Deadline: 23-Oct-23

The Darwin Initiative is pleased to announce a call for applications for the Innovation and Capability & Capacity Grants.

Darwin Initiative Innovation is aimed at projects intending to test a novel approach that if proven could scale to deliver results for biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction.

Darwin Initiative Capability & Capacity invites projects that focus on developing the capability and capacity of national and local organization to efficiently deliver effective and successful biodiversity conservation – poverty reduction projects.

Darwin Innovation Initiative

• There are broadly three types of innovation:
  • Novel to the area, the diffusion, replication or application of proven conservation approaches in another geography or to a difference issue or stakeholder group.
  • Novel to the sector, an approach proven in a different sector is adapted to deliver results and impact in the biodiversity conservation and multidimensional poverty reduction sector.
  • Novel to the world – an innovation unproven in any sector, is applied to the biodiversity conservation and multidimensional poverty reduction sector.

Funding Information

• Innovation : £10,000 to £200,000 for projects lasting between 1 to 2 years maximum.
• Capability & Capacity : £50,000 – £200,000 between for projects lasting 1 to 2 years maximum.

Scoring Criteria : Technical, and Capability & Capacity

Eligibility Criteria

• Darwin Initiative is entirely Official Development Assistance (ODA) funded, and therefore projects must promote the economic development and welfare of developing countries as a primary objective, and the eligible countries projects will in practice be expected to be mostly focused on Low Income and Lower Middle -Income countries.
• Upper Middle-Income countries (UMICs) are eligible, however, projects applying to work in a UMIC must clearly demonstrate a stronger case for support. This includes operating in areas of high importance for biodiversity and a clear poverty reduction need. Such applications must also clearly demonstrate that they will also:
  • advance knowledge, evidence and impact in Least Developed or Low-Income Countries, or
  • contribute to a global public good, for example by advancing understanding and/or strengthening the knowledge base related to biodiversity conservation/sustainable use and poverty reduction, or
  • contribute to serious and unique advancements on a critical issue as a result of specific circumstances of the upper-middle income country that could not be made elsewhere.

For more information, visit Darwin Initiative .