Small-Size Grants
8th Call for Proposals for Small-Size Grants
Click Below to Download the Small-size Call for Proposals Document
Funding and duration
- Grant Size: each grant up to USD 250,000
- Submission Window: 28 September to 26 October, 2026
- Project Duration: up to 24 months
Scope of the call
The Global EbA Fund invites innovative and catalytic proposals that address systemic barriers for EbA scaling by enhancing institutional and technical capacities, quality data and evidence generation, learning networks, and investment readiness.
Aligned with the IKI Strategy up to 2030 –specifically its focus on socio-ecological transformation through technologies, business models, or climate friendly infrastructure– the Fund invites proposals that address critical EbA gaps.
While the primary geographic focus on this call is on ODA-eligible SIDS and LDCs, applications from other ODA-eligible countries will be considered where the proposal demonstrates exceptional ambition and unique opportunities to scale EbA.
To align with this scope, proposals should focus on:
- Overcoming upstream barriers for EbA uptake and scaling: addressing institutional and technical capacity constraints, improving evidence generation, and fostering systematic knowledge exchange and learning.
- Clear adaptation chain: proposals must be grounded in a detailed impact chain analysis that identifies climate hazards and risks, addresses socioeconomic and ecological sensitivity (including maintaining or enhancing ecosystem services), and builds adaptive capacity to reduce overall vulnerability and climate risk –delivering tangible benefits for both people and nature.
- Social and environmental considerations: integration of gender responsiveness; respect for Indigenous Peoples’ rights and local participation; and adherence to environmental and social safeguards, equitable benefit-sharing, and the prevention of maladaptation.
- Robust sustainability and exit strategies: demonstrating long-term viability, local ownership, or institutional continuity beyond the Fund’s investment lifecycle.
Initiatives focusing on the following topics are encouraged:
- Investment readiness and project pipeline preparation: designing investable, scalable concepts tailored for large-scale climate financing.
- Innovative technologies for EbA: adapting and/or scaling tested technological solutions across specific socio-ecological systems to inform practitioners and decision makers.
- Applied and functional research: deploying targeted and practical research to resolve specific barriers to EbA implementation and investment.
- Synergies with other EbA or Nature-based Solution (NbS) initiatives: aligning with existing related initiatives and facilities to capitalise on operational synergies and expand co-funding pathways.
Overview
- Official Launch of the Call for Proposal: 24 August 2026.
- Application forms and details are available on the Global EbA Fund website.
- Submissions accepted through the online platform: 28 September to 26 October, 2026.
- All applications must be submitted on the online platform.
- We strongly encourage applicants to work on the application form offline before submitting the application on the online platform.
The Fund will award grants of up to USD 250,000 each, based on eligibility and evaluation criteria adjusted specifically for this small-size window. The evaluation process will place a robust emphasis on ensuring projects meet exceptionally high standards for innovation and scalability.
A successful project will:
- Facilitate strengthening the enabling environment to promote EbA uptake and investment –mainly in SIDS and LDCs.
- Facilitate EbA scaling in highly vulnerable countries through catalytic small grants.
- Strengthen locally led EbA interventions and document replication pathways through targeted knowledge management and exchange.
- Enhance technical and institutional readiness to unlock policy uptake, build investment-ready concepts, and narrow the adaptation finance gap.
- Expand the network of EbA expertise among practitioners across diverse sectors and geographies through dedicated projects, contributing to a global community of practice.
Call for Proposals Package
Applicants for the Small-Size Grants must submit the following documents with their proposal:
Small-Size Grants Application Form
Project Proposal Budget Template
Due Diligence and Financial Capacity Questionnaire*
*At the submission stage, please fill in the Questionnaire and submit it along with only Annexes 1(c)(i) and 1(c)(ii).
On 28 September 2026, the link to submit proposals to the Online Portal will be shared on the Small-Size Webpage.
