| Overview : The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP) provides Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in developing countries with grants to enable them to tackle global environmental challenges while addressing local sustainable development needs. Grant-making will focus on the strategic initiatives of community landscape conservation, climate smart innovative agro-ecology, low carbon energy access co-benefits and local to global chemical management coalitions. With these environment-centred “grant projects” the programme also seeks to generate sustainable livelihoods and reduce poverty in the world’s neediest countries and regions. With the notion “community action with global impact”, the programme recognizes that grassroots communities are better placed to tackle global environmental problems and come up with lasting solutions. Therefore, community based initiatives and actions that bestow stewardship, generate benefits and instill a sense of ownership of the resources are supported as they contribute to sustainable management.
The GEF Small Grants Programme works in 176 countries all over the world. GEF/SGP Botswana was launched in 1992. Since then, it has succeeded in funding and providing technical support for more than 147 grantee projects. The Programme is a GEF corporate programme, implemented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on behalf of the World Bank, United Nations Environment Programme and UNDP; executed by United Nations Office for Project Services.
The Botswana programme recognizes effective partnerships with the CSOs as paramount in ensuring its success as grantees and beneficiaries. From management structures and funding mechanisms to grass-roots action, partnerships permeate all aspects of SGP operations. CSOs are therefore, viable channels to promote community empowerment, ownership and participation in development and can thus be considered as the most significant SGP partner. They can play an effective role in better understanding the local community's needs and demands and must be given a full chance to fulfill their responsibilities towards those communities.
The programme takes cognizance of the development contribution brought about by the initiatives among local communities, hence promotion of sustainable development in the design and implementation of projects. In this regard, it seeks to ensure that funding results in the management of capital and enhancement of social and economic capital for the benefit of current and future generations. Measurable improvements in environmental, social and economic indicators of sustainable development in the projects are of key importance and desirable under the programme.
The programme has focused on establishing an efficient, decentralized and transparent system for providing small grant support to community-level initiatives. Through such a wide range of innovative models have been piloted that demonstrate that community-level activities provide global benefits within the GEF focal areas of concern being biodiversity, climate change, land degradation, persistent organic pollutants and chemicals and international waters. The call for proposals therefore, is extending an invitation to Civil Society Organizations to submit proposals that address environmental issues and tap on the opportunities in line with the country environmental management and development priorities and the GEF targets. The projects will be implemented in Ngamiland, Chobe, North East, Central (excluding Boteti and part of Tutume (Nata, Gweta, Maposa, Zoroga, Tsokatshaa, Sepako, Manxotai, Dukwi, Mosetse,Kotamogoree, Lepashe and Matsitama villages) Sub District)), Kgatleng, Kweneng, South East and Southern districts only.
Deadline Changed to 04 November 2016 at 1400PM Botswana Time |
