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2nd Call for Proposals: BESTbelt Programme

Deadline: 6-Mar-23

The European Green Belt is calling for proposals for BESTbelt Programme is designed to provide effective support for actions on the ground for biodiversity conservation and restoration as well as sustainable development.

The EGB is Europe’s longest green network, which evolved along the borders of the former Iron Curtain.

BESTbelt aims at unlocking the local potential along the European Green Belt by providing financial resources and consultation on how to effectively implement actions. With the BESTbelt Calls for proposals local stakeholders have the opportunity to implement activities to protect, restore and sustainably use natural resources along the European Green Belt.

The BESTbelt Calls for proposals are organised in two steps. Applicants submit a concept note for their projects and if it is successful they will be invited to submit a full proposal.

The BESTbelt Project Team provides support and training in each of the four regions of the European Green Belt (Fennoscandia, Baltic, Central Europe and Balkan).

Funding Information

  • The BESTbelt project is developing a grant scheme designed to provide effective support for actions on the ground at the local as well as the regional level. The amount available for the call for proposals 2023 is 880.000 EUR (one further call is planned to be scheduled in the year 2024).
  • The Small Grant budget can be up to 40 000 EUR. If the project has a particular and justified focus on transboundary cooperation, applicants can also apply for a small grant up to 60 000 EUR.
  • Duration
    • The project duration lies between 12 to 24 months. The project duration must align with the proposed activities and workplan.
      • Start Date: The earliest project start is 1 November 2023.
      • End Date: The latest possible end date is 31 October 2025.

Principles of BESTbelt

  • The principle of BESTbelt is to provide support for biodiversity action along the European Green Belt.
  • The specific principles of BESTbelt are:
    • To facilitate access to EU-funds for actors in the four regions along the European Green Belt through small grants aiming to unlock local initiatives and potential in the fields of biodiversity conservation, restoration and the sustainable use of ecosystem services. In this regard, local actors may consider nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based approaches to tackle climate change adaptation, mitigation and the cultural-historical dimensions of the EGB.
    • To increase the capacity of these actors to access and effectively manage EU-funds.
    • To strengthen local capacities through appropriate training focussing on young volunteers and on people in precarious socio-economic situations, including job seekers.
    • To increase the visibility of the European Green Belt Regions as key contributors to the achievement of EU and global biodiversity targets.
Eligible Countries
  • Norway, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania, Greece, Turkey.
Eligibility Criteria
  • In line with BESTbelt principles, target beneficiaries are organisations that are able to achieve a sustainable, local impact in the EGB area and meet the criteria of eligible activities. To unlock local potential, it is an asset if applicants are based in the indicative spatial reference area of the EGB or cooperate with such a local partner. Due to the current circumstances, the call for proposals is suspended in Russia.
  • For being eligible for BESTbelt, lead applicant and co-applicants must be:
    • Registered as a private or public legal entity in one of the countries along the EGB. Individuals, sole traders are not eligible to receive a grant from BESTbelt.
    • Directly responsible for the preparation and implementation of the grant project. Applications submitted by a body acting as an intermediary for a third party are not eligible.
    • Have a bank account in the name of the organisation; grants cannot be paid into an account in the name of an individual. Please note that the grant is paid in EUR.
  • Examples of applicants are:
    • non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
    • civil society organisations (CSOs)
    • non-profit organisations
    • micro and small enterprises as defined by the European Commission2
    • sub-governmental bodies i.e. municipalities, cities of a territory, communal services
    • research organisations
  • The lead applicant may apply individually or with co-applicant(s). The lead applicant is the main contact person for the BESTbelt Project Team. The lead applicant represents and acts on behalf of any other cobeneficiary (if any) and coordinates the design and implementation of the action. The lead applicant will bear full responsibility for the technical and financial implementation of the project.
  • At the time of the application, the lead applicant cannot be involved as lead applicant in an ongoing BESTbelt project at the same time.

For more information, visit BESTbelt Programme.