Deadline: 30-Jun-2026
The Forest Foundation Philippines, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Biodiversity Management Bureau, has launched the SGP8 Call for Proposals for Landscape-Level NGO Hub Grants under the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP).
The programme aims to strengthen community-led environmental conservation and sustainable development across priority landscapes in the Philippines. Through the establishment of NGO Hubs, the initiative seeks to improve collaboration, capacity development, governance, and landscape-level environmental outcomes while supporting biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihoods.
About the Programme
The Landscape-Level NGO Hub Grant is designed to support a central coordinating organization within each priority landscape.
The selected NGO Hub will serve as the focal point for communication, technical assistance, capacity building, and collaboration among civil society organizations, community-based organizations, Indigenous Peoples, government agencies, academic institutions, and private sector stakeholders involved in SGP8 projects.
The programme promotes integrated approaches to conservation and development while strengthening local leadership and community participation.
Focus Areas
The programme supports:
- Biodiversity conservation
- Sustainable livelihoods
- Community well-being
- Environmental sustainability
- Behavioral change for conservation
- Community-led environmental action
- Capacity development through the COMDEKS approach
- Landscape and seascape management
- Multi-stakeholder partnerships
- Community empowerment
- Sustainable governance mechanisms
- Indigenous Peoples’ participation
- Women’s empowerment
- Youth engagement
- Social inclusion
- Environmental and social safeguards
Purpose of the Grant
The initiative aims to:
- Strengthen collaboration among landscape stakeholders
- Improve biodiversity conservation outcomes
- Enhance socio-economic conditions of communities
- Support sustainable livelihood development
- Promote integrated landscape management
- Build local organizational capacity
- Strengthen governance systems
- Encourage inclusive decision-making
- Improve environmental stewardship
Funding Information
Funding details include:
- Grants of up to US$150,000 per NGO Hub
- Funding may be provided in its peso equivalent
- Six grants will be awarded
- Projects will run from the third quarter of 2026 through June 2028
Additional requirement:
- Co-financing is required through in-kind contributions, investments, or support from proponents, partners, or other funding sources
Project Landscapes
One NGO Hub will be selected for each of the following six landscapes:
- Aurora
- Quezon Province
- Catanduanes
- Catubig Watershed in Northern Samar, expanding to Cluster 6 River Basin
- Calamianes Group of Islands
- Siargao Islands Protected Landscapes and Seascapes (SIPLAS), expanding to Surigao del Norte
NGO Hub Responsibilities
The selected NGO Hub will serve as the primary coordination and support mechanism within its assigned landscape.
Key responsibilities include:
- Facilitating communication among stakeholders
- Supporting collaboration among grantees
- Coordinating stakeholder engagement activities
- Strengthening landscape-level partnerships
- Promoting learning and knowledge exchange
- Supporting programme implementation
Technical Assistance Functions
The NGO Hub will provide:
- Project development support
- Technical guidance to grantees
- Compliance support
- Safeguards monitoring assistance
- Gender and social inclusion support
- Planning assistance
- Reporting support
- Alignment of projects with programme objectives
Capacity Development Activities
The selected organizations will support:
- Organizational strengthening
- Capacity-building activities
- Peer learning opportunities
- Governance improvement
- Financial management strengthening
- Project management skills development
- Monitoring and reporting competencies
- Communication and outreach skills
- Adaptive management practices
Knowledge Management and Communication
The NGO Hub will be responsible for:
- Documenting lessons learned
- Sharing good practices
- Promoting innovation
- Organizing learning exchanges
- Facilitating stakeholder knowledge-sharing events
- Supporting programme visibility activities
- Ensuring culturally sensitive communication approaches
Environmental and Social Safeguards
The programme places strong emphasis on:
- Environmental safeguards
- Social safeguards
- Gender equality
- Women’s empowerment
- Indigenous Peoples’ rights
- Youth participation
- Social inclusion
- Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC)
- Responsible and ethical project implementation
Where applicable, proposals should include:
- Resources for FPIC processes
- Support for obtaining a Certificate of Precondition
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants must be:
- Legally registered non-government organizations in the Philippines
Applicants should demonstrate:
- Active involvement in the target landscape
- Experience in forest conservation
- Experience in coastal conservation
- Experience in marine conservation
- Strong stakeholder engagement experience
- Institutional capacity
- Technical expertise
- Financial management capability
- Ability to coordinate multi-stakeholder initiatives
Expected Outcomes
The programme seeks to achieve:
- Stronger landscape governance
- Enhanced biodiversity conservation
- Improved community livelihoods
- Increased stakeholder collaboration
- Greater community participation
- Improved organizational capacities
- Better project implementation performance
- Sustainable environmental management systems
Importance of the Grant
The Landscape-Level NGO Hub Grant plays a critical role in ensuring effective coordination and long-term impact across priority conservation landscapes.
Key benefits include:
- Strengthened local conservation leadership
- Improved collaboration among organizations
- Enhanced community empowerment
- Better environmental outcomes
- Increased inclusion of women, youth, and Indigenous Peoples
- Stronger institutional capacities
- Improved sustainability of conservation initiatives
Application Tips
Strong applications typically demonstrate:
- Extensive experience in conservation and development work
- Active presence within the target landscape
- Strong partnerships with local stakeholders
- Experience managing large projects
- Effective governance systems
- Financial management capacity
- Clear strategies for stakeholder engagement
- Strong approaches to inclusion and safeguards compliance
Common Application Mistakes
Applications may be weakened by:
- Limited landscape experience
- Weak stakeholder engagement plans
- Insufficient technical capacity
- Inadequate financial management systems
- Lack of co-financing commitments
- Poor integration of gender and social inclusion
- Failure to address FPIC requirements where applicable
- Unclear implementation approaches
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of the Landscape-Level NGO Hub Grant?
- To strengthen coordination, collaboration, and capacity development among organizations implementing SGP8 projects within priority landscapes.
- To support landscape-level conservation and sustainable development outcomes.
How much funding is available?
- Up to US$150,000 per NGO Hub.
- Six grants will be awarded.
Who can apply?
- Legally registered non-government organizations in the Philippines.
- Organizations with active involvement in the target landscape.
Which landscapes are covered by the programme?
- Aurora.
- Quezon Province.
- Catanduanes.
- Catubig Watershed and Cluster 6 River Basin.
- Calamianes Group of Islands.
- SIPLAS and Surigao del Norte.
What are the main responsibilities of the NGO Hub?
- Coordination and communication.
- Technical assistance.
- Capacity development.
- Knowledge management.
- Stakeholder engagement.
- Support for project implementation and reporting.
Is co-financing required?
- Yes.
- Co-financing through in-kind contributions, investments, or support from partners and other sources is required.
Does the programme require compliance with Indigenous Peoples’ safeguards?
- Yes.
- Projects must comply with Indigenous Peoples’ rights requirements.
- FPIC processes and Certificates of Precondition should be supported where applicable.
Conclusion
The SGP8 Landscape-Level NGO Hub Grant offers significant support for Philippine NGOs working to strengthen biodiversity conservation, sustainable livelihoods, and community-led environmental governance. With grants of up to US$150,000 available across six priority landscapes, the programme seeks to build strong partnerships, empower local communities, and advance long-term conservation and sustainable development outcomes throughout the Philippines.
For more information, visit Forest Foundation Philippines.