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’).
