PRESS RELEASE - GFCR Approves First Round of Programming

First Executive Board Decisions Demonstrate Blended Financing Principles

[New York, March 10th 2021] – The first round of funding approved by the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR)  covers proposals from six countries including a USD $4.7M proposal led by the UN Fiji Country Office, “Investing in Coral Reefs and the Blue Economy.”  The Fiji joint programme will receive an initial 2021 disbursement of US$1M along with UN Joint SDG Fund co-financing of US$5.3M awarded in February of this year. The programme leverages philanthropic and development finance to mobilize commercial investments and promote the financial sustainability of coral reef conservation and reef-positive livelihoods.

“Building reef resilience protects a sustainable source of food and livelihoods for the Fijian people and a vibrant hub of biodiversity for the world,” said Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Attorning General and Minister for Economy, Fiji.  “We hope this innovative financing initiative offers a scalable model that can support the conservation of marine ecosystems across our globally connected blue economy.”

Principal transactions of the programme establish a locally managed Technical Assistance Facility to incubate a pipeline of reef-positive business models and institute Special Purpose Entities (SPEs) with revenue streams to manage Fijian Locally Managed Marine Area networks. The joint programme will also support a new initiative to source sugar cane plantations with a non-synthetic fertiliser and paired with educational programmes to reduce agricultural run-off and erosion harmful to nearby coral reefs.

Additionally, the GFCR is supporting the development of a new sanitary landfill with a network of transfer stations to improve waste collection and prevent leaching of harmful pollutants that are detrimental to Fijian mangroves and coral reef ecosystems.  This joint programme is a collaboration with partners that include UN agencies (UNDP, UNCDF, UNEP), the WWF-Pacific, Matanataki, Blue Finance, Fijian local actors and the Government of Fiji and aims to leverage US$50M in investment capital by 2030.

“The pilot investments of the Global Fund for Coral Reefs and Joint SDG Fund in Fiji will bring positive impacts not only to reef systems but to the people who depend on them,” said Jodi Smith, Partner at Matanataki. “During a time of extreme economic and climatic uncertainty, this investment will pave the way for world class solutions and new manufacturing and income opportunities, while at the same time enabling active stewardship of the environment.” 

Sombrero Island Reef, Philippines. Photo Credit: Jett Britnell / Coral Reef Image Bank

The GFCR Executive Board also approved initial grant funding of US$350k for a blended finance programme led by Blue Finance in the Philippines. “Development Facility for Blue Economy Projects for Coral Reef Marine Protected Areas in the Philippines” targets three coral reef focal areas: (1) Verde Island Passage; (2) Calamian Islands; (3) Tañon Strait. Revenue generating activities will include ecotourism, a visitor facility, blue carbon, sustainable fisheries and mud-crab aquaculture. The grant will also be used to develop a proposal focused on highly scalable and sustainable financing for effective management of over 200 Philippine marine protected areas and leverage US$50M in investment capital by 2030.

The GFCR has also approved four preparatory grants to develop full programme proposals to be considered at the next GFCR Executive Board meetings.

“Blended finance is not just about pooling funds to catalyze private investment, it’s about the power of governmental, inter-governmental, philanthropic, private sector and non-governmental organizations working together to achieve impact in a way that wouldn’t be possible on our own,” said Chuck Cooper, Chair of the GFCR Executive Board on behalf of the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. “This first round of Global Fund investments demonstrates the types of projects we believe can change the trajectory of the coral reef crisis.”

The GFCR executive board is pleased to be working with Conservation International in Indonesia, The Nature Conservancy in The Bahamas, Wildlife Conservation Society in the Kenya-Tanzania Transboundary Conservation Area and UNDP in the Maldives on these grants that will demonstrate the blended finance platform to catalyse private sector investments.  

The six priority countries and proposals were recommended by Conservation Finance Alliance (CFA) who is leading the development of the GFCR’s Investment Plan. With contributions and engagement from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Government of Germany, BNP Paribas and with technical support from SYSTEMIQ, the GFCR is showcasing the power of partnerships and innovative financing.

Banner image: CREDIT: CINZIA OSELE BISMARCK / CORAL REEF IMAGE BANK

WCS seeks new Executive Director for Forest and Climate Change Program

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) seeks an inaugural Executive Director for our new Forest and Climate Change Program to address the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. This is a unique opportunity for an exceptional climate change leader to play a key role in addressing the greatest challenge facing our planet.

