ST-EP BIODIVERSITY SMALL GRANTS FUND CALL FOR PROPOSALS Deadline 15 March 2009 What is the ST-EP Biodiversity Small Grants Fund? Tourism is one of the fastest growing industries and has become an important source of foreign exchange for many developing countries, with good opportunities to contribute to poverty reduction. To help increasing tourism s contribution to poverty reduction, UNWTO launched in 2002 the ST-EP (Sustainable Tourism for the Elimination of Poverty) Programme. As the UN agency responsible for tourism development, UNWTO views the ST-EP Programme as its contribution to the Millennium Development Goals. Tourism depends on natural and cultural assets, but if not planned and managed well, tourism can easily destroy the resources it so highly depends upon. That s why IUCN NL launched the Tourism and Biodiversity Fund in 2004 with the objective to use sustainable tourism as an instrument for biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation. This fund can be applied to maximize the benefits of tourism, but also for actions to mitigate the negative environmental impacts that are related to tourism development (or a combination of both). In 2008, IUCN NL and UNWTO have agreed to join forces to develop a ST-EP Biodiversity Small Grants Fund. The Fund brings together initial contributions of US$ 70,000 each from the UNWTO ST-EP Foundation and IUCN NL to fund an estimated total of 5-7 tourism projects addressing poverty reduction and biodiversity conservation. Projects that will be supported could for example focus on themes like: Tourism as a sound economic alternative for other less sustainable forms of land use Market analysis, marketing and promotion of a nature tourism product/destination Linking ecotourism initiatives with mainstream tourism Administrative criteria 1) Who can apply? Local NGOs, Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) and local private sector companies with a proven commitment to ecosystem conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources can apply for the funding from the ST-EP Biodiversity Small Grants Fund. Proposals developed and submitted in a partnership between the private sector and a CBO or NGO are encouraged. Support to the private sector is only given to investments or activities beyond a company s regular business operations and that represent an added value for the environment and for local communities. 2) Formats To be considered proposals must be prepared and submitted according to the ST-EP Biodiversity Small Grants Fund format. 3) Duration and completion The current operational phase of the ST-EP Biodiversity Small Grants Fund ends in December 2010; therefore all projects should be completed before 31 August 2010. To build in enough flexibility to timely complete the projects, organizations are asked to submit proposals with a 12 months duration, running from 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010. ST-EP Biodiversity Small Grants Fund 1
4) Maximum and minimum grant amount The Tourism & Biodiversity Fund provides financial assistance with a maximum of US$ 25,000 per project. Projects that are looking for a smaller amount are encouraged to apply as there is no minimum. 5) Existing or new initiative The tourism project can be a new initiative or part of an already existing business that needs finance for expansion or additional activities. 6) Geographic coverage Only projects in the following countries will be considered: Cambodia, Kenya, Lao PDR, Tanzania and Vietnam. 7) Funding of different projects of the same organisation An NGO can submit more than one project proposal. However, only one can be funded, since the ST-EP Biodiversity Small Grants Fund will never sign more than one contract with a grantee at the same time. A second project can only be funded after the first has been ended and approved, and new funds have been made available for the ST-EP Biodiversity Small Grants Fund. General criteria 1) The project promotes a sustainable use and conservation of ecosystems for the benefit of present and future generation The tourism development for which funding is requested should make a clear contribution to nature conservation 2) The project contributes to poverty reduction through tourism by addressing one or more of the 7 ST-EP Mechanisms formulated by UNWTO, being: 1. Employment of the poor in tourism enterprises 2. Supply of goods and services to tourism enterprises by the poor or by enterprises employing the poor 3. Direct sales of goods and services to visitors by the poor (informal economy) 4. Establishment and running of tourism enterprises by the poor - e.g. micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs), or community based enterprises (formal economy) 5. Tax or levy on tourism income or profits with proceeds benefiting the poor 6. Voluntary giving/support by tourism enterprises and tourists 7. Investment in infrastructure stimulated by tourism also benefiting the poor in the locality, directly or through support to other sectors 3) The project includes a sound social approach This refers to: Participation of local stakeholders in project design, planning, development, implementation and follow-up; participation of indigenous peoples, women groups and youth is an advantage; Assessment of social impacts of the project (positive or negative) and how these will be managed, with special attention to gender and indigenous people aspects. 