Eligibility Checklist and Evaluation Criteria
Eligibility Checklist
Only the following types of organisations are eligible for review:
- Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
- International non-governmental organisations (INGOs)
- Intergovernmental organisations (IGOs)
- Community-based organisations (CBOs)
- Indigenous People’s Organisations
- Universities and other academic institutions
- Research institutes and think tanks
- Private sector companies
- Consortia of organisations that promote collaboration and greater impact around EbA. Government entities can be a part of the consortia as long as they do not receive funding from the Global EbA Fund. However, applications submitted on behalf of a consortium should clearly define the lead agency, the “Applicant Organisation”, as detailed in the application template. This organisation, if successful, would be the responsible contract party.
The Fund will consider private sector applicants under certain conditions. No funding can be provided for sector-specific obligations nor compensatory or replacement measures, for-profit activities, etc. Overall, common public interest will be a top priority.
Only project concepts that meet the following criteria will be considered for review:
- Must qualify as “Ecosystem-based Adaptation“ (Please ensure your project ultimately aligns with EbA Qualification Criteria & Quality Standards).
- Must have catalytic and innovative potential to create enabling environments for EbA.
- Clearly identifies the climate impacts it is aiming to address and clearly describes how they will be addressed.
- Falls under a maximum of 1 Strategic Objective and a maximum of 2 Action Pillars of the Global EbA Fund.
- Project is Global, Thematic, or otherwise targets only ODA-eligible countries.
- Proposed budget of up to USD $250,000 for Small-Size Grants.
- Project duration of up to 24 months.
- Project must be built / based off existing work.
- Clearly demonstrates how results will be maintained and developed after the funding period.
- Must partner with local institutions and organisations.
- Lead applicant and partner organisations are well-grounded in the proposed area(s) of work, have previous similar experience, and are inclusive of local communities, Indigenous Knowledge, and gender perspectives.
- Lead applicant and partner organisations must be legally recognised entities.
- Lead applicant must comply with and fill out the Due Diligence requirements of the Global EbA Fund.
Before developing your proposal, we strongly advise applicants to go through the Grants Procedure Manual.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated according to the following criteria and weighting:
| Project Approach | |
| Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) The degree to which the project takes an EbA approach & explicitly details how this will reduce the vulnerability or enhance the resilience of human communities to climate change impacts. This includes clearly identifying & defining the main climate impacts to be reduced with an enabling framework that will target these risks. |
30% |
| Design and Methodology The project’s Theory of Change clearly shows a results chain that is logical and coherent to create an enabling framework for the reduction of identified climate risks. The activities and timeline are appropriate and feasible for the proposed intervention. The project follows a coherent logical framework with SMART indicators that are relevant to the specific outputs of the project and linked to appropriate data sources and reporting intervals. The estimated budget for the project has a coherent relation with the project activities and timeline. |
|
| Gender & Social Inclusion The degree to which the project meaningfully involves diverse stakeholders (including women, youth, Indigenous Peoples & other marginalised groups), taking a participatory & inclusive approach to stakeholder involvement. This includes incorporating gender-disaggregated data where available & drawing on the best available science & use of local, indigenous and/or traditional knowledge, as relevant. If the project will impact Indigenous Peoples, FPIC will be upheld. The project’s target groups and beneficiaries are detailed and clearly identified in the context of the identified risks. |
|
| Innovative & Catalytic Contribution | |
| The degree to which the project has innovative potential, in that the methods are yet to be tested in a different context or are yet to be proven. This includes the degree to which the project has catalytic potential by focusing on targeted interventions that lead to a transformative shift at a systemic level (e.g., influencing policy, addressing capacity gaps, developing financing mechanisms, or addressing governance challenges). | 30% |
| Sustainability | |
| The degree to which the project has a clear approach for ensuring the sustainability of project activities beyond the project lifecycle. This includes promoting replication and/or upscaling of activities and outcomes. The project should clearly describe linkages to national and global policies (e.g., NDCs & NAPs) and demonstrate synergies with other relevant activities. | 20% |
| Institutional Arrangements | |
| The degree to which the applicant organisation has an appropriate structure with sufficient financial capacity and internal controls. This includes dedicated staff with technical capacity and prior experience implementing projects of similar scope and complexity. | 20% |
Core Indicator Framework
The Core Indicator Framework was developed with the goal of supporting the monitoring and communication of the grantees’ project outcomes. This reporting mechanism enables the Fund to show accountability to stakeholders, share joint achievements with the public, and assess and improve future allocation strategies.
