Small Grant Programme

The Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme embodies the very essence of sustainable development by "thinking globally acting locally". By providing financial and technical support to projects that conserve and restore the environment while enhancing people's well-being and livelihoods, SGP demonstrates that community action can maintain the fine balance between human needs and environmental imperatives. In PNG, SGP continues to support vulnerable and isolated communities across PNG in their efforts to protect and manage their natural resource while building their resilience against climate change. SGP only awards grants to not for profit organizations.

Annual Calls for proposals are put out either in second or the third quarter of each year, inviting applications for grants. Applications received outside of the call period will not be considered.

Objectives:

Increase terrestrial and marine areas under community management to protect and/or improve use of natural resource in a sustainable manner; Build capacity of community-based organizations to access and manage grant funding, and build their internal operational systems contributing to a wider network of strengthened CSO capacities.

Expected results

More than 930 community and civil-society based projects funded that contribute to good practices and lessons to support biodiversity conservation mainstreaming, enhancement of carbon stocks, maintenance and/or improvement of ecosystem services and reducing pressures from competing land uses; At least 20 species on the IUCN Redlist have some form of local management and enforcement system in place to protect their habitat; More than 2700 NGOs and CBOs become SGP partners with strengthened capacities.

Achievements so far 

- 225 communities have received grants and implemented small projects.

- Ten (10) species on IUCN Redlist have some form of protection

- Five (5) organizations under SGP funding from PNG (Wanang Conservation Project, Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program, Tulele Peisa, Conservation Melanesia, Sepik Wetlands Management Initiative) received the prestigious UNDP Equator Awards recognizing their efforts in protecting rainforest and building resilience in climate change affected island communities.