EU BEST 2.0 Medium Grants Program: Promoting Conservation and Sustainable use of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in OCTs

Deadline: 25 July 2016

The European Commission is currently inviting applicants for its BEST 2.0 Programme as part of the EU Biodiversity for Life (B4Life) flagship. The Medium Grants Program will promote the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable use of ecosystem services, including ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation and mitigation, as a basis for sustainable development in EU Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs).

The overall indicative amount made available for the 2016 Medium Grant call for proposals is one million two hundred thousand euros (EUR 1,200,000).

Objectives

• The overall objective of BEST 2.0 is to promote the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable use of ecosystem services, including ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation and mitigation, as a basis for sustainable development in OCTs.
• The specific objective is to enable, empower and strengthen local authorities and civil society organizations which are committed to local development, biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of ecosystem services in OCTs.

Size of Grants

Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between minimum EUR 100 001 & maximum EUR 400 000.

Duration

Medium Grants submitted in response to this call can have a maximum duration of 28 months.

Location

Actions must take place in one or more of the Overseas Countries and Territories in the following regions:

• Indian Ocean
• Polar and Sub-Polar
• South Atlantic

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must be:
  • A public or private body, actor or institution; (applications from individuals are not eligible).
  • Registered/incorporated in one of the EU Overseas Countries and Territories.
  • Directly responsible for the preparation and implementation of the grant project, applications submitted by a body acting as an intermediary for a third party are not eligible.
• The target beneficiaries for medium grants are:
  • local non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
  • local civil society organizations (CSOs)
  • local community-based organizations (CBOs)
  • local non-profit organizations
• Applicant Declaration the lead applicant must declare that the lead applicant himself.
• The applicant and its co-applicant(s) may act with affiliated entity (ies) having a structural link with the applicants. Eligible entities may thus include-
  • Entities directly or indirectly controlled by an applicant (daughter companies or first-tier subsidiaries). They may also be entities controlled by an entity controlled by an applicant (granddaughter companies or second-tier subsidiaries) and the same applies to further tiers of control;
  • Entities directly or indirectly controlling the applicant (parent companies). Likewise, they may be entities controlling an entity controlling the applicant;
  • Entities under the same direct or indirect control as the applicant (sister companies).

How to Apply

• Applicants must complete the Medium Grant Proposal Application Form available on the website.
• Applicants must submit their application in accordance with the instructions in the proposal application form.
• Applicants must apply in English or French.

Eligible Countries:

Anguilla,  Aruba,  Bermuda,  Bonaire British, Antarctic Territory,  British Indian Ocean Territory,  British Virgin Islands,  Cayman Islands, Curação, Falkland Islands, French Polynesia,  French Southern and Antarctic Territories, Greenland,  Montserrat,  New Caledonia and Dependencies,  Pitcairn, Saint Barthélemy,  Saint Helena, Ascension, Tristan da Cunha,  Saint Pierre and Miquelon,  Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten,  South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands,  Turks and Caicos,  Wallis and Futuna Islands.

For more information, please visit BEST Grants Program.