Call for Letters of Inquiry for Large Grants Program

Deadline: 10-Jan-23

The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) and WWF Russia, as regional implementation team for the hotspot, are accepting letters of inquiry from non-government organizations, community groups, Indigenous people’s organizations, women’s groups, private companies and other civil society organizations.

Funding Information

Letters of inquiry must have a budget between US$50,000 and US$150,000 to be eligible for consideration.
Projects are expected to start approximately 5-7 months from the release of this call for letters of inquiry. CEPF projects are typically 18 to 24 months in duration, but all work must be complete by February 2025.

Geographic Areas

CEPF focuses its work on conservation outcomes, seeking to protect species, sites and corridors. The core of this work is around KBAs, which are the refuges of globally threatened species and around which larger corridors are based.
Applicants that submit proposals for priority KBAs, from the eligible countries, and that also address the investment priorities, will receive the highest consideration from reviewers.
Applicants that submit proposals for work in non-priority KBAs from the eligible countries must specifically address one of the investment priorities to receive any consideration from reviewers.
The ecosystem profile lists all KBAs and corridors with specific names and identification/code numbers. Applicants are advised to name specific KBAs and corridors by name and number in your letter of inquiry.
They are willing to consider proposals addressing urgent conservation needs that take place in non-priority KBAs or non-priority corridors. However, such projects must still address the investment priorities.

Criteria

Eligible Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
Project proposals should be built on biodiversity conservation as a fundamental component and should demonstrate positive impacts on the conservation status of biodiversity.
Where relevant, applicants are encouraged to submit letters of inquiry that harmonize with existing national or regional initiatives. Synergies with other organizations are also eligible, with one lead organization submitting the application alongside sub-grantee project partners.
Applicants based outside of eligible countries may submit a letter of inquiry as long as the project deliverables are focused on the conservation need within an eligible country or countries.
International organizations are encouraged to involve local organizations or communities as project partners, or explain how local stakeholders will be engaged as part of project implementation.
Applicants are advised to read the investment strategy chapter of the ecosystem profile to ensure full understanding of the strategic directions and investment priorities.