WCS is creating a new Forest and Climate Change Program to address the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. The scope of WCS’ forest and climate change portfolio extends to the forests and ecosystems of every country where WCS works. Fifty-five of the long-term landscapes across 13 regions where WCS implements field conservation are forested. We work closely with national governments, private sector partners and multilateral agencies and agreements to advocate global policy changes toward a more sustainable development.

The goal of WCS’ Forest and Climate Change strategy is to maximize the contribution of NBS to meet global 1.5° and 2° targets set out in the Paris Agreement, and to develop and promote measures for adaptation to climate change. Intact forests are also critical for global biodiversity and achieving sustainable development – they are exceptionally resilient to fire, drought and storms exacerbated by climate change, sustain the livelihoods and cultures of many Indigenous Peoples, minimize extinction risk for huge numbers of wildlife and plant species and maintain regional rainfall patterns much more effectively than degraded forests.

2021 Land Accelerator Africa

Are you a land restoration entrepreneur? Do you know one?

In 2018, World Resources Institute (WRI) and Fledge launched the Land Accelerator, the world’s first training and mentorship program targeted specifically toward businesses that restore degraded forests, farmland, and pasture.

Women-led and youth-led companies, which may benefit from additional funding opportunities, are highly encouraged to apply!

In partnership with AFR100, World Resources Institute is excited to announce that the application cycle for the 2021 Land Accelerator Africa is open through March 31!

For the 2021 Africa cohort, we are embracing an exciting new approach.

1. From our applicants, the team will select Africa’s Top 100 Restoration Entrepreneurs, all of whom will benefit from extensive online training and networking for three months.

2. A panel of experts will then select the Top 10, who will benefit from one-on-one technical support, pitch their businesses to an online room of investors, and receive a $5,000 innovation grant.

Job Opportunity: Senior Officer, Conservation and Financial Planning, Global Project Finance for Permanence Initiative

The senior officer - Conservation and Financial Planning will report to the project lead for the Global Finance for Permanence Initiative, with strong dotted-line reporting to the vice president, finance and treasurer, and will be a founding member of this new effort at Pew. The position is located in Washington, DC, and will work closely with the project lead and the Pew finance team to develop conservation plans and financial models that will be foundational to the project. Pew’s board of directors has preliminarily approved the project, which is contingent upon final board approval in the spring of 2021.

Responsibilities

• Work with partners to design and build agreement on project scope (geographic and thematic) for individual PFPs.

• Work extensively with a range of local and national partners and stakeholders to assess conservation status and prospects, identify critical threats and opportunities, and conduct stakeholder analysis for individual PFPs.

• Lead consultative processes with partners in developing an extensive conservation plan that includes goals, strategies, activities, and assumptions, as well as monitoring, evaluation, and learning plans.

• Design and conduct related studies; organize workshops to generate relevant information for the project.

• Refine conservation program goals, objectives and activities as needed.

• Travel extensively to project sites and facilitate multi-stakeholder consultation workshops to develop detailed conservation and financial plans.

• Work extensively with a range of stakeholders to collect, clarify and analyze financial and other data relevant to conservation programs.

• In close consultation and with guidance from the vice president, finance, and treasurer, develop detailed long-term financial models including: projections of costs; mapping of costs to funding sources and timing; trust funds and related investment returns; .

• Coordinate with the finance department to ensure financial models include analyses of pertinent risks, such foreign currency risk, sovereign risk, and market risk. Financial models will be designed to analyze funding sensitivities to the various types of risk.

• Guide development, in collaboration with the vice president, finance, and treasurer, of approaches and tools to estimate long-term financial needs for achieving goals, assess existing funding, and calculate financial gaps.

• Engage frequently with internal stakeholders, including the finance and legal departments, to ensure up-to-date information is shared regarding PFP deals, terms, and financing.

• Communicate conservation and financial analysis scope, approach, assumptions, and results in meetings, presentations and reports for various audiences; based on analysis, make recommendations on the design and implementation of financial mechanisms.

• Train counterparts at project sites to prepare/manage financial modeling and related processes.

Call for proposals - 2nd UNEP/ICRI small grants programme 2021

Applications are now open to the 2nd UNEP/ICRI small grants programme 2021 to support the conservation and restoration of coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass. 
 
The small grants programme is a joint initiative of the UNEP Coral Reef Unit and the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) that builds on the success of the first small grants programme from 2017: https://www.icriforum.org/icri-un-environment-small-grants-programme
 
This grants programme is aimed at protecting and restoring coastal marine ecosystems and is open to governments, NGOs and community groups, for projects implemented in developing countries, least developed countries and small island developing states.
 