Applicants must identify at least three relevant indicators from the Core Indicator Framework and incorporate them into the individual project’s logical framework.
Small-size Grants FAQ
All details on eligibility, process, and timeline can be found on the Small-Size Grants webpage.
Please refer to the Grants Procedure Manual for information on criteria.
Only successful applicants will be contacted. Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to provide individual feedback on unsuccessful applications.
Decision letters will be sent once the selection process has been completed.
The applicant organisation, which will sign the agreement with the Global EbA Fund and is therefore the principal budget holder, does not have to be located in one of the identified beneficiary countries. However, in this case, they should have working experience in the project country(ies), EbA experience and/or expertise, and one or more local partners.
Applications must be submitted in English. Official documents of the organisation and register entries must be translated into English.
Up to USD 250,000 for small-size grants.
Small-size grants will accept applications beginning 28 September and will close on 26 October.
No, it is not necessary to address all the specified Global EbA Fund Objectives, although it is required that projects address one. However, the project proposal must address the key components of EbA and be innovative/catalytic in nature. In addition, applicants must integrate at least one but no more than two of the three Action Pillars into their project’s framework.
All proposed projects requesting funding must clearly contribute to one of the Global EbA Fund Strategic Objectives as well as fall under a maximum of two of the three Action Pillars.
Learn more in the Grants Procedure Manual.
All the applicant requirements specified are to be submitted.
No, the Global EbA Fund will not support a seed grants program directly.
No, in line with current IKI policies, the Fund will not grant directly to government partners. However, the Fund will provide grants to organisations working with national, sub-national and local governments to create an enabling environment for EbA and support the implementation of strategic partnerships. Thus, government partners/entities can be beneficiaries but should not receive any of the funding.
UNEP and IUCN offices are not currently eligible to apply for funding from the Global EbA Fund.
Global EbA Fund projects should not be standalone interventions. Projects should address a gap in existing work or knowledge, contribute to policy upscaling, enhance the impact of an investment, and/or serve to develop a larger proposal to another funding mechanism. Projects should leverage existing knowledge, standards, partnerships, and experiences. Projects should not be comprised exclusively of field implementation.
Consortia are welcome to apply. However, there should be a clearly defined lead agency, the “Applicant Organisation”, as detailed in the application template. This agency, if successful, would be the responsible contract party.
Grants provided by the Global EbA Fund is open only to organisations with established legal status and cannot be applied toward funding for individual study. However, an individual’s institution and its legal entity, which may be eligible for funding, may apply on their behalf.
The application template may be found on the Small-size Grants webpage.
The selected projects follow the Fund procedures. These currently follow a few IKI procedures and are clearly identified in the relevant sections.
Yes, organisations may submit more than one proposal, as long as the proposed projects meet all eligibility criteria.
The application process is designed to allow easy access to application documents from anywhere in the world and to accommodate use from devices with low bandwidth. Application forms and details are available in the links shared for each window, and we encourage you to complete the forms before your online submission. And if feasible, please plan ahead to submit in advance of the deadline so that you can resolve any internet connection issues that arise.
Yes, any organisation that has previously been successful and received funds from the Global EbA Fund may apply again in a different project area. Please note that a second phase won’t be funded for a project already financed by the Global EbA Fund.
In addition, in order to promote geographic, organisational, and sectoral diversity among grant recipients, the Global EbA Fund encourages successful recipients to seek out additional donors and innovative financing mechanisms to fund further projects.
Data Protection and Privacy Policy
IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), acting as the secretariat for the Global EbA Fund, are committed to respecting your privacy in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data. Please note that the following applies for all applicants and grantees.
I declare:
- I hereby authorise the treatment of my personal data (country and type of institution) under the “Support for the Implementation and Upscaling of Ecosystem-based Adaptation” Project, for reporting purposes;
- The data collected will be used for reporting purposes under the “Support for the Implementation and Upscaling of Ecosystem-based Adaptation” Project and access will be granted to the project coordination team;
- The data collected will be stored for up to 10 years.
The Global EbA Fund follows the IUCN Privacy Policy.
