I. Background:
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP) provides grants to nongovernmental
(NGOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) for enabling them to tackle global
environmental challenges while addressing local sustainable development needs. Started in 1992, SGP is
a GEF corporate programme, implemented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and
executed by United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). SGP is operational in more than 125
countries around the world, providing required support to communities through more than 25,000
projects.
Under the 7th operational phase (OP) of GEF, SGP will focus more on promoting and supporting
innovative and scalable initiatives at the local level to tackle global environmental issues in priority
landscapes. The programme will support projects that serve as incubators of innovation, potentially
broadening the replication of best practice approaches through larger projects that are supported by
the GEF and/or other partners. In this context, the SGP will strengthen its partnerships as a multistakeholder
platform that is led by Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) working closely with the private
sector and government. SGP grantees and partners will act as an effective and essential force to
mobilize civil society for systemic change from the bottom up with the aim of promoting
environmentally sound and sustainable development at the national, regional, and global levels.
II. SGP Afghanistan:
UNDP, with close collaboration from the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), has
operationalized SGP in Afghanistan on 23rd October 2012. To effectively run the programme, an inclusive
and National Steering Committee (NSC), composed of diverse representation including CSOs, and
academia particularly Kabul University was established, which is chaired by the Director General of
NEPA. NSC provides guidance and technical oversight to the implementation of the SGP, based on a
Country Programme Strategy (CPS). SGP Afghanistan started funding projects in 2013. Ever since, the
programme has successfully managed to provide financial and technical support to about 100 grant
projects.
III. SGP Focus Areas of Intervention:
A key element of Afghanistan GEF-SGP implementation in OP7 will be the development of landscape
approaches to better focus grant-making and promote strategic programming and clustering of small
grant projects with the aim to achieve greater impact and lead to synergies and opportunities for scaling
up. This approach promotes the community based sustainable use of natural resources, enhances the
resilience of ecosystems and protects/restores the landscape resources for the communities and by the
communities to consequently tackle environmental issues at the local level. The programme will
prioritize critical landscapes and will support the strategic initiatives to promote integrated approaches
to key global environmental issues, as well as those complementing government priorities that are
aligned with GEF SGP OP7 strategic priorities. The proposed impact programmes at the community level
are:
• Community-based threatened ecosystems and species conservation: land and water
• Sustainable agriculture and fisheries; and food security
• Low-carbon energy access benefits
• Local to global coalitions in chemicals and waste management;
• Catalyzing sustainable urban solutions
• CSO-Government – Private sector dialogue platforms
• Enhancing social inclusion
• Knowledge management
• Monitoring and evaluation
Country programme strategy for SGP in OP7 will continue to seek synergies; implement multispectral
approaches by involving communities at the landscape and facilitate the innovative actions of
communities, promoting participatory monitoring and evaluation facilitating learning and knowledge
sharing and dissemination of results.
IV. Landscapes Selected for Implementation of GEF SGP projects in the OP7 period
Province Selected Landscape Landscape Significance
Kabul
Kol-e-Hashmat Khan
Wetland Protected Area
Important habitat for wetland species and staging area
for migratory waterfowl and wintering site for aquatic
birds
Kabul City (Municipal Districts) The fifth fastest growing city in the world and world’s 64t
largest city. About five million people live in metropolitan
areas of Kabul province.
Nuristan Parun (Proposed National Park) Proposed National Park, Rich biodiversity, Historical sites,
Oak forests, Wildlife, Snow leopards, MAPs and River basins
Kunar East region forest (Noorgal to
Asadabad along the riverbank
side which encompasses all
landscapes.
Potential for National park, High value in ecology,
biodiversity, Forests, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants, Rivers,
Fishery, Agricultural livelihoods.
Paktia Gardez – Provincial Center Forest and biodiversity.
