European Commission: Support to Civil Society in combatting Wildlife Trafficking and Forest Crime Grant Programme

Deadline: 18 June 2018

European Commission is seeking proposals for its ‘Support to Civil Society in combatting wildlife trafficking and forest crime in the Greater Mekong Region, Malaysia and the People’s Republic of China’ grant programme, which focuses on combatting wildlife and forest crime all along the value/supply chain, from poaching to retailers, international traders and consumers.

It will support civil society organisations in their efforts to combat wildlife crime and illegal logging through information gathering, investigations, wildlife conservation and economic development within the greater Mekong region (Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Vietnam), Malaysia and the People’s Republic of China.

Objectives

The global objective of this call for proposals is:

• To reduce wildlife trafficking and forest crime in and between the countries in the Greater Mekong region, People’s Republic of China and Malaysia through stronger CSO/Government partnerships.

The specific objectives of this call for proposals are:

• To foster CSO/ Government partnership by strengthening the role of civil society, indigenous and local communities in the fight against wildlife and forest crime.
• In areas at the source, directly affected by, or with a high profile related to wildlife and forest crime, improve the security and livelihoods of the local communities, strengthen the protection of biodiversity, disrupt retailer and distribution routes and networks, and reduce demand for wildlife products.

Funding Information

• The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 8 Million. The Contracting Authority reserves the right not to award all available funds.
  • Size of grants
    • Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
    • Minimum amount: EUR 7850 000
    • Maximum amount: EUR 8 000 000

• • Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum percentages of total eligible costs of the action:
    • Minimum percentage: 60% of the total eligible costs of the action.
    • Maximum percentage: 80% of the total eligible costs of the action

Eligibility criteria

Lead applicant

• In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:
  • Be a legal person and
  • Be a non-profit-making and
  • Be a civil society entity, local or international non-governmental organisation, local authority, EU member states, ‘law enforcement agency, public body or foundation, private entities experienced in promoting Public-Private Partnerships and
  • Be established in a member state of the European Unionor in an eligible country.
  • Entities established in an OECD member country or in one of the target countries (Cambodia, People’s Republic of China, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand or Vietnam) are also eligible.
  • Be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the co-applicant(s) and affiliated entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary
  • Potential applicants may not participate in calls for proposals or be awarded grants

Co-applicant(s)

• There must be at least one co-applicant established in each country where the proposed actions will take place.
• Co-applicants participate in designing and implementing the action, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead applicant.
• Co-applicants must satisfy the eligibility criteria as applicable to the lead applicant.
• Co-applicants must sign the mandate.
• Co-applicants must be legally allowed to operate in the country they represent.
• If awarded the grant contract, the co-applicant(s) will become beneficiaries in the action (together with the Coordinator).

Affiliated entity(ies)

• The lead applicant and its co-applicant(s) may act with affiliated entity(ies).
• Only entities having a structural link with the applicants (i.e. the lead applicant or a co-applicant), in particular a legal or capital link.
• Only the following entities may be considered as affiliated entities to the lead applicant and/or to co-applicant(s). This structural link encompasses mainly two notions:
  • Control, on the annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain types of undertakings:
    • Entities affiliated to applicant may hence be:
    • Entities directly or indirectly controlled by an applicant(daughter companies or first-tier subsidiaries).
    • They may also be entities controlled by an entity controlled by an applicant(granddaughter companies or second-tier subsidiaries) and the same applies to further tiers of control;
    • Entities directly or indirectly controlling the applicant(parent companies). Likewise, they may be entities controlling an entity controlling the applicant;
    • Entities under the same direct or indirect control as the applicant(sister companies).
• Membership, i.e. the applicant is legally defined as a e.g. network, federation, association in Membership, i.e. the applicant is legally defined as a e.g. network, federation, association in which the proposed affiliated entities also participate or the applicant participates in the same entity (e.g. network, federation, association) as the proposed affiliated entities.
• The structural link shall as a general rule be neither limited to the action nor established for the sole purpose of its implementation. This means that the link would exist independently of the award of the grant; it should exist before the call for proposals and remain valid after the end of the action.
• By way of exception, an entity may be considered as affiliated to an applicant even if it has a structural link specifically established for the sole purpose of the implementation of the action in the case of so-called “sole applicants” or “sole beneficiaries”.

How to Apply

• In order to apply to this call for proposals, organisations must register in PADOR and submit their application in PROSPECT.

Eligible Countries: Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Vietnam, Malaysia, China

For further information, please visit European Commission.