Grants to strengthen the Resilience of Protected Areas, Coastal Communities, and NGOs

Deadline: 16-Oct-23

Mesoamerican Reef Fund (MAR Fund) is delighted to announce its annual request for proposals with two available financial windows: Traditional Small Grants and Reef Rescue Initiative.

Types of Funds

• Traditional Small Grants: Supporting Coastal and Marine resources management and protection in the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR).
• Reef Rescue Initiative: Supporting and strengthening science-based restoration, repopulation, and rehabilitation of coral reefs in the MAR region.

Objectives

• Traditional Small Grants:
  • General objective
    • To contribute to the conservation of the ecosystem functions of the Mesoamerican Reef System and its resilience.
  • Specific Objectives
    • Support the design and/or implementation of sustainable enterprises/businesses that can demonstrate a positive impact on the resources of the MAR (market innovations related to untreated waters and solid waste management will be prioritized).
    • Support actions to strengthen the resilience of protected areas, coastal communities, and NGOs.
    • Support and strengthen efforts for wastewater and solid waste management.
• Reef Rescue Initiative:
  • Support activities and actions to strengthen the resilience of protected areas, coastal communities and NGOs that work on coral reef restoration in combination with or in areas that are simultaneously working to address threats to coral reefs (e.g., overfishing, wastewater management, others).
  • Promote and contribute new techniques for restoration, repopulation, and rehabilitation of coral reefs in the MAR region in areas that are simultaneously working to address threats to coral reefs, with the intention of increasing the probability of survival of coral reefs.
  • Develop coral restoration projects that promote/incorporate sustainable businesses that can demonstrate a positive impact on the MAR.
  • Promote strategies to prevent and address the Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD).

Funding Information

• Traditional Small Grants:
  • The proposals to be presented may have a duration of up to two years. Proposals with a duration of up to 17 months may request a maximum amount of US$30,000, while proposals between 18 and 24 months may request a maximum amount of US$50,000, based on project needs and capacity of the implementing institution. For two-year projects, funding is approved for both years, but disbursement for the second year will depend on performance in the first year.
• Reef Rescue Initiative:
  • The proposals to be presented may have a duration of up to 24 months. The maximum grant amount is US$34,500, based on project needs and capacity of the implementing institution.
• For this proposals, at least 25% of the total budget must come from other sources, as a match to the requested funds. The maximum amount allowed for administration expenses cannot exceed 10% of the total amount requested. Administration expenses refer exclusively to the fixed operating costs of the organization (overhead, it does not include salaries).
• The costs of implementing and complying with the Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) may be included in the budget.

Eligible Geographic Areas

• Traditional Small Grants:
  • Belize
  • Guatemala
  • Honduras
  • Mexico
• Reef Rescue Initiative:
  • All coral reefs within the MAR region are eligible. Proposals must clearly justify the site where activities will take place, for the benefit of the Mesoamerican Reef system.

Eligibility Criteria

• The following list includes eligible applicants for this request for proposals:
  • Community-based organizations.
  • Governmental institutions.
  • Non-governmental organizations.
  • Academia and individuals (both must have administrative support from an NGO, who shall be responsible for the grant).
• Potential grantee organizations must be:
  • Legally recognized or registered in their country.
  • In compliance and good standing with all requirements for operation as a legal local entity.
  • Guided by an operational Board of Directors.
  • Have a sound financial management system and structure in place (accounting, annual audits, etc.).
  • Have a good history as a grantee (i.e., effective grant/project implementation).
  • Have experience in the field of coastal and marine resources management.
• Organizations must have their headquarters established in any one of the four countries of the MAR region to be eligible.

For more information, visit Mesoamerican Reef Fund.