During Operational Phase 8 (OP8), the Programme will place particular emphasis on the following approaches: concentration of activities on ecosystems whose vital importance is recognized at the global level; establishment of innovative institutional and financial support mechanisms to increase the usefulness and impact of projects at national and global levels; systematic capacity building of civil society actors. The motivation for this intervention is based on lessons learned from previous phase.
The objective of this call for projects is to finance one or two community projects for environmental protection and capacity building of SGP/GEF partners. Specifically, it involves supporting initiatives of NGOs or Community Based Organizations (CBOs) proposing innovative local actions to respond to concerns of local communities and to strengthen institutional capacities, organizational and management of grassroots community organizations. The PMF/FEM will prioritize initiatives from NGOs or Community Based Organizations (OCB) offering innovative local actions through projects in the following areas: Biodiversity (Promotion of integrated management of natural resources, conservation of biological diversity); Climate change (improving adaptation to climate change and actions on climate security; reduction of greenhouse gas emissions); International waters (rational use of water resources); Soil degradation (Sustainable land and water management and popularization and adoption of good agro-sylvo-pastoral practices); Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs); Waste management/Sustainable cities (The use of renewable energy less pollutants and better waste management in cities).
The program seeks to converge efforts to support national initiatives in environmental protection, organize and strengthen local organizations, and promote learning-by-doing and knowledge exchange among peers at local, subnational, and national levels. Through this initiative, community meetings and project grants will contribute to greater awareness and engagement on GEF themes.
The National Steering Committee (CNP) will be responsible for approving projects that demonstrate strong potential for mobilizing additional funding through co-financing in kind or in cash. Selected projects will align with the national environmental strategy and complement ongoing sustainable development efforts.
Each project will have a duration of 12 to 18 months from the date of signing the partnership agreement. The maximum indicative funding available per project is 75,000 USD, approximately 42,000,000 FCFA. However, the final amount allocated to each project will depend on the evaluation and decision of the National Steering Committee based on project content and feasibility.
Projects will be evaluated according to clear selection criteria. They must demonstrate a participatory approach involving all stakeholders in implementation, propose concrete and innovative activities that address both environmental protection and community development needs, and include considerations for vulnerable groups such as women, youth, and people with disabilities. Co-financing of 50% in cash and/or kind equivalent to the PMF/FEM contribution is strongly encouraged. Furthermore, projects must comply fully with the submission requirements, be transformative and replicable, and present a detailed, realistic budget aligned with proposed activities.
This call represents a strategic opportunity for NGOs and community-based organizations in Mali to contribute actively to environmental sustainability, resilience, and local empowerment while fostering innovation and collaboration in the field of ecosystem protection and climate action.
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