MFF Bangladesh Small Grants (2013-14)

Budget: Applicants can apply for grants of up to BDT 2,000,000. 

Implementation period: 12-15 months.

Project location: SGF will be implemented in the coastal area adjacent to Sundarbans in the upazilla of Shaymnagar (Satkhira)

Thematic focus: Shyamnagar is situated in the natural hazard prone areas and very vulnerable to climate variability and change. Salinity ingress and water logging are two of the major threats that are affecting both ecosystems and people's agriculture-based livelihoods. It is also endangering drinking water sources. Shrimp farming became popular to take advantage of increasing salinity. The practice however has mixed success and disproportionate impact on poverty situation. There is scope to bring these shrimp farms (gher) under better management practices for better environmental performance.

There is a considerable Sundarbans dependent community in Shyamnagar. The community has limited livelihoods opportunities and extraction pressure on mangrove ecosystems including shrimp post larvae collection is on the rise. Climate change phenomenon is exacerbating prevailing situation that demands local innovations to support communities to adapt with the changes and for better natural resource management.

The SGF will support activities that results in reduced vulnerability of local community and improved resilience by building adaptation capacity of local community and improved land use and natural resource management including mangrove ecosystems. SGF projects should particularly ensure the participation of women and other disadvantaged groups. This call for proposals targets the following themes:

• Livelihoods support for forest dependent communities especially targeting women for eco-friendly enterprise development and market linkage
• Freshwater conservation and innovations in freshwater utilization
• Community initiatives for responsible eco-tourism
• Community based climate change adaptation to reduce climate change vulnerabilities
• Better environmental performance of the shrimp ghers and introducing innovations like mangrove shrimp culture
• Community initiatives for participatory mangrove restoration

Eligibility

 Proposals can be submitted by national/local NGOs, CBOs, research and scientific institutes, small scale businesses and enterprises which meet the following criteria:

• Have been formally registered through relevant laws, policies and procedures, preferably for 2 years
• Demonstrate a proven or otherwise strong potential capacity to implement community-based projects in the fields of coastal rehabilitation, conservation and/or sustainable use of natural resources
• Have a proven record of working with local communities in a participatory way.
• Experience of collaborative works with national or international development agencies.
• Have practical or professional credibility, as recognized by the peer review process.
• Able to demonstrate ability of project management and financial administration.
• Have technical capacity and expertise to implement the proposed project activities either through internal capacity or through partnership.
• Have office and staff in Satkhira (Research institutes may partner with local organizations or institutes)
• Recommendation from the UNO of the Shyamnagar upazilla will be requested with the full proposal.

 Selection process

Applicants should submit a project concept note (see Annex 1 and 2 below) in Bangla or English. Please contact MFF Secretariat in Dhaka (House 16, Road 2/3, Banani, Dhaka 1213, Tel: 02-9890395, 9890423) for hard copies. If requested, MFF staff can support applicants to understand the concept note format if requested. Only short-listed applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal. Please note that an invitation to submit a full proposal is no guarantee that it will be financially supported by MFF. Applicants should send concept notes toinfo.bangladesh@iucn.org or in hard copy to National Coordinator, MFF Bangladesh, House 16, Road 2/3, Banani, Dhaka 1213

The deadline for application is 06 July 2013.

Annex 1: MFF SGF concept note template

IMPORTANT: The length of the concept note should not exceed 2 pages (excluding Annex 2 “information on implementing organisations”).

Annex 2: Information about applicant

Please fill in this form and send it with the concept note.

1. Project title:

2. Name of organisation:

3. Address details

Mailing address:

Telephone:

Fax:

E-mail:

Website (if applicable):

Visiting address:

4. Mission and goals of your organisation:

5. Registration status (including registration number):

6. Date of creation:

7. Staff:

- Number of paid staffs:

- Number of voluntaries:

- Number of female staff (excluding secretariat and other support staff):

8. Contact person and project personnel:

- Contact person (name, professional background, and current function):

- Project personnel (for each member of the project personnel, indicate: name, professional background, and current function):

9. Other projects already implemented or currently being implemented by your organisation in fields relevant to the programme (do not list proposed projects):

For each project indicate: project title, period of implementation, project leader, budget, donor, contact person within donor agency).

10. References / referees

Please indicate here the name, function, address, telephone and e-mail of persons who can be contacted for reference information.  (Please only indicate persons who are NOT directly involved in your organisation).

- See more at: http://mangrovesforthefuture.org/what-we-do/work-with-us/call-for-proposals/bangladesh/mff-bangladesh-small-grants-2013-14/?stage=Stage#sthash.hTKoaZmE.dpuf