Deadline: 18-Jul-25
The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) and the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI), as regional implementation team (RIT) for the Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot, are inviting letters of inquiry (LOIs) from non-governmental organizations, community groups, private enterprises, universities and other civil society organizations.
This investment phase seeks to improve the capacity of civil society organizations to reduce threats to globally important biodiversity in the Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot. Projects supported under this phase should help:
- Increase the capacity of civil society organisations to reduce key threats to biodiversity;
- Increase the organizational capacity of civil society organisations;
- Increase the capacity of civil society organizations to participate in conservation-related networks;
- Reduce threats to biodiversity at Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs).
Funding Information
- Grant Size: US $51,000 to US $150,000
Eligible Activities
- LOIs must propose projects that relate to the strategic directions and investment priorities outlined in the ecosystem profile.
- Strong preference will be given to proposals that allow for any or all of the following:
- Engagement of national and local organizations that have not previously received a large or small grant from CEPF.
- Engagement of organizations to build their capacity to reduce threats to biodiversity.
- Engagement of organizations to allow for their active participation in conservation related networks.
- Strengthening of civil society networks not currently supported by CEPF.
- Reduction of threats at the priority KBAs.
Ineligible Activities
- CEPF grants cannot be used for activities on the following “negative list”:
- The use of child or forced labor.
- Purchase and use of formulated products that fall in the World Health Organization classes
- IA and IB or formulations of products in Class II if they are likely to be used by, or be accessible to, lay personnel, farmers or others without training, equipment and facilities to handle, store and apply these products properly.
- Financing elections or election campaigning.
- Funding salaries or salary supplements of government security personnel.
- Purchase of firearms or other weapons.
- Purchase of tobacco, alcoholic beverages and other drugs.
- Manufacture of alcohol for local consumption and/or cultivation of crops for this purpose.
- Activities carried out in relation to the adjudication of lands under dispute.
- Physical resettlement of people (voluntary or involuntary).
- Purchase of land.
- Activities that have the potential to cause adverse impacts on critical habitats.
- Conversion, deforestation or degradation of natural forests or other natural habitats, including, among others, conversion to agriculture or tree plantations.
- Activities related to commercialization of illegal timber and non-timber forest products.
- Construction and/or restoration of religious buildings.
- Removal or alteration of any physical cultural heritage property (includes sites having archeological, paleontological, historical, religious or unique natural values).
Eligibility Criteria
- Non-governmental organizations, community groups, universities and private enterprises may apply for funding. Individuals must work with civil society organizations to develop applications rather than apply directly.
- To qualify for a CEPF grant, applicants must not be a government agency or institution.
- Government-owned enterprises or institutions are eligible only if they can establish that they:
- have a legal personality independent of any government agency or actor;
- have the authority to apply for and receive private funds; and
- may not assert a claim of sovereign immunity.
- Proposed projects that address the scope of this call and meet the following eligibility criteria are welcome:
- Project is located in the Caribbean Islands Hotspot.
- Project is located in a country that is not subject to sanctions under U.S. law or other applicable law.
- Project supports a strategic direction outlined in the Caribbean Islands Hotspot ecosystem profile and investment strategy.
- Applicant is authorized under relevant national laws to receive charitable contributions.
- Applicant is not a government agency or institution.
For more information, visit CEPF.