Deadline: 11-Apr-22
The European Green Belt is calling for proposals for BESTbelt Programme to provide support for biodiversity action.
The BESTbelt aims at unlocking the local potential along the European Green Belt by providing financial resources and consultation on how to effectively implement the planned actions. With the BESTbelt calls for proposals local stakeholders get the opportunity to develop projects to protect, restore and sustainably use natural resources along the European Green Belt.
Objectives
- Conservation and/or restoration of biodiversity and ecosystem services
- Sustainable use of biodiversity, natural resources and ecosystem services
- Ecosystem-based climate change mitigation and adaptation
- Environmental education and local capacity building
- The specific objectives of BESTbelt are:
- To facilitate access to EU-funds for actors in the four regions along the European Green Belt through small grants aiming to unlock local initiatives and potential in the fields of biodiversity conservation, restoration and the sustainable use of ecosystem services. In this regard, local actors may consider nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based approaches to tackle climate change adaptation, mitigation and the cultural-historical dimensions of the EGB.
- To increase the capacity of these actors to access and effectively manage EU-funds.
- To strengthen local capacities through appropriate training focussing on young volunteers and on people in precarious socio-economic situations, including job seekers.
- To increase the visibility of the European Green Belt Regions as key contributors to the achievement of EU and global biodiversity targets.
Funding Information
- The BESTbelt is developing a grant scheme designed to provide effective support for actions on the ground at the local as well as the regional level. The amount available for the call for proposals 2022 is 400.000 EUR (further calls are planned to be scheduled in the year 2023).
- The Small Grant budget can be up to 40 000 EUR. The budget must be realistic. It is not necessary to request the maximum (or close to the maximum) grant amount available. The amount requested should be consistent with the proposed project activities and workplan.
- The project duration lies between 12 to 24 months.
Eligible Countries
Norway, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania, Greece, Turkey
Eligibility Criteria
- For being eligible for BESTbelt, lead applicant and co-applicants must be:
- Registered as a private or public legal entity in one of the countries along the EGB1 . Individuals, sole traders are not eligible to receive a grant from BESTbelt.
- 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.
- Have a bank account in the name of the organisation; grants cannot be paid into an account in the name of an individual. Please note that the grant is paid in EUR.
- Examples of applicants are:
- non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
- civil society organisations (CSOs)
- non-profit organisations
- micro and small enterprises as defined by the European Commission
- sub-governmental bodies i.e. municipalities, cities of a territory, communal services
- research organisations
For more information, visit https://www.europeangreenbelt.org/bestbelt/calls-for-proposals/