Selected Landscapes for grant making outside the selected landscapes
Any other
province
Environment Hotspots in the
country
Spectacular scenery, abundant and globally significant fauna
and flora, rich history and local cultures, Wildlife reserve, rich
Fauna and Flora
The lessons learnt from previous GEF SGP projects show that CSOs and CBOs can play key roles in
addressing the local environmental and developmental concerns. The SGP-OP7 will promote and
strengthen social inclusion by effectively reaching out to local communities with a focus on women,
indigenous people, youth, and persons with disabilities.
Priority will be given to the projects initiated and implemented by women, youth, indigenous people
and marginalized social groups.
The programme prioritizes those projects that enhance women’s participation and raise awareness of
the roles of women and men in the sustainable management and use of natural resources and creating
opportunities from (alternative) sustainable livelihoods and income-generation opportunities such as
conservation, rehabilitation and restoration actions for women. Supporting capacity development of
different groups, including communities, women’s organizations, and government officials at the
national and subnational levels to capitalize on the complementary roles of women and men and
mobilize people for collective action and continue work on agroecology to reduce land degradation and
reduce dependence on harmful agricultural practices through:
a. Sustainable rangeland/pasture management and ground water conservation through
strengthening of viable traditional systems, mechanisms to resolve conflicts over land use,
protection of farmlands, rehabilitation, watershed approach and integration of water resources,
ground water recharge augmentation.
b. Sustainable land management practices enhance community led actions for protection of
biodiversity/threatened species, mainstreaming biodiversity in key production sectors, waste
recycling, organic farming, and pest control through natural mechanisms.
c. Soil and water conservation through improved tillage methods, agroforestry approaches to
reduce erosion, promotion of suitable land uses (including protection from farming where
necessary)
d. Innovative, affordable, and practical solutions to chemicals and waste management will be
supported in collaboration with partners including government agencies, research institutions,
international development agencies, and the private sector, especially in the areas of pesticide
management and? waste management.
e. Business skills development to empower communities to better manage their natural resources.
During its OP7, SGP Afghanistan will fund each project up to USD 50,000 for two years.
The grant allocation in OP7 will primarily consider the following factors/selection criteria for grantees.
V. Eligibility:
• Only national NGOs (this may include community-based organizations and other forms of Civil
Society Organizations).
• In case of special need, the principal proponent (National NGO) may go for partnership with
international NGOs
• The CSOs must be registered, with government of Afghanistan, with an established presence
within the boundaries of the landscape. The CSOs must have a valid registration certificate and a
valid bank account. A permanent location/office at the project site will be an advantage, but not
mandatory.
• The CSOs and CBOs proposing work related to the GEF SGP priorities or themes should
demonstrate a strong ability to deliver such projects, which includes a strong permanent
presence/roots within the beneficiary community.
• Possessing inclusive and broad-based membership/affiliation with community-based groups,
youth groups/committees or women groups and indigenous groups will be an advantage.
• Innovative proposal with potential for upscaling and sustainability
• Contribution to national priorities, GEF strategic initiatives, Afghanistan Sustainable
Development Goals and UNDP strategic goals
• CSOs Ability to generate co-finance/budget (in cash or kind)
• Adequate gender balance must exist within the team.
• Presence of or access to relevant technical human resource (experienced and operational for
minimum of two years with relevant experience)
• Minimum relevant experience of two years in GEF focal areas/community development projects
with satisfactory performance
To be eligible for SGP support, a project proposed for funding must meet the country-specific eligibility
criteria laid out in the relevant SGP Country Programme Strategy approved by the NSC. The concept
paper format and SGP Country Strategy can be obtained from the link
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1334wwLX9Ni0JSsQ6erA-Iu9UDsRDkjRc?usp=sharing
For further reference, SGP global programme document, SGP operational guidelines, case studies and
other documents can be obtained from http://sgp.undp.org
VI. Deadline:
Please send your proposal by 10 Dec 2020, by email to aimal.khaurin@undp.org
VII. Contact Person:
More details on SGP together with further guidance for application could be obtained by contacting:
Aimal Khan Khaurin
National Coordinator
UNDP – GEF Small Grants Programme
UNDP Country Office, UNOCA Complex, Jalalabad Road, Kabul, Afghanistan
Email: aimal.khaurin@undp.org