Deadline: 16-Jul-21
The Blue Action Fund is pleased to announce a new open call for grant proposals focusing on Africa’s Atlantic coast from Morocco to South Africa.
The present call for proposals is part of a continuing series of such calls by Blue Action Fund, providing individual grants to selected conservation projects in the global South with the following dual focus:
- Newly established, expanded or better managed marine protected areas (MPAs) or networks of MPAs that result in conservation of biodiversity, and
- Enhanced livelihood conditions and food security.
Africa’s Atlantic marine region is characterised by a number of globally significant biodiversity features. Among others, it comprises some of the most productive and biologically diverse large marine ecosystems in the world, the largest breeding monk seals colony left on Earth and high concentrations of migratory birds, as well as mangrove forests, seagrass beds, seamounts and canyons.
The thematic focus of projects should be:
- Supporting ecologically representative and well-connected systems of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) through enhancing management of existing MPAs, enlarging existing ones or establishing new MPAs; and
- Supporting sustainable livelihoods in coastal communities dependent on MPAs and their buffer zones.
Funding Information
- The current expectation is that Blue Action Fund will award grants from this call with a total volume of EUR 15 million or more.
- Ask for a contribution by Blue Action Fund of EUR 1-3 million, in well justified cases up to EUR 4 million.
- Can be completed within up to 5 years.
Eligibility Criteria
Blue Action Fund is looking forward to receiving proposals for projects that:
- Are situated in one of the following countries (or in case of transboundary MPAs several of the countries): Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe, The Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Namibia, South Africa (Atlantic Coast).
- Eligible applicants are NGOs with proven experience in coastal and marine conservation and sustainable livelihood development in the area. NGOs must provide match funding of at least 25% of the total project costs (in exceptional cases more than 10%).
- NGOs must have experience in implementing projects of similar size, Environmental and Social Management System capacity, and their reporting and financial management systems must be compliant with internationally recognised standards.
- The Fund encourages applications by consortia of NGOs that include local implementing partners. Blue Action Fund’s procedures require that all projects must receive the endorsement of the appropriate authority/authorised body of the country in which the project is located.
For more information, visit https://www.blueactionfund.org/funding-opportunities/