Deadline: 10-Jan-23
WWF-Russia serving as the regional implementation team for the hotspot, is accepting project proposals from non-government organizations, community groups, cultural organizations, women’s groups, private companies and other civil society organizations for its Mountains of Central Asia Biodiversity Hotspot grant.
The Mountains of Central Asia Biodiversity Hotspot consists of two of Asia’s major mountain ranges, the Pamir and the Tien-Shan. Politically, the hotspot’s 860,000 square kilometers include southern Kazakhstan, most of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, eastern Uzbekistan, western China, northeastern Afghanistan, and a small part of Turkmenistan. CEPF’s investment focuses on Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), defined as “sites contributing significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity”, as well as priority species and corridors.
Grant Information
Maximum grant amount US $20,000.
Project Duration
Projects are expected to start in 2022. Typical duration will be one to two years, but all CEPF-funded work must be complete by June 2024.
Grants cannot be used for
- The purchase of land, involuntary resettlement of people, or activities that negatively affect physical cultural resources, including those important to local communities;
- Activities adversely affecting indigenous peoples or where these communities have not provided their broad support to the project activities;
- Removal or alteration of any physical cultural property (includes sites having archaeological, paleontological, historical, religious, or unique natural values).
Eligible Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Priority Activities and Geographic Areas
- They welcome projects in areas not covered by current large or small grants. At the moment, each of the KBAs listed below have 3 or more CEPF-funded projects in whole or partially, and they would rather not fund additional projects there:
- KAZ01 Karatau;
- KAZ05 Ugam;
- KAZ08 Aksu-Zhabagly;
- KAZ21 Altyn-Emel;
- KGZ31 Eastern Issyk-Kul Lakeshore;
- TAJ21 Baljuvan;
- UZB24 Nuratau Ridge;
- TKM01 Koytendag.
- Accordingly, they are more interested in projects that will fully or partially take place in other KBAs and particularly interested in projects taking place in the following KBAs:
- Tajik Babatag (TJK13) and its cross-border neighbor, Uzbek Babatag (UZB36);
- Tajik KBAs on the border with Afghanistan: Ayvaj (TJK16), Tgovaya Balka (TJK17), and Tajik Karatau (TJK18);
- Other KBAs in Tajikistan: Turkestan Mountains (TJK4), Gazimalik (TK14), Sarsaryak (TJK15), and Tavildara (TJK26);
- Sary-Jaz (KGZ30), on the border of Kyrgyzstan with China;
- Kyrgyzstan’s Naryn State Reserve, Salkyn Tor National Park, and Karatal-Japyryk Nature Reserve, which aren’t listed in the Ecosystem Profile, but are part of the Central Tien Shan corridor and meet various KBA criteria.
- The RIT will accept proposals that partially take place outside of these named priority KBAs and corridors if the project otherwise fulfils priorities listed in the Ecosystem Profile.
Eligible Applicants
- Non-governmental and non-commercial civil society organizations, registered community groups and citizen cooperatives, and private universities may apply for funding. It is possible for commercial organizations, such as farms and to apply for funding by special consideration. Individuals must work with civil society organizations rather than apply directly;
- International organizations are encouraged to involve local organizations or communities as project partners and/or explain how local stakeholders will be engaged as part of project implementation;
- Organizations must have their own bank account and be authorized under relevant national laws to receive charitable contributions. Groups without a USD bank account may partner with other organizations that do have a USD bank account.
- Government-owned enterprises or institutions are eligible only if they can demonstrate that the enterprise or institution has:
- A legal personality independent of any government agency or actor;
- The authority to apply for and receive private funds;
- May not assert a claim of sovereign immunity.
For more information, visit https://www.cepf.net/grants/open-calls-for-proposals/2022-mountains-central-asia-small-grants