Cambodia 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 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 Cambodia, chaired by the Ministry of Environment provides overall guidance and technical oversight to MFF in Cambodia.

Eligible applicants, grant amount, and project duration:

MFF Cambodia invites NGOs, CBOs, academic and research institutes, small scale businesses, management boards and enterprises to submit project concept notes for its Small Grant Facility. The maximum grant amount is 101,250,000 Riel.  Project duration is 12 months.

Geographic and Thematic Focus:

The project will be implemented in Tuol Torteung Commune, Prey Nub district, Preah Sihanouk province. Tuol Torteung commune has four villages. The communities of Tuol Torteung commune are highly vulnerable to climate impacts on socio and ecological systems. This can be observed through aggregated impacts in the vulnerability and sensitivities of communities due to high levels of population density and poverty, sea level rise, shoreline erosion, poor waste management and lack of access to safe drinking water.

A high degree of dependence on mangrove ecosystem, coupled with limited opportunities to livelihood diversification and vulnerability of impacts of climate change drives the communities to overharvest fisheries resources, crabs and firewood, which puts pressure on the sustainability and effective management of community fisheries. In addition, the situation is compounded with general lack of awareness on value of mangrove and poor infrastructure for effective waste management. In this light, MFF Cambodia is seeking concept notes to support community-based initiatives which will support effective management of mangrove forests and increase the well-being of the community under the following themes:

• Diversifying and building on local existing community livelihoods with a view to reduce pressure on mangrove and other natural resources and increase their resilience to the impacts of climate change;
• Increasing local capacity and introducing innovations to address inadequate consumption of safe drinking water;
• Restoring and rehabilitating natural ecosystem through mangrove replanting as well as the canals of communal fishing domains and mangrove areas;
• Improving local community awareness on biodiversity stewardship and promoting decentralized natural resource management;
• Promoting better management of communal solid waste;

The concept note should be aligned with the commune development plan.

Information on guidelines and templates: General guidelines for MFF Grant Facilities can be found at <http://www.mangrovesforthefuture.org/resources/documents?documentId=18919>. Applicants should submit a Concept Note using the template at <http://www.mangrovesforthefuture.org/resources/documents?documentId=18989>. 

Submissions:  Must be addressed to MFF Cambodia National Coordinator Mr. Lou Vanny, by email vanny.LOU@iucn.org, and/or by post to IUCN office, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Room No.592, 5th Floor, Block “South Building F”, Phnom Penh Centre, Street Sothearos, Tonle Bassac, Khan Chamkarmon, Phnom Penh. More information and hard copies of guidelines and templates can also be obtained from the MFF Cambodia National Coordinator by telephone, 012 703 033 and/or 023 222 311.

The deadline of submission is 10 July, 2015 at 17:00 hrs.