GEF Climate Change Adaptation Funds - Small grants programme is sponsored by Global Environment Facility (GEF). The GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) provides financial and technical support to local civil society and community-based organizations to develop and implement innovative local actions that address global environmental issues, while also improving livelihoods and reducing povert…

GEF Small Grants Program | GEF The GEF Small Grants Programme - Results Report 2023-2024 SGP 2. 0 in the Eighth Replenishment Progress on Key Features of SGP 2. 0 Since 1992, the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Program (GEF SGP) has embodied the very essence of sustainable development by "thinking globally and acting locally.

” In the GEF partnership, SGP is serving a unique role supporting objectives of multilateral environmental agreements, contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals, and in achieving the GEF’s mission and mandate to deliver global environmental benefits (GEBs). The overriding objective of SGP 2.

0 under the eighth replenishment cycle (GEF-8) is to “Catalyze and mobilize civil society actors and local actions needed to address major drivers of environmental degradation and help deliver multiple benefits across the GEF’s mandated thematic dimensions, while promoting sustainable development and improved livelihoods."

To achieve this, GEF SGP provides financial and technical support to local civil society organizations (CSOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs), with a special focus on Indigenous Peoples, women, and youth, to develop and implement innovative local actions that address global environmental issues, while also improving livelihoods and reducing poverty.

The SGP core global program is currently implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) , the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) , and Conservation International (CI) .

Two innovative SGP CSO Initiatives which offer complementary opportunities for financing to civil society, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, youth and women are also under implementation: The CSO Challenge Program, led by IUCN; and the Microfinance Initiative, led by the World Bank.

Visit the UNDP-GEF SGP site GEF SGP finances community-led initiatives to address global environmental issues through a decentralized, country-level delivery mechanism, usually supported by a country management team and a multistakeholder governance structure.

SGP is designed to mobilize bottom-up actions by empowering local civil society and community-based organizations, including women, Indigenous Peoples, youth, and other marginalized and vulnerable populations. The SGP core global program funds grants for up to $75,000. SGP also provides a maximum of $150,000 for strategic projects.

These larger projects allow for scaling up and replication of successful approaches, covering many communities within critical landscapes or seascapes. The GEF Small Grants Programme - Results Report 2023-2024 A natural alliance for healthy soils and corridors of life Hopeful dreams: When agriculture becomes the life project of a migrant woman Local Action, Global Impact A giant leap: Redefining jaguar conservation in Argentina SGP 2.

0 in the Eighth Replenishment GEF-8 reiterated the centrality of local innovation and civil society actions and coalitions in achieving GEBs and reconfirmed the important role that GEF SGP serves in support of civil society to all areas of sustainable development and in delivering GEBs. The replenishment concluded with $155 million allocated to the GEF SGP corporate program.

The GEF Council at its 63rd Meeting in December 2022 subsequently approved the GEF SPG 2. 0 Implementation Arrangements for GEF-8 , affirming the GEF’s ambitious reform agenda around expansion, innovation, diversification, and optimization of the program for GEF-8. Progress on Key Features of SGP 2.

0 GEF SGP 2. 0 programming demonstrates several significant achievements: Extended country choice and introduced new approaches: Improving country-driven programming by providing more choice for countries based on national needs and priorities of SGP implementing agencies beyond UNDP, with the introduction of FAO and CI as two new SGP agencies and bringing additional institutional, scope, and approaches to the GEF SGP program.

Expanded country coverage : Increasing SGP country participation from 124 countries in GEF-7 to 135 in GEF-8, representing 135 out of 144 eligible countries and an increase of 11 countries, including Angola, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Chile, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Montenegro, Pakistan, São Tomé and Príncipe, Somalia, South Sudan, and Turkmenistan.

Increased SGP Core resources and improved equitable access to SGP core resources: Securing $135M for the SGP core program compared to $128M in GEF-7, ensuring equal allocation of nearly $1 million in SGP core financing for 135 countries while supporting program viability and continuity across countries regardless of size or previous participation levels.

Augmented STAR resource allocation: Securing increased STAR allocation to SGP by more than 30% since GEF-7, from $85M in GEF-7 to $111M in GEF-8, with 15 more countries allocating System for Transparent Allocation of Resources (STAR) resources to the SGP compared to GEF-7 ($246M in GEF resources secured for the SGP global program in GEF-8 - $135M Core + $111M STAR - compared to $213M in GEF-7).

Delivered more financing to civil society through improved efficiency : Codifying a target to increase grant ratio of GEF SGP financing directly flowing to CSOs and CBOs, securing a 72% grant ratio for SGP core GEF-8 projects, compared to 62% in GEF-7.

Advanced SGP monitoring and reporting framework : Introduced a new SGP results framework to better account for the full scope of SGP’s results and impacts, including establishing a standard methodology for reporting on relevant GEF-8 core indicators tracking SGP contributions to GEBs and socio-economic outcomes .

Innovated with two pilot and complementary approaches : Enhancing direct financing and support to youth, women, Indigenous Peoples and local communities through the introduction of two SGP 2. 0 CSO Initiatives, including timely introduction of two innovative SGP CSO Initiatives, including The SGP CSO Challenge Program, led by IUCN, with grants of up to $300,000 for a minimum of 30 initiatives in 25 countries.

The SGP Microfinance Initiative, led by the World Bank, to be integrated into existing World Bank national programs in seven countries - Brazil, Colombia, Madagascar, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Türkiye and leveraging $1. 4 billion in co-financing (nearly 150:1 ratio). Instigated new approach for coordination, knowledge management and learning: Recognizing the increased scope and institutional complexity of SGP 2.

0 with five implementing agencies, diverse programming approaches, and operations across 135 countries, GEF initiated the development of an SGP Global Knowledge and Learning Platform in early 2025 to serve as a central repository for SGP knowledge, facilitating cross-learning among stakeholders, and supporting capacity building efforts across the GEF SGP network.

The platform is being processed as a $5M Medium-sized Project to be jointly implemented by UNDP, FAO, and CI, with UNDP as the lead agency and planned to be (pre)launched at the GEF Assembly 2026. Since its inception in 1992, GEF SGP has supported close to 30,000 grants, administering $1. 54 billion of GEF funds in financing to local communities and civil society organizations across 136 countries.

In addition, close to $1. 01 billion has been mobilized to co-finance these community-based SGP projects.

Through GEF-8 programming, SGP projects are expected to generate the following Global Environmental Benefits and socio-economic outcomes: 55,000 hectares of terrestrial protected areas created or under improved management 151,800 hectares of marine protected areas created or under improved management 405,500 hectares of land and ecosystems under restoration 6,849,000 hectares of landscapes under improved practices 300,100 hectares of marine habitat under improved practices 876,200 beneficiaries, of whom half are women During the reporting year 2024-2025, SGP grants contributed to the improved management of 10 million hectares of protected areas, brought 50,753 hectares of land under improved management practices, and 18,823 households achieved energy access co-benefits (ecosystem effects, income, health and others).