4) The project articulates the potential for meaningful long-term impacts The tourism project needs to be able to become financial sustainable in the long term preferable by means of income generation and in exceptional cases by raising additional funds. 5) The project has to meet all of the following tourism specific criteria 1) The project must demonstrate the potential to attract tourists (e.g. proximity to existing tourist places, number of international and/or national tourists in the area, basic infrastructure available, added value to existing products, Unique Selling Points and security). 2) The project must demonstrate a sound marketing and promotion strategy. 3) The project organisation has the (potential) capacity, such as basic knowledge and human resources, to undertake the tourism activities as proposed. ST-EP Biodiversity Small Grants Fund 2
Restrictions The ST-EP Biodiversity Small Grants Fund cannot grant financial assistance to: Governmental or semi-governmental institutions, unless in projects with an NGO as leading partner; Scientific research activities without direct relevance to tourism, biodiversity and poverty reduction; Purchase of land; Costs related to the participation in international training courses and conferences, unless it can be justified as a vital contribution to a project; Foreign consultants (priority must be given to local consultants), unless it can be justified that the required expertise is not available in the country. How to apply? The National Tourism Administrations in the eligible countries are coordinating the applications per country. A maximum of three proposals per country will be submitted by the National Tourism Administration to UNWTO before 15 March 2009, for the selection of the 5-7 projects that will receive grants. If you are interested to submit a project proposal to the ST-EP Biodiversity Small Grants Fund, please liaise with the following official in the National Tourism Administration in your country: Cambodia: Mr. Thok Sokhom, Deputy Director ASEAN & Int l Cooperation Dept., Ministry of Tourism, mobile: +855 16 905 905, e-mail: thok@mot.gov.kh Kenya: Ms. Stella Amadi, Principal Tourist Officer, Ministry of Tourism, mobile: 0722-720149, office: 020-313010, afandistella@yahoo.com Lao PDR: Mr. Khom Douangchantha, Director, International Relations Division, Lao National Tourism Authority, mobile: +856 20 6655750, e-mail: kdouangchantha@yahoo.com Tanzania: Ms. Rosada Msoma, Principal Tourism Officer, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, mobile: 0784-585674, office: 0222-132302, romsoma@yahoo.com Vietnam: Mr. Pham Quang Hung, Director International Cooperation Department, Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, mobile: +84 913 253 753, e-mail: hung65icd@yahoo.com To prepare a proposal, the attached format should be used. The proposal should introduce the project s background and main issues. The submitted proposals will be reviewed by IUCN-NL and UNWTO staff, and an estimated total of 5 7 proposals will be selected for funding. The applicants whose proposals were selected will be invited to submit a detailed work plan. IUCN-NL and UNWTO will prepare a format for the work plan and can provide feedback and inputs to the applicants in order to develop a good work plan. Upon approval of the work plan by IUCN-NL and UNWTO, the applicant will sign an agreement with UNWTO for the implementation of the project, and a first instalment will be transferred. The relevance and quality of proposals will be judged on the previously mentioned administrative and general criteria. After initial approval of the proposal, it will generally take a few weeks to develop the detailed work plan, sign the agreement and transfer the first instalment. Please find below the tentative schedule. 15 March 2009 Deadline - the tentative time schedule: 15 March 2009: deadline for proposals 15-30 March 2009: selection 31 March 2009: invitation to develop work plan 15 May 2009: deadline for work plans (only on invitation) 1 June 30 June 2009: signing of project agreements; transfer of first instalments 1 July 2009 30 June 2010: project implementation period ST-EP Biodiversity Small Grants Fund 3
Format for proposals Organisations that intend to apply for a Tourism and Biodiversity Fund should submit a proposal according to the format given below. Please be as specific and complete as possible in covering the points listed in this format. Submit the proposal to the National Tourism Administration in your country. The following project information should be provided in English and in maximum 4 pages. Name of organisation: Date of submission: Project title: Duration: 12 months (1 July 2009 30 June 2010) Project area: Location, brief description of ecosystem type and coverage: LOCATION: Mention name of province / department / state; indicate major nearby rivers or cities. ECOSYSTEM TYPE: Except for projects that are not ecosystem-specific, indicate one of the following categories, if possible with further specification: a) Humid forest (examples: lowland