Deadline: 20-Feb-23

The Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility (BNCFF) is launching a new Call for Proposals.

This Call for Proposals (CfP) on MPA and OECMS by the Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility (BNCFF) is supporting the global efforts:

• To accelerate and scale up the protective measures for blue natural capital ecosystems; and
• To build a pipeline of investable NbS projects in MPAs and OECMs.

Funding Information

• Grants issued will be up to 250.000 EUR per project and these may be implemented during maximum period of 18 months, unless otherwise indicated in the grant agreements.

What are they 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

Eligible Protected Areas categories

• Eligible project type must fall within one of the stages of establishment as follows:
  • Proposed/Committed MPA/potential OECMs
  • Designated MPA/recognised OECMs
  • Implemented MPA/OECMs
  • Actively managed and governed MPA/OECMs.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible legal entities for this funding window:
  • 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.
  • Applying entities should be well established in the target country and area of implementation. Proposed projects must demonstrate municipal or state level government support and engagement, but government entities will not receive funds directly.

Eligible project locations and countries

• The BNCFF is looking for proposal linked to an on-the-ground project location. It must be located in or near coastal and marine ecosystems, which have the potential to present and be included in the overall project endeavor and investment case as Nature-based Solutions. Such ecosystems include, but not limited to:
  • Seagrass meadows;
  • Mangroves;
  • Estuaries
  • Lagoons
  • Tidal marshes (saltmarsh); and/or
  • Coral reefs.
• The BNCFF funding window will focus on ODA eligible countries , except for Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Syria, Nicaragua, China, Iran, Iraq. They with hold the right amend this list based on potential changes in political situations.

For more information, visit BNCFF.