GEF Small Grants Programme Tuvalu, Operational Phase 7

Specific activities to be funded. 

The activities will be designed and implemented in close collaboration with the established SGP Tuvalu National Steering Committee (NSC):

• SGP awareness raising and capacity building workshops- should be conducted to sensitize local communities and CSOs on the SGP OP7 implementation in Tuvalu- aligned to the approved OP7 Country Programme Strategy. These workshops should provide sensitization and training on the OP7 Strategic Initiatives as aligned to national priorities; provide examples of activities/projects that are eligible for SGP OP7 funding; provide CSOs and communities with guidance on how to submit proposals and complete the SGP concept note and proposals template; provide guidance on project implementation, M&E and grant reporting. It is expected that these awareness raising workshops will be conducted regularly- based on community and grantee-partner needs and planned national SGP CFPs.

• SGP Call for Proposals- should be issued at least once per year to solicit applications from CSOs and local communities. Calls can be general or thematic and should be guided by SGP resource allocation and commitment deadlines.

• Proposal development assistance- the entity is expected to provide the relevant guidance and training to CSOs and community groups on project identification, proposals writing, development of log frames, timelines, and M&E plans as aligned to the approved CPS. Proposals should also address SGP’s social inclusion, resource mobilization and co-financing requirements.

• NSC- meetings should be conducted on a regular basis, and frequency will be determined based on programme needs, key deliverables and CFP process. NSC members should be rotated as guided by the SGP NSC Terms of Reference.

• Monitoring and Evaluation- SGP projects should be visited at least once during implementation to verify activities, progress and reporting. M&E should be guided by the SGP Global M&E Strategy. NSC members can also attend site visits to support with verification and to provide technical/capacity guidance as needed.

• Knowledge Management and Communication- it is expected that at least one knowledge product (fact sheet, article, brochure, video etc.) is produced for each SGP project under implementation. These projects should raise awareness of SGP activities on the ground, share best practices and lessons learnt to facilitate knowledge transfer and broader adoption.

• CSO- Government Dialogue Platforms- should be conducted at least once during the global grant and in consultation with the NSC. This should bring together key national partners, private sector, academia, communities, CSOs and SGP grantee-partners and other national stakeholders to discuss topics relevant to SGP, community priorities and national sustainable development issues. The dialogues should facilitate interaction and discussion among the various local actors and specifically provide an opportunity for local communities and CSOs to contribute to the national development agenda and related discussions.

• SGP Global Reporting and Requests- the SGP Annual Monitoring Reporting exercise will be completed every year with timely submissions as requested by CPMT. All other requests from CPMT will also be addressed in a timely manner.

• Global grant reporting and management- the entity will maintain acceptable project and programme level progress (financial and narrative) reports and prepare a final evaluation report (s) as outlined in the global grant agreement. Regular communication will be maintained with UNOPS and the CPMT Pacific Regional Focal Point.

Overriding Principle

SGP is calling for proposals based on a new grant-making modality to be administered at the regional and national levels in Tuvalu. This grant-making modality is used in special circumstances like in Tuvalu where there is no established SGP presence and limited national institutions. The principles under which this CFP work is based on fairness, transparency and integrity. This “pass-through” modality is recommended as the most appropriate solicitation method for announcing available grant support under the competitive selection method for a country like Tuvalu. The selection will be undertaken by a committee whose decisions will be final. The eligible entities who may wish to pursue further information related to their proposals may follow the UNOPS advisory related to this call for proposals.

Background of GEF SGP 

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 grant-making in 128 countries promotes community-based innovation, capacity development, and empowerment through sustainable development projects led by local communities and civil society organizations with special considerations for Indigenous Peoples, women, youth and persons with disabilities. SGP projects support biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, prevention of land degradation, protection of international waters, and reduction of the impact of chemicals and waste, within a sustainable development framework that promotes sustainable livelihoods and local empowerment.

Since 2005 SGP has been working in the Pacific and is currently active in Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Kiribati, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Niue,  Tokelau and Cook Islands. In the Pacific, SGP is either implemented as SGP Country Programmes implemented by UNDP Multi-County Offices and Country Offices, or by national umbrella Civil SocietyOrganizations known as National Host Institutions. Tuvalu is the only Pacific country eligible for SGP funding but without an SGP Country Programme presence. 

Since 2019, SGP in Tuvalu has been implemented under the UNOPS global grant modality by a regional NGO. The current global grant covered SGP Operational Phase 6 (OP6) and will expire in September 2022. SGP now wishes to issue a Call for Proposals to facilitate Operational Phase 7 implementation in Tuvalu. This will ensure strong SGP regional presence and coverage and will continue the work and results of the SGP OP6 global grant.

Objective

In connection with these efforts above, GEF SGP is calling for proposals from competent Civil Society Organizations active in the Pacific region, and those specifically interested in, or currently working in Tuvalu. Initial funding amounts will be discussed and agreed with the SGP Central Programme Management Team (CPMT). Further re-granting may be possible based on satisfactory performance.

*Your Proposal should cover a 24-month period starting Sep 2022.

For further information and details, including how to submit your proposal, please refer to the attached CFP document.