Open Call for Proposals focusing on ‘Wider Caribbean Sea’

Deadline: 20-Nov-22

The Blue Action Fund is pleased to announce a new open Call for Proposals focusing on the ‘Wider Caribbean Sea’.

This Call for Proposals is part of a continuing series of such Calls by Blue Action providing individual grants to NGOs for conservation projects in developing countries that have the following dual focus:

• Newly established, expanded or better managed marine protected areas (MPAs) or networks of MPAs that result in conservation of biodiversity, and
• Enhanced livelihood conditions and food security.

Thematic Areas

• Supporting ecologically representative and well-connected systems of MPAs through enhancing management of existing MPAs, enlarging existing ones or establishing new MPAs
• Supporting sustainable livelihoods in coastal communities dependent on MPAs and their buffer zones

Funding Information

• Ask for a contribution by Blue Action of EUR 2-4 million, in justified cases up to EUR 5 million.
• Can be completed within up to 5 years.

Supported Activities

• Blue Action Fund’s grant portfolio consists of projects that seek to establish, enlarge or better manage MPAs of regional importance and promote sustainable livelihoods in coastal communities.
• The implementation of the projects is based predominantly on activities that support:
  • MPA Governance
    • Management plans
    • Planning and Demarcation
    • Monitoring, control and enforcement measures
    • Data collection
    • Nature of staff
  • Sustainable Livelihoods
    • Saving clubs
    • Sustainable tourism initiatives
    • Reduction of harvest losses in fisheries
    • Empowerment of women
  • Species Conservation/ Sustainable Fisheries
    • Gear selectivity
    • Co-management initiatives
    • Conservation measures for key Species
  • Habitat Conservation and Restoration
    • Mangroves
    • Coral Reefs
    • Seagrass beds

Eligibility Criteria

• Are situated in one of the following countries (or in case of transboundary MPAs in several of the countries): Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, and Suriname.
• Eligible applicants are NGOs with proven experience in coastal and marine conservation and sustainable livelihood development in the area. NGOs must provide match funding of at least 25% of the total project costs (in exceptional cases at least 10%2).
• NGOs must have experience in implementing projects of similar size, environmental and social management system capacity, and their reporting and financial management systems must be compliant with internationally recognised standards.
• Blue Action encourages applications by consortia of NGOs that include local implementing partners, such as environmental or social development NGOs. Blue Action’s procedures require that all projects must receive the endorsement of the appropriate authority/authorised body of the country in which the project is located.

Requirements

• Projects that:
  • are realised in an area with significant biodiversity that is recognised as an MPA or has the potential to achieve formal recognition as an MPA during the lifetime of the project;
  • contribute to marine protection and sustainable livelihoods in coastal communities;
  • are tested and scalable;
  • will show a measurable impact within the duration of the project; and
  • ask for a Blue Action Fund contribution of €2–5 million and have a duration of three to five years;
• Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that:
  • are well-grounded in the target country;
  • have experience of the size and type of project proposed; and
  • are willing to fund at least 25% of the total project costs (‘match funding’).

For more information, visit https://www.blueactionfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Call4Proposals_WiderCaribbeanSea.pdf