Eighth Operational Phase of the GEF Small Grants Programme (Part 1)

SGP-OP8 builds on 30 years of successful experience in empowering local CSOs and CBOs in community driven initiatives that have enhanced wellbeing, increased awareness and resilience, and generated global environmental benefits. With economic development pressures intensifying in the developing world and the associated rising inequalities, local communities, particularly vulnerable and disadvantaged groups are becoming increasingly marginalized. The objective of Part 1 of SGP OP8 is to engage local CSOs/CBOs in landscape-seascape approaches across the 99 participating countries, providing them access to knowledge and information, capacitating them through learning-by-doing, skills development, and delivering technical and grant assistance for interventions that enhance socioeconomic conditions and generate global environmental benefits. In line with the GEF-8 SGP Implementation Arrangements Paper, core SGP resources are to be allocated equally among all eligible countries.

The proposed strategy, elaborated through four complementary outcomes, reflects the key features of GEF Small Grants Programme 2.0, including new approaches to support youth, women and Indigenous Peoples, linking up with complementary partnerships, cooperating with the two additional GEF agencies, and leveraging opportunities with other GEF programs. SGP-OP8 will facilitate opportunities for innovation and scaling up, catalyze multi-stakeholder alliances, and leverage dialogue platforms for greater impact.

An important comparative advantage of SGP is the focus on social inclusion and vulnerable groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, the elderly and youth. Expected results under OP8-Part 1 include 225,000 ha of land and ecosystems under restoration, 3,800,000 ha of landscapes under improved practices, 90,000 ha of marine protected areas under improved management, 270,000 ha of marine habitat under improved practices, and 500,000 direct beneficiaries, of whom 250,000 are women.