rainforest, mountain rainforest). b) Wetlands and coasts (examples: floodplain, peat swamp, lake, coastal ecosystem and mangrove) c) Dry ecosystems (examples: deciduous forest, dry forest, savannah, (semi)desert). d) Other ecosystems (be specific). Also indicate the state of this ecosystem (e.g. undisturbed, mix of nature and productive landscape, degraded). COVERAGE: Approximate surface area or number of target communities. Include a map of the project area as annex. Other organizations involved in the project: Indicate how they are involved and whether they contribute financially. Project objectives and justification: Please specify the overall objective and the specific objectives of the project; and explain what is/are the challenge(s) the project tries to address and why should priority be given to this intervention. Formulate SMART (Specific; Measurable; Achievable; Realistic; Time-Bound) overall and specific objectives. Identify the challenge that your project seeks to address. Explain why addressing this challenge should be viewed as a priority? Product and implementation: What is the tourism product the project will offer? How do you intend to implement the project? Describe the activities the project will undertake. Existing and potential tourism market in project area: Please explain whether tourism already exists in the project area, and if so what kind of tourism (national or international, backpackers, organised tours, special interest)? How many international and how many local tourists visit the area? What is the distance in hours by car to the major places frequently visited by tourists? Biodiversity conservation: Please describe how the project will promote sustainable use of land and ecosystem resources and/or help protecting ecosystems and biodiversity. ST-EP Biodiversity Small Grants Fund 4
Beneficiaries and ST-EP mechanisms: Who are the target beneficiaries of the project? How will the project reach the poor? Below are seven different ways in which the poor can directly or indirectly benefit from tourism. Please indicate in your answer which of the 7 mechanisms will be addressed by the project. 1. Employment of the poor in tourism enterprises. 2. Supply of goods and services to tourism enterprises by the poor or by enterprises employing the poor. 3. Direct sales of goods and services to visitors by the poor (informal economy). 4. Establishment and running of tourism enterprises by the poor - e.g. micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs), or community based enterprises (formal economy). 5. Tax or levy on tourism income or profits with proceeds benefiting the poor. 6. Voluntary giving/support by tourism enterprises and tourists. 7. Investment in infrastructure stimulated by tourism also benefiting the poor in the locality, directly or through support to other sectors. Please indicate how many families will directly benefit from the project (through mechanisms 1-4); and how many families will indirectly benefit from the project (through mechanisms 5-7). Please provide an estimate (in absolute figures) of the increase in income for the families that will directly and indirectly benefit from the project. Sustainability: How do you intend to ensure the sustainability of the project after external funding is terminated? Describe how the project will be financial and commercially viable in the mid-term without external funding. Costs and funding sources: Tentative breakdown of costs by activities/components and estimate of the total costs of the project divided in funds requested from the ST-EP Biodiversity Small Grants Fund and funds provided by other sources. Activities/ Components Estimated duration (Months) Estimated total costs (USD) SOURCES OF FUNDING Funding requested from ST-EP Biodiversity Fund (USD) Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx TOTAL XXXX XXXX XXXX Committed funding from other sources*. Please specify the source in each case (USD) * Please attach a letter of support from the organization providing co-funding in which they confirm their co-funding to the project. ST-EP Biodiversity Small Grants Fund 5
Information on the Implementing Organisation The following information on the implementing organisation should be provided in English and in maximum 2 pages. 1. Project Title: 2. Name of organisation: 3. Address Details Mailing address: Telephone: Fax: E-mail (if applicable): Website (if applicable) Visiting address: 4. Mission and goals of your organisation: Is your organisation a member of IUCN? 5. Legal Status (including registration number): 6. Date of creation: 7. Staff: - Number of paid staff - Number of voluntaries - Number of female staff (excluding secretarial and other support staff) 8. Project personnel - Contact person (name, sex, professional background, and current function within organisation) - How many project personnel will be involved? 9. Other projects already implemented or currently being implemented by your organisation in fields relevant to the proposed project (do not list proposed projects): For each project indicate: project title, period of implementation, project leader, budget, donor, contact person within donor agency, and e-mail/fax of this contact person. ST-EP Biodiversity Small Grants Fund 6