Bangladesh Call for Project Concept Notes June 2015

MFF is a partnership-led regional initiative chaired by IUCN and UNDP to promote investment in coastal ecosystem conservation for sustainable development. MFF focuses on the role of healthy, well-managed coastal ecosystems as a contribution to building human resilience in ecosystem dependent coastal communities in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam. The initiative uses mangroves as a flagship ecosystem, but MFF is inclusive of all coastal ecosystems, including coral reefs, estuaries, lagoons, sandy beaches, sea grasses and wetlands. The National Coordinating Body of Bangladesh, chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests on behalf of the Government of Bangladesh, provides overall guidance and technical oversight to MFF in Bangladesh.

Eligible applicants, grant amount, and project duration:

MFF Bangladesh invites NGOs, CBOs, community based small scale businesses and enterprises to submit project concept notes for its Small Grant Facility (SGF). The maximum amount per grant is Bangladeshi Taka 1,900,000. Project duration is maximum 12 months. All the proposals must indicate integration of gender aspects in the project activities. Women organisations are encouraged to apply, as at least one small grant would be specifically allocated to gender-based project.

Geographic and Thematic Focus:

Coastal areas of Teknaf (Cox’s Bazar) and Shyamnagar (Satkhira)

The SGF project concept notes must focus on the following priority issues identified through a situation analysis of above sites.

1. Sustainable management of coastal resources, in particular to a) promote community-based mangroves rehabilitation and coastal ecosystem conservation; b) create options of alternate livelihoods for coastal fisher folks and mangrove dependent community including women, through community enterprises;. c) innovative models of collaborative fisheries resources management, reduce harmful fishing practices and post-harvest fish catch management for value addition and marketing and d) upscaling results from the completed grants in Shyamnagar, especially promoting community enterprise.
2. Additionally, an exclusive small grant up to BDT 1,900,000 is available, which is subject to mandatory matching ‘cash funding’ from a private sector organisation on 1:1 basis to address coastal management and livelihood issues.

Information on guidelines and templates:

Template for preparation of concept note can be found at http://www.mangrovesforthefuture.org/resources/documents?documentId=18989, and ‘General guidelines for MFF Grant Facilities’, Bangladesh-specific information, instructions, and may be obtained from MFF Bangladesh National Coordinator by e-mail.

Submissions:

Must be addressed to MFF Bangladesh National Coordinator, by email info.bangladesh@iucn.org;, and/or by post to IUCN Bangladesh Country Office, House 16, Road 2/3, Banani, Dhaka 1213, Tel: 02 9890395.

The deadline of submission is 10 June, 2015. Late submission will not be considered.