The GEF's Small Grants Programme (SGP) has announced a Call for Proposals for the Construction of Island Leadership in Achieving Biodiversity-related SDGs: local and global coalitions through the identification of replicable good practices using bright spot islands as a knowledge reference point.

The Gef Small Grants Programme (SGP) is a corporate programme of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) since 1992. SGP grants in more than 125 countries promote innovation, capacity building and community-based empowerment through sustainable development projects for local civil society organisations and communities, with special consideration for indigenous peoples, women and young people.

PEC projects support biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, the prevention of land degradation, the protection of international waters and the reduction of the impact of chemicals, within a sustainable development framework that promotes sustainable livelihoods and citizen empowerment.

Objective: Using a strong network of global islands, the aim of this initiative is to recognise, scale up and replicate good practices among local communities in the SIDS. This possibly comes as a result of focussing on bright spots and connecting them to global policy processes so that they can better illustrate island needs, solutions and opportunities, including the Convention on Biodiversity, SDGs and the UNFCCC. Project activities should demonstrate real, local and tangible progress in implementing the SDGs and the Samoa Pathway, as well as connecting local to global and island level between political leadership and local implementers on a variety of islands.

Financing Information

• The grant funding available for the activity is up to US$ 150 thousand.

Eligible activities

• Using a strong network of global islands, the aim of this initiative is to recognise, amplify and replicate good practices among local communities in the SIDS. This can come as a result of focussing on bright spots. Therefore, the initiative can be used to identify areas and practices (things that are working) on islands that exhibit and are focused on sustainability, conservation and adaptation initiatives. Therefore, these would focus specifically on island-led solutions and perspectives, including island leadership, sustainability and resilience, particularly in the context of biodiversity. Ultimately, these activities should demonstrate real, local and tangible progress in implementing the SDGs and the Samoan Way.
• In the context of this partnership, it is hoped that the island's good practices and/or bright spots will be widely shared through bi-monthly calls for an annual event (held virtually).
• Using a strong network of global islands, bright spots (things that are working) are identified on islands that best illustrate mainstream biodiversity. These would focus specifically on island-led solutions and perspectives, including island leadership, sustainability solutions and resilience, particularly in the context of biodiversity. This would demonstrate real, local and tangible progress in implementing the SDGs and the Samoa Pathway. At least 20 bright spots should be identified.
• Island bright spots are widely shared, including through the bright spots page, through bi-monthly convenings and an annual virtual island Bright Spot event. There would be 6 bright spot focussed webinars held with a diverse and extensive global island audience, an updated bright spot page on the GLISPA website and connection to the GLISPA bright spot process, 6 island updates on shared bright spots. The annual Island Bright Spots event would use previous bright spot knowledge café sessions that have been held at global events to meet virtually in April 2021 and facilitate the sharing and identification of bright spots.
• The partnership will jointly organise events to recognise the islands' contribution to key conventions, such as the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, the Paris Agreement, etc.

Eligibility criteria

• Reliable organisation with a high reputation that is working or will be ready to work in the substantive area of biodiversity conservation on the positive side.
• Non-profit organisation with a commitment to empowering the local community and CSO stakeholders, as well as the ability to work closely with government and support development agencies to participate, to make the effort globally driven with a focus on advocacy work.
• An experienced entity that can build partnerships with relevant organisations, projects or programmes that have the necessary global experience and expertise in developing bright spots.
• Proven expertise in knowledge management is a key element of strategic partnership initiatives to ensure that all lessons learned from the implementation of activities are captured, analysed and shared with key stakeholders to promote learning within and across countries, and to help replicate and amplify their impact taking into account the specificities of each context, identifying issues and best solutions (among tested and proven knowledge products) that require political action and jointly advocating to influence the creation, implementation or application of policies and mobilising the support of all stakeholders, from the local level to the world, effective and targeted communications of results.
• Minimum requirements/qualifications:
  • Expertise in advocacy and communication or biodiversity conservation in bright spot situations.
  • Proven experience in organising international communication campaigns and events to raise awareness of bright spot conservation.
  • Administrative capacity of at least 5 employees.

For more information, visit https://www.ungm.org/Public/Notice/119040