Deadline: 13-Sep-24
The regional implementation team (RIT) of the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) in the Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands hotspot, is accepting letters of inquiry (LOIs) from non-governmental organizations, community groups, Indigenous peoples’ organizations, women’s groups, private companies and other civil society organizations for projects that promote ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) in response to climate change and address the eligible activities and geographies of this call.
Eligible Technical Scopes
- Applicants should ensure that the core content of their LOI refers to the eligible strategic direction as listed below and one or two of the associated investment priorities. If the activity is not aligned with this strategic direction and the associated investment priority, the application will be rejected.
- Strategic Direction 1: Empower communities and civil society to implement actions to improve the resilience of species, ecosystems, and human populations to climate change in priority KBAs
- This strategic direction will focus on providing the necessary funding, technical support, and capacity building for CSOs to implement EbA actions to improve the resilience of the most vulnerable species, ecosystems, and people to climate change. Expected outcomes include increased resilience and improved livelihoods for vulnerable populations, but also improved resilience of ecosystems and ecosystem services.
- Investment Priority 1.1: Implement EbA actions, including agroforestry, “climate smart agriculture”, eradication of IAS, restoration of degraded watersheds and coastal ecosystems (including wetlands, mangroves, reefs and seagrass beds), and promotion of sustainable management of coastal and terrestrial ecosystems
- Eligible projects will be those proposing to design and implement EbA, Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) and conservation actions that respond to climate impacts at priority KBAs. Activities will analyze the adverse impacts of climate change on human livelihoods and propose solutions that can support, conserve, or restore species and natural areas in ways that help regulate or diminish the negative impacts. Identified solutions will then need to be planned based on an understanding of their costs and strategies to cover those costs, both during the projects and beyond, to ensure the sustainability and continuity of the new EbA actions.
- Investment Priority 1.2: Support the establishment and development of economic models that improve the resilience of local communities to climate change and support value chains for natural products, while strengthening ecosystem services that contribute to EbA
- Eligible projects will be those proposing to support the development of economic models that improve community resilience to climate change, including nature-based tourism and sustainable production of natural products. This could be done, in particular, through strengthening the factors of production, improving access to national and international markets and/or capacity building in business management and entrepreneurship.
- Strategic Direction 1: Empower communities and civil society to implement actions to improve the resilience of species, ecosystems, and human populations to climate change in priority KBAs
Funding Information
- The maximum amount for small grants is US$50,000. Applications with a budget higher than this amount will not be eligible for review, but applicants can check the call for large grants.
LOI Components
- Priority will be given to projects that:
- Demonstrate that the proposed EbA activity addresses vulnerability based on a clear climate change risk.
- Adopt EbA approaches that increase the resilience of ecosystems and ecosystem services in the priority KBAs.
- Reflect on the climate change mitigation potential of the project.
- Address priorities identified in national climate change policy or strategy documents of the relevant country of implementation.
- Demonstrate positive gender impacts.
- Demonstrate effective and efficient use of funds.
- Demonstrate a clear strategy for achieving financial sustainability.
- Are the closest fit to the investment strategy set out in the ecosystem profile.
Eligible Countries
- Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles
Eligibility Criteria
- Non-governmental organisations, community groups and associations, universities and research institutes, private enterprises and other civil society organisations may apply for this call.
- Individuals are not eligible.
- Government-owned enterprises or institutions are not eligible unless it can be established that they:
- Have a legal personality independent of any government agency or actor.
- Have the authority to apply for and receive private funds.
- May not assert a claim of sovereign immunity.
- Applicants based outside the eligible geographic areas are eligible as long as the project deliverables are focused on the conservation needs of this call within the eligible geographies.
- Preference will be given to projects that show that they will coordinate with other organisations to prevent duplication of efforts. As such, joint projects with multiple organisations are eligible, as long as one lead organisation submits the application and project partners have clear roles stated in the application.
- Applying organisations must have their own bank accounts and be legally entitled to receive grants.
For more information, visit CEPF.