The Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP) implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Belize is inviting eligible local civil society organizations to submit innovative project proposals. 

 

Introduction:

As a corporate programme of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) is implemented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and executed by United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has been active in Belize since 1993. SGP grant making in over 125 countries promotes community-based innovation, capacity development, and empowerment through sustainable development projects of local civil society organizations with special consideration for indigenous people, persons with diverse abilities, women, and youth. 

 

Call for Proposals Thematic Focus:

1. The Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Innovation Challenge- is administered through a partnership involving the SGP, UNDP SIDS Offer, and selected UNDP Country Offices with the objective of extending ‘scale- up’ support to innovative SGP initiatives that are aligned to UNDP’s Global SIDS Offer: Rising Up for SIDS. The three pillars of the SIDS Offer include: climate action, blue economy and digital transformation. 

 

2.   SGP Operational Phase 7- the SGP supports innovative, inclusive, and impactful local actions that address global environmental and sustainable development issues, across the prioritized GEF Focal Areas of: Biodiversity Conservation, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, Prevention of Land Degradation, Protection of International Waters, Reduction of the Impact of Chemicals. 

 

Activities for funding should contributed towards the SIDS Innovation Challenge and SGP Priorities:

 

The SIDS Innovation Challenge and SGP Priorities:

  1. Low-Carbon Energy Access Co-benefits
  • Support capacity building and investment in low carbon energy access options (solar photovoltaics) in rural and remote Indigenous and local communities in Belize without access to electricity in the northern, central, and southern landscapes.
  • Support low-carbon energy access options for electricity and cooking in communities without access to electricity.
  • Support private sector-government-community-civil society organization partnerships promoting low-carbon economy and shifts towards energy technologies with low-carbon emissions. Upscaling of Solar Partnership with CSOs, Communities, Solar Engineers, and regulatory Government Agencies.

 

SGP Priorities:

2. Sustainable Climate Smart Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Sovereignty 

  • Increase youth and women involvement in agroecology and empowering the next generation of farmers using innovative family farming approaches.
  • Resilience and adaptation - COVID19 blue, green and orange recovery for MSMEs 
  • Increase competitiveness, innovation, efficiency and effectiveness of overall local food production and value chain.
  • Increase diversification and livelihood improvement and recovery for Indigenous and local communities.
  • Remove deforestation from supply chain and expand restoration of degraded lands.

 

3. Community-based Conservation of Threatened Ecosystems and Species

  • Improve management effectiveness of terrestrial and marine protected areas and enhance stewardship between civil society organizations and the regulatory agencies
  • Improve community-led biodiversity friendly practices and approaches, including promoting blue economy (e.g., mariculture, sustainable low-carbon fishing practices, nature-based tourism) 
  • Enhance community led actions for protection of threatened species and biodiversity stewardship.
  • Operationalization of the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment essential for survival of all. 

 

4. Monitoring and Evaluation and Knowledge Management

  • Foster opportunities for CSOs, Indigenous Peoples and local communities to engage and be active contributors to the strategic multipliers of the SIDS Offer that aligns with the SGP’s strategy.
  • Improve institutional capacities and governance of Civil Society Organizations, and Community-Based Organizations.
  • Promote knowledge sharing, in-country knowledge exchanges, monitoring and evaluation and south-south cooperation initiatives.

 

Projects should focus on promoting equity, low-carbon economy, sustainability, and resilience to climate change. Specifically, addressing at minimum one of the following:

  • Solar photovoltaics for the most rural and remote communities in Belize. 
  • Support blue economies taking an integrated approach rooted in sustainable finance and development.
  • Promote decarbonized and resilient societies through scaled-up climate action.
  • Initiatives that engage the community to champion the rights of persons with diverse abilities. 
  • Management and stewardship of national protected areas system and community conserved areas.
  • Youth and Women led innovative initiatives fostering inclusive economic development, and empowerment of women and youth leadership capacities in urban and rural landscapes. 
  • Strategic support for implementation of a portfolio of innovative blended financing of blue economy initiatives.
  • Innovative supplemental livelihood and income generation opportunities utilizing natural resources sustainably.
  • Indigenous, traditional, cultural, and green/blue economic activities.
  • Capacity building in the areas of MSME development, CSO governance and institutional development, proposal writing, digital innovation, business management, marketing and record keeping; and
  • Knowledge management, community engagement and participation in sustainable development initiatives.

 

Is the Civil Society Organization registered and in good standing in Belize?  

a)         National or local non-governmental organization (NGO),

b)         Community-Based Organization (CBO),

c)         Women’s Group, 

d)        Youth Group,

d)         Indigenous umbrella or grassroots organization or

e)         Local cooperative or association?

 

How can proponent organizations apply for a Grant?

Eligible local organizations should prepare a proposal using the standard GEF SGP proposal format. The proponent organization must ensure their proposed project ideas are aligned to the GEF SGP Operational Phase 7 Country Programme Strategy and the SIDS Innovation Challenge priorities. Proposals should be submitted with letter/s of support/endorsement from the applicable government regulatory agency, partner organization or community leaders. Proponent organizations are required to meet the 1:1 in-kind or cash co-financing requirements for co-investments in projects. 

 

Planning Grants of up to US$5,000 can be awarded to eligible proponent organizations that do not have the capacity to write a proposal. The planning grant is to facilitate broad consultation with the proposed beneficiaries and to contract a consultant to prepare a proposal using a community participatory and inclusive planning process. The concept paper format, planning grant application, proposal format and OP7 Country Programme Strategy can be accessed via this link or requested by sending an email to gefsgp@btl.net.

 

Small grants, ranging from US$5,000 to US$50,000.00, can be awarded to eligible local civil society organizations. A complete organizational assessment form must be submitted along with the proposal. Only proponent organizations whose proposal passes the technical screening criteria will be invited to present and defend their proposed project to the National Steering Committee. A maximum of US$50,000.00 can be awarded to a Grantee Partner per Operational Phase of the GEF SGP. Intermediary partnership approaches between well-established local CSOs and emerging CBOs and communities is encouraged. Strategic project proposals of US$150,000.00 may be considered if the proposed initiative is national in scope, foster national partnerships and leverage significant co-financing from two or more partner organizations. 

 

The closing date for submission of complete proposals is 14th July 2023 at 17:00 hours.  Proposals should be submitted electronically to gefsgp@btl.net. Incomplete proposals will not be considered. Letters of endorsement and support for proposed projects should be submitted along with the proposal addressed to: 

 

The National Coordinator

GEF Small Grants Programme

Email: gefsgp@btl.net

Telephone: 822 2462 

Website: www.sgp.undp.org

UNDP Resident Representative- Denise Antonio planting Mahogany tree with Female Solar Engineers in Machakila Ha village, Toledo District, Belize, Central America