Deadline: 15-Jun-2026
The United Nations Development Programme is inviting Civil Society Organizations and Community-Based Organizations to submit proposals for biodiversity conservation and livelihood support projects around Gola National Park in Grand Cape Mount County, Liberia. The call is implemented under the GEF-UNDP-SGP LVG Programme and provides a total funding amount of $45,000. Selected projects will run for one year, from July 10, 2026, to June 10, 2027.
Overview
The United Nations Development Programme has launched a Call for Proposals to support biodiversity conservation and community livelihood initiatives in and around Gola National Park in Grand Cape Mount County, Liberia.
The opportunity is open to eligible Civil Society Organizations and Community-Based Organizations.
The initiative will be implemented through grants under the GEF-UNDP-SGP LVG Programme.
Purpose of the Call
The purpose of the call is to support community-based conservation activities that protect biodiversity while improving livelihoods for communities living in and around the protected Gola National Park landscape.
The call encourages projects that respond directly to community needs, promote environmental protection, and strengthen sustainable local development.
It also aims to support interventions that are participatory, replicable, inclusive, and capable of creating long-term benefits for both people and nature.
Key Focus Areas
The call focuses on biodiversity conservation, livelihood improvement, environmental protection, community-based conservation, participatory monitoring and evaluation, sustainable interventions, innovative inclusion mechanisms, replicable community models, beneficiary ownership, and high-impact activities within the Gola National Park landscape.
What the Grant Supports
The grant supports CSO- and CBO-led initiatives that combine conservation goals with livelihood benefits for local communities.
Supported activities may include:
- Biodiversity conservation actions
- Community-based conservation initiatives
- Livelihood improvement activities
- Environmental protection efforts
- Sustainable use of natural resources
- Community engagement and awareness
- Participatory monitoring and evaluation
- Inclusion mechanisms for local beneficiaries
- High-impact interventions addressing community needs
- Activities that support sustainability and local ownership
Projects should clearly demonstrate how conservation outcomes and livelihood outcomes will be achieved together.
Project Location
Projects must be implemented in Grand Cape Mount County, Liberia.
The proposed activities should focus on communities living in and around Gola National Park.
Applicants should demonstrate a clear understanding of the local context, conservation challenges, livelihood needs, and community priorities in the Gola National Park landscape.
Funding Amount
The total funding amount available for this grant opportunity is $45,000.
Applicants must ensure that their financial proposals remain within the fixed budget ceiling.
Organizations whose financial proposals exceed the established budget ceiling will not be considered.
Project Duration
Selected projects will be implemented over a one-year period.
The implementation period is from July 10, 2026, to June 10, 2027.
Applicants should prepare realistic workplans, budgets, staffing arrangements, and monitoring systems that can be completed within the one-year timeframe.
Who Is Eligible?
Eligible applicants include Civil Society Organizations and Community-Based Organizations.
Applicants should have the capacity to design and implement conservation and livelihood projects in the Gola National Park landscape.
Organizations must demonstrate administrative, financial, technical, and implementation capacity.
Required Application Documents
Applicants must submit a complete application package.
Required documents include:
- Financial or bank statements covering the previous two years
- Information requested through the NGO Request for Information template
- Completed proposal submission form
- Technical proposal
- Financial proposal
- Organizational documentation required by the call
Incomplete applications may reduce the applicant’s chances of consideration.
Technical Proposal Requirements
The technical proposal should clearly explain how the organization will implement the project.
It should include:
- Eligibility and qualification information
- Project methodology
- Implementation approach
- Quality assurance mechanisms
- Management structure
- Deployment of qualified personnel
- Key personnel and their qualifications
- Implementation schedule
- Response to community needs
- Participatory monitoring and evaluation approach
- Sustainability strategy
- Value-for-money considerations
The technical proposal should show that the organization can deliver results within the fixed budget and project period.
Financial Proposal Requirements
The financial proposal should provide a clear and realistic project budget.
The budget must remain within the fixed funding ceiling of $45,000.
Applicants should provide a detailed cost breakdown showing how funds will be used to deliver project activities.
The financial proposal should demonstrate value for money and ensure that costs are directly linked to project outputs and beneficiary benefits.
Quality Assurance and Management
Applicants should explain how project quality will be maintained during implementation.
This may include:
- Internal monitoring systems
- Field supervision
- Community feedback mechanisms
- Regular progress reviews
- Financial controls
- Technical oversight
- Risk management
- Reporting procedures
A strong quality assurance plan helps show that the organization can deliver the project effectively and responsibly.
Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation
The call places strong emphasis on participatory monitoring and evaluation.
Applicants should explain how communities and beneficiaries will take part in tracking progress, reviewing results, and strengthening accountability.
A participatory monitoring and evaluation plan may include:
- Community monitoring committees
- Beneficiary feedback sessions
- Local data collection
- Regular community review meetings
- Progress indicators
- Sustainability indicators
- Documentation of lessons learned
- Community validation of results
This approach helps promote beneficiary ownership and long-term sustainability.
Why It Matters
Gola National Park is an important protected area that requires strong conservation action and community participation.
Communities living in and around protected areas often depend on natural resources for their livelihoods, making it essential to link biodiversity conservation with sustainable livelihood support.
