Call for Proposals: Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Actions in Papua New Guinea

Deadline: 7-May-25

PNG Biodiversity and Climate Fund launches its sixth call for proposals and the fund will be providing grants to initiatives focusing on nature and ecosystem-based solutions across Papua New Guinea.

This sixth call for proposal under the NZ Government Funding is addressing the need for capacity building of key local NGOs and community-based organizations (CBOs) to manage and implement biodiversity, climate, and economic development projects carried out in harmony with conservation objectives. This involves activities or initiatives focusing on institutional and organizational strengthening to equip key stakeholders with the knowledge, information, tools and support required to design projects, prepare project proposals, manage and monitor projects, and account for the funds.

Focus Areas

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: actions or initiatives that demonstrate climate change mitigation or adaptation outcomes such as reforestation, sustainable forest management practices, sustainable land use planning/spatial planning, building climate resilience or contribute to disaster risk reduction as well as innovative options for nature-based solutions and the inclusion of women and youth. Proposals should clearly demonstrate that they have the potential to become or are discreet projects by the end of the project activities.
Livelihood initiatives: Livelihood projects that contribute towards sustainable financing of PA management, biodiversity conservation and climate change outcomes as well as innovative options for nature-based solutions and the inclusion of women and youth. Initiatives that generate an income or in-kind contributions towards implementation of the country’s conservation and climate change objectives would be considered favorable.
Research: Under this call for proposals, conducting research that aims to understand or solve an existing challenge or impediment to the increased capacity of local stakeholders within PA management, conservation and climate change and is considered if it is focused on a specific, applicable site. The research should be action-orientated and lead to an actual intervention at the site.
Capital expenses and equipment: Applications including equipment or capital expenditure costs are accepted but need to be clearly linked to institutional and organizational strength training and capacity building initiatives and demonstrate how it will be maintained beyond the funding period.
Capacity building: Capacity building of local stakeholders to manage and implement biodiversity, climate, and economic development projects carried out in harmony with conservation objectives. Capacity building activities should be site specific, action-orientated and based on capacity needs that will lead directly to institutional and organizational strengthening, increased knowledge, skills, information and tools required to design relevant projects, prepare project proposals, manage and monitor projects, and account for project funds as part of the overall aim to increase absorptive capacity.

Funding Information

The BCF will provide grants up to a maximum limit of PGK 350,000 (approximately USD 100,000) to be utilized and acquitted within 12 months of signature of grant agreements.

Ineligible Actions

Actions that do not contribute to a key biodiversity area or involve a nature-based approach;
Activities with potentially significant adverse environmental and/or social risks and impacts that, individually or cumulatively, are hard to mitigate or reverse or are unlikely to be mitigated or reversed;
Activities with potentially significant adverse impacts on vulnerable groups, particularly with respect to displacement, loss of livelihoods or cultural resources, which are unlikely to be compensated to the satisfaction of those affected;
Activities which do not provide potentially impacted stakeholders, in particular vulnerable groups, opportunities to participate in consultation and decision-making during the preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the activities;
Activities with potentially significantly adverse impact on sites of significant archaeological, cultural or religious importance;
Activities which do not have any measurable conservation or climate benefits, or which will not contribute to improved conservation and climate outcomes.

Eligibility Criteria

Type of Organisation: In line with the BCF’s grants manual and UNDP, locally registered non-governmental organizations or community-based organisations are eligible to apply. Public and private entities are not entitled to apply under this call for proposals. NGO’s or CBO’s must have legally existed and operated in Papua New Guinea for at least two years. The BCF actively supports partnerships and collaborations. Organisations based outside PNG may be proposal partners but may not be the lead organization. A copy of Investment Promotion Authority certificate will be required as evidence.
Existing BCF Grantees: An organization currently implementing a BCF grant may not apply for this call for proposals. If your organization applied for a grant under the first call and subsequent calls for proposals but were unsuccessful, you may apply, subject to meeting the eligibility criteria and scope of fifth call for proposals.
Scope of the call for proposals: Proposals submitted that do not directly relate to the Strategic approach of this call for proposal will not be considered. If you are unsure whether your initiative meets the scope, please contact the BCF Secretariat directly. Please note, confirmation that the project meets the scope is not a guarantee of funding. The funding window is limited and the call for proposals is a competitive process.
Endorsement: At the full proposal stage the applying organization will be required to submit endorsement that this project is supported from both the proposed beneficiaries as well as relevant government entity.

For more information, visit UNDP.