Call for Proposals – Marine Protected Areas and Other Effective Conservation Measures

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The Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility (BNCFF) aims to support Nature-based Solutions (NbS) financing opportunities in and around marine and coastal environments. It works to strengthen specific projects that combine likely bankability (closing the deal with a private sector investor) and positive environmental and social impacts.

This BNCFF Call for Proposals (CfP) for Strengthening and Scaling Marine and Coastal Protection and Conservation is supporting the global efforts:

  1. to accelerate and scale up the protective measures for Blue Natural Capital ecosystems; and
  2. to build a pipeline of investable NbS projects in MPAs and OECMs.

This is achieved by providing funding to innovative concepts and/or activities designed and implemented to advance sustainable investment in an MPA/OECM or a network of MPAs/OECMs.

What are we funding?

The BNCFF supports projects to clarify business, design, and/or conservation related project aspects, in preparation for private sector financing.

Funding is available to non-governmental organizations (NGO) as managers, advisors or funders/investors in MPAs; private sector entities that develop, manage or have an essential stake in MPAs; not-for-profit community groups; and universities and other research-focused institutions.

Eligible activities include:

  • Feasibility assessments, including:
    • Environmental, economic and social cost benefit analyses
    • Project cash flows modeling (Costs (CAPEX, OPEX) and revenue forecasts)
    • Business model activities (design, strengthening, diversifying)
    • Business plan refinement and/or public-private partnership RFP development
    • Legal studies
  • Management plans and EIA, including:
    • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies
    • Environmental and Social Management Plans
    • General innovation to improve overall management effectiveness in MPA, MPA networks or OECMs
  • Stakeholder engagement efforts, including
    • Stakeholder mappings, discussion on free, prior and informed consent
    • Capacity building activities
  • Other preparatory work, including:
    • Preparation of regulatory filings and related public processes
    • Project monitoring, implementation planning and enforcement activities
    • Data collection, process and integration for MRV activities

Grants Value

Grants issued will be up to a maximum of € 250.000 per project. Projects should be implemented during a maximum on 18 months, unless justification for a longer implementation period is provided and agreed.

Deadline and funding guidelines

Full eligibility and selection criteria, and information on how to prepare and submit a proposal are accessible in the Funding Guidelines. Deadline for the applications is 20 February 2023.

For more information: https://bluenaturalcapital.org/bncff/bncff-calls-for-proposals/

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