Grants up to USD 80,000 will be awarded to projects aimed at protecting and restoring coastal marine ecosystems, with a particular emphasis on payment for ecosystem services, ecosystem restoration, blue carbon, marine protected areas, locally managed marine areas and action on UNEP’s strategic pillars climate stability, living in harmony with nature and a pollution-free planet.

Examples of activities that would qualify for this grant include, inter alia:

• Community-based ecosystem restoration;

• Development, management and sustainable financing of locally managed marine areas or

• marine protected areas;

• Community-based blue carbon projects;

• Co-management of marine resources through public and private partnerships;

• Payment for coastal ecosystem services projects;

• Mainstreaming of gender in coastal ecosystem management

Important dates

• 1 March 2021: Announcement / Call for concept notes

• 31 March 2021: Closing date for submission of concept notes

• 15 April 2021: Invitation for submission of full proposals

• 15 May 2021: Submission of full proposals

• 31 May 2021: Notification of successful recipients

Island Finance Forum 2021

Island Finance Forum 2021
Investment for Sustainable Development

The Island Finance Forum brings together senior financiers, development partners and regulators to share and exchange expertise on sustainable and inclusive financial structures in island communities. The Forum aims to highlight the unique financial challenges faced by global island communities and the solutions for sustainable economic recovery and inclusive growth in a post-pandemic world.

This virtual event will be accessible to attendees from across the globe in a variety of interactive sessions, including networking opportunities to meet and exchange ideas face to face or in small groups. Attendees can choose which of the topics and sessions they actively participate in and after the event many will also watch and comment on the session recordings.

When: April 13-16,  2021

Applications Open: OceanHub Africa

Applications Open: OceanHub Africa
Accelerator Program

Do you have an exciting and innovative solution to the ocean's problems? OceanHub Africa is launching its second call for applications to join this year’s cohort of startups to be selected for its six-month online acceleration programme.

Beginning in April 2021, the programme will select and support Africa’s most promising and impact-driven startups seeking to develop an environmentally conscious and profitable ocean economy, shaping better interactions between people and oceans in support of the Sustainable Development Goal 14 – Life Below Water. Selected applicants will be given access to OHA’s partners’ service packages and our highly qualified network of stakeholders and facilitators, who will help startups devise sustainable pathways yielding stable profits and avenues for scalable growth throughout Africa.

Ocean-minded startups looking to join the OHA accelerator can apply until 5 March 2021.

Practice Standards for Conservation Trust Funds webinar series

Practice Standards for Conservation Trust Funds webinar series
Communications

When: Tuesday, March 16 at 11am EST
Where: RSVP Below

On Tuesday, March 16, please join us for the second webinar in our monthly series taking a deeper look at the 2020 edition of the Practice Standards for CTFs. February's webinar will focus on Communications.

Information on the panelists will be finalized shortly.

CFA Incubator Series: Greenfi

When: March 3rd, 11am EST
Where: RSVP Below

Greenfi is an innovative finance technology (fintech) company that facilitates performance-based payments and other financial transactions at the community level to target a range of conservation and sustainable-use objectives. Using their deep experience in community-based natural resource management and financial services, Greenfi is able to link payments and conditional credit to an individual or community’s environmental actions. Their smartphone enabled applications, including impact accounting tools, facilitate performance-based contracting (for example, payments for ecosystem services), environmental microfinance and community savings and loans (eco-credit) incorporating environmental criteria into credit scores and cost of capital, while supporting best practices in community engagement, transparency, and governance.



Website: http://greenfi.io/

Consultancy Opportunity - Caribbean Biodiversity Fund

The CBF is inviting qualified individuals (“Consultants”) to apply for the “CBF Communications Specialist” consultancy. The objective of this consultancy is to assist the CBF in developing and implementing its Communication, Outreach, and Marketing Strategy.

Specifically, the Strategy and its implementation has been identified as a key instrument for ensuring CBF’s and the overall Caribbean Sustainable Finance Architecture’s visibility at the national, regional, and international levels, and as a key tool to support fundraising efforts, raising awareness, and consolidating the overall Architecture. In addition, this Strategy is a crucial element for the engagement of CBF with different types of stakeholders including, but not limited to, government, regional organization, donors, partners, civil society, and the private sector.