Deadline: 5-Apr-23
The Mesoamerican Reef Fund (MAR Fund), along with partners Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature (FMCN)/Sureste Sostenible, New Ventures/Viwala, and Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative (HRI), are delighted to announce its first MAR+Invest request for proposals (RfP).
On this occasion, MAR Fund has two streams of applications, for early-stage enterprises and for established enterprises, both providing a market solution with a positive impact on the coral reefs of the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR) and its communities.
MAR+Invest, an initiative funded by the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR), supports the development of enterprises that generate coral positive outcomes and market returns. It will carry out calls for proposals to identify potential market initiatives in different stages of development, with a reef positive end result for the MAR. It will identify, incubate, and enable finance solutions that offer a scale of impact capable of reducing local threats to the reef and ultimately attract capital to develop a coral positive investment portfolio.
It is a tailor-made, Technical Assistance Facility for business solutions that contribute to protect, conserve, and restore the Mesoamerican Reef and the reef-dependent communities. MAR Fund is looking for reef-positive solutions that can contribute to reduce the following threats to coral reefs:
- Water pollution and solid waste.
- Overfishing.
- Climate change.
The sectors MAR Fund is looking for include:
- Tourism,
- Coastal sustainable agriculture and aquaculture,
- Blue carbon,
- Restoration of coral reefs and related ecosystems,
- Water sanitation,
- Waste management, among others.
Why join the program?
- Customized capacity building and mentorships focused on the individual needs of each business solution.
- Development of an impact measurement system with the help of experts.
- In-person program launch to meet relevant actors of the region and the reef conservation ecosystem.
- Access to networking and strategic alliances events for the entrepreneurs to drive their business solutions in the region.
- Access to tailor-made financial solutions designed to help grow their operations.
Eligibility Criteria
- Early-stage to established business solutions that have a measurable impact on the health and resilience of the Mesoamerican Reef.
- Innovative business solutions.
- Contribute to reducing threats to the reef (water pollution and solid waste, overfishing and climate change).
- Have operations in at least one of the MAR countries (Quintana Roo in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras).
Eligible Priority sites
- Mexico (Quintana Roo)
- Cozumel Island.
- Puerto Morelos Reef National Park.
- Yum Balam Flora and Fauna Protection Area.
- Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve.
- Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve.
- Belize
- Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve.
- South Water Caye Marine Reserve.
- Laughing Bird Caye National Park.
- Caye Caulker Marine Reserve.
- Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve.
- Gladden Spit & Silk Cayes Marine Reserve.
- Guatemala
- Cayman Crown Replenishment Zone.
- Punta de Manabique Wildlife Refuge.
- Sarstún River Multiple-Use Area.
- Honduras
- Arquipelago of Cayos Cochinos Marine National Monument.
- Barras de Cuero & Salado Wildlife Refuge.
- Tela Bay Marine Wildlife Refuge.
- Bay Islands National Park.
For more information, visit MAR+Invest.