Deadline: 22-Oct-20
The European Union (EU) is inviting concept notes for its BEST 2.0+ programme, which is part of the EU Biodiversity for Life (B4Life) flagship initiative. BEST 2.0+ provides grant funding for small-scale field actions for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in the EU Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs).
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 organisations which are committed to local development, biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of ecosystem services in OCTs through the implementation of a grant scheme accompanied by the capacity building activities.
Funding Information
- BEST 2.0+ grants amount to a maximum of €60,000.
- The duration of a BEST 2.0+ grant is maximum 19 months.
Eligibility of Costs
Only eligible costs will be reimbursed. Eligible costs must be:
- Necessary for the implementation of the project activities;
- Reasonable and justified and consistent with the principles of sound financial management, in particular in terms of value for money and cost-effectiveness;
- Generated during the lifetime of the project (costs incurred before the official starting date of the project or after the official end date of the project are not eligible); expenditure eligible for financing may not have been incurred before the signature of the grant agreement;
- Either actually incurred by the beneficiary and be recorded in his accounts in accordance with the applicable accounting principles, or based on simplified cost options or on the combination thereof;
- Identifiable and verifiable;
- Compliant with the requirements of the applicable tax and social legislation.
Categories of Eligible Costs
- Human resources: the costs of personnel working under an employment contract with the beneficiary or an equivalent appointing act and assigned to the project, provided that these costs are in line with the beneficiary’s usual policy on remuneration. Those costs include actual salaries plus social security contributions and other statutory costs included in the remuneration.
- Travel: costs of travel and related subsistence allowances, provided that these costs are in line with the beneficiary’s usual practices on travel.
- Equipment and supplies for the project, provided that the purchases are made in accordance with BEST 2.0+ Procurement Policy and are in line with the national procurement regulations, if applicable.
- Costs derived from subcontracts, provided that that the purchases are made in accordance with BEST 2.0+ Procurement Policy.
Eligible Activities
Eligible activities must:
- Be located in one or more of the EU or UK OCTs;
- Contribute to the BEST 2.0+ objectives with tangible activities on the ground;
- Comply with the BEST 2.0+ and IUCN environmental and social safeguard aspects;
- Contribute to tangible and measurable impacts in terms of the conservation, sustainable development and/or sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystem services, including ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation or mitigation;
- Encourage partnership-based approach with local stakeholders;
- Guarantee open access to data, results and all information generated by the project;
- Not be fundamental research projects. Proposals that include research activities must support tangible actions using the research the results of which are delivered within the timeframe of the project, i.e. proposal of a practical management plan or new policy, or new protected area design, new natural resources management plan, in vivo pilot site activities implementing the results of the research with new management or improved or adapted conservation actions.
Ineligible Activities
- 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 individuals and local communities or where these communities have not provided their broad support to the project activities;
- The removal or altering of any physical cultural property (includes sites having archaeological, paleontological, historical, religious, or unique natural values);
- Activities that duplicate work previously funded by BEST or other EU funds;
- Financial support to third parties through sub-grants.
Eligibility Criteria
- For being eligible to BEST 2.0+, lead applicant and co-applicants must be:
- A private or public legal entity. Individuals, sole traders are not eligible to BEST 2.0+.
- Registered in one of the EU or UK OCTs.
- 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.
- In line with BEST 2.0+ objective, target beneficiaries are primarily:
- Local non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
- Local civil society organisations (CSOs)
- Local community-based organisations (CBOs)
- Local non-profit organisations
- Micro-enterprises as defined by the EC
- Local sub-governmental bodies i.e. municipalities, cities of a territory, communal services.
- And in special cases:
- Territorial government departments, agencies and their services.
- The lead applicant may act individually or with co-applicant(s). Co-applicants must sign and attach the mandate available on the BEST 2.0+ portal.
- An organisation can submit a maximum of two proposals as lead applicant and/or co-applicant. Nonetheless, an organisation can only be awarded one grant as lead applicant.
- A research organisation can apply for funding as co-applicant, provided the applicant clearly demonstrates that the research undertaken for the ongoing action is operational and supports tangible conservation or sustainable uses activities on the ground during the lifetime of the project (not fundamental research).
- Exceptional access to BEST 2.0+ grants is allowed for:
- Territorial governments departments, agencies and their services,
- Organisations that are based in the region where the uninhabited territory is located, but that are not regional organisations, under the special condition.
- Organisations based in a EU Member State or the UK, under the special condition.
How to Apply
This is a two-stage application process.
- Stage 1: Open call for project concept notes (a short application form);
- Stage 2: Call for full proposals by invitation only (a more comprehensive application form).
*Applicants can submit applications in English or French. Templates and guidelines are available in both languages. Hand-written proposals will not be accepted.
For more information, visit https://www.best2plus.org/call-for-proposals/