2027.
It should clearly show:
- Major activities
- Timeline
- Responsible persons or teams
- Expected outputs
- Monitoring points
- Reporting activities
Step 7: Build a Cost-Effective Budget
The budget should be realistic, efficient, and clearly linked to proposed activities.
Since 30 percent of the evaluation is based on financial assessment, applicants should avoid inflated costs and ensure that every budget item is justified.
Step 8: Include Monitoring and Evaluation
The proposal should explain how the organization will track environmental and health indicators.
Monitoring may include:
- Mercury reduction
- Adoption of safer mining practices
- Adoption of safer agricultural practices
- Farmer participation in compost training
- Women and youth participation
- Community awareness changes
- Feedback from project participants
- Evidence of livelihood improvement
Step 9: Plan for Sustainability
Applicants should explain how the project benefits will continue after the grant period.
Sustainability may be supported through local ownership, community leadership, trained local groups, partnerships, continued use of safer practices, and long-term collaboration with stakeholders.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid weak, vague, or unrealistic submissions.
Common mistakes include:
- Submitting a proposal without clear local community needs
- Not showing a physical office or local presence in a project county
- Providing a weak technical design
- Ignoring mercury and agrochemical risk reduction
- Not including women and youth participation
- Submitting an unrealistic work plan for a one-year project
- Providing a budget that is not cost-effective
- Failing to include monitoring indicators
- Not explaining how community feedback will be collected
- Overlooking gender, equity, and human rights principles
- Not showing sustainability beyond the project period
Tips for a Strong Application
A strong proposal should be practical, locally grounded, and results-focused.
Applicants should:
- Clearly link activities to environmental health and livelihood outcomes
- Show strong experience in community-based implementation
- Demonstrate knowledge of local mining or agricultural challenges
- Include specific safer mining and safer agriculture activities
- Provide a simple but strong monitoring plan
- Make the budget realistic and efficient
- Show clear roles for women and youth
- Include partnerships with local stakeholders
- Explain how the project will continue after the grant ends
- Make sure the technical proposal and financial proposal are consistent
FAQ
1. What is the UNDP Liberia funding opportunity about?
This funding opportunity supports CSOs and CBOs in Liberia to implement a project focused on protecting human health, ecosystems, and food systems through sustainable environmental and livelihood practices.
2. Who can apply?
National or local CSOs and CBOs registered in Liberia can apply. Applicants must have a physical office in at least one of the project counties and demonstrate strong administrative, financial, and implementation capacity.
3. What is the maximum grant amount?
The maximum grant ceiling is $40,000.
4. What is the project duration?
The contract duration is one year, running from July 10, 2026, to June 2027.
5. What activities are supported?
Supported activities include mercury-free and mercury-reduction mining, Integrated Pest Management, compost training, awareness on mercury and agrochemical risks, climate-resilient livelihoods, women and youth participation, monitoring of environmental and health indicators, and sustainability planning.
6. How will proposals be evaluated?
Proposals will be evaluated using a weighted scoring system, with 70 percent allocated to technical assessment and 30 percent to financial evaluation.
7. What makes a proposal competitive?
A competitive proposal should have a strong technical design, relevant organizational experience, local operational presence, a realistic work plan, cost-effective budget, clear monitoring indicators, and a strong sustainability approach.
Conclusion
The UNDP Liberia funding opportunity provides important support for CSOs and CBOs working to reduce environmental hazards and strengthen sustainable livelihoods.
With a maximum grant ceiling of $40,000 and a one-year implementation period, the initiative supports community-led solutions for safer mining, safer agriculture, reduced chemical contamination, and climate-resilient economic opportunities. Applicants should prepare clear, realistic, and locally grounded proposals that demonstrate technical quality, cost effectiveness, gender inclusion, measurable impact, and long-term community ownership.
For more information, visit UNDP.