This UNDP call matters because it supports projects that protect biodiversity while helping communities meet practical economic and social needs. By involving local people in conservation and monitoring, the programme can strengthen ownership, sustainability, and long-term environmental protection.
How to Apply
Applicants should prepare a complete proposal package that includes all required organizational, technical, and financial documents.
Step 1: Confirm Eligibility
Organizations should confirm that they are eligible Civil Society Organizations or Community-Based Organizations with the capacity to implement activities in Grand Cape Mount County.
Applicants should also confirm that their proposed project focuses on communities in and around Gola National Park.
Step 2: Review the Call Requirements
Applicants should carefully review the Request for Proposals, Request for Information template, technical proposal requirements, financial proposal requirements, and fixed budget ceiling.
The proposal must align with the call’s focus on biodiversity conservation and livelihood support.
Step 3: Prepare Organizational Documentation
Applicants must prepare the required documentation, including financial or bank statements covering the previous two years and information requested through the NGO Request for Information template.
This documentation helps demonstrate administrative and financial capacity.
Step 4: Develop the Technical Proposal
The technical proposal should explain the project’s methodology, implementation plan, management structure, staffing, quality assurance, and monitoring approach.
It should also show how the proposed activities respond to community needs and conservation priorities in the Gola National Park landscape.
Step 5: Prepare the Financial Proposal
The financial proposal should include a realistic budget and detailed cost breakdown.
The budget must not exceed $45,000.
Applicants should ensure that each cost is justified and directly linked to project delivery.
Step 6: Demonstrate Value for Money
The proposal should show how the organization will deliver strong results within the fixed budget.
Applicants should explain how resources will be used efficiently to benefit communities and support biodiversity conservation.
Step 7: Submit the Complete Application
Applicants should submit the full application package with the proposal submission form, RFI documentation, financial or bank statements, technical proposal, and financial proposal.
All documents should be complete, accurate, and aligned with the call requirements.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated using a Quality-Based Fixed Budget Selection methodology.
This means the selection process will focus on the quality of the proposal and the value delivered within the fixed budget framework.
Key evaluation areas include:
- Quality of the technical approach
- Relevance of proposed interventions
- Response to community needs
- Biodiversity conservation impact
- Livelihood improvement potential
- Administrative management capacity
- Financial management capacity
- Management structure and staffing
- Qualifications of key personnel
- Participatory monitoring and evaluation mechanisms
- Sustainability of interventions
- Beneficiary ownership
- Value delivered within the fixed budget
Tips for a Strong Proposal
A strong proposal should clearly connect biodiversity conservation with livelihood improvement.
Applicants should:
- Focus clearly on Gola National Park communities
- Explain the conservation problem and livelihood need
- Propose practical and high-impact activities
- Show how communities will participate
- Include innovative and replicable inclusion mechanisms
- Provide a strong implementation schedule
- Demonstrate qualified personnel and sound management
- Include a participatory monitoring and evaluation plan
- Show how the project will remain sustainable
- Keep the financial proposal within the $45,000 ceiling
- Demonstrate value for money
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Common mistakes include:
- Submitting a financial proposal above the fixed budget ceiling
- Providing an unclear technical approach
- Weak connection between conservation and livelihood outcomes
- Not focusing on Gola National Park communities
- Missing financial or bank statements
- Failing to complete the NGO Request for Information template
- Not submitting both technical and financial proposals
- Providing weak management structure details
- Not identifying qualified key personnel
- Missing participatory monitoring and evaluation mechanisms
- Providing an unrealistic implementation schedule
- Failing to explain sustainability or beneficiary ownership
FAQ
1. What is the UNDP Gola National Park Call for Proposals?
It is a UNDP funding opportunity for Civil Society Organizations and Community-Based Organizations to support biodiversity conservation and livelihood programmes in and around Gola National Park in Grand Cape Mount County, Liberia.
2. Who can apply?
Eligible Civil Society Organizations and Community-Based Organizations with the capacity to implement conservation and livelihood projects may apply.
3. How much funding is available?
The total funding amount available for this grant opportunity is $45,000.
4. What is the project duration?
Projects will run for one year, from July 10, 2026, to June 10, 2027.
5. What documents are required?
Applicants must submit financial or bank statements for the previous two years, the NGO Request for Information template, a completed proposal submission form, a technical proposal, and a financial proposal.
6. How will proposals be evaluated?
Proposals will be evaluated using a Quality-Based Fixed Budget Selection methodology, with emphasis on technical quality, community relevance, organizational capacity, participatory monitoring and evaluation, sustainability, and beneficiary ownership.
7. What happens if the budget exceeds the fixed ceiling?
Organizations whose financial proposals exceed the fixed budget ceiling will not be considered.
Conclusion
The UNDP Call for Proposals offers Civil Society Organizations and Community-Based Organizations an opportunity to support biodiversity conservation and livelihood improvement around Gola National Park in Grand Cape Mount County, Liberia. With $45,000 available and a one-year implementation period, the programme supports practical, community-driven interventions that protect biodiversity while addressing local needs. Applicants should submit complete technical and financial proposals that demonstrate strong methodology, qualified personnel, participatory monitoring and evaluation, sustainability, beneficiary ownership, and clear value within the fixed budget framework.
For more information, visit UNDP.
