Call for Proposals: GEF-SGP Operational Phase 8 (OP8) - Community-Driven Sustainability Initiatives in Zambia

Zambia
Community Upliftment
Sustainability
Climate Change

What This Opportunity Is About

The Global Environment Facility's Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP), implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is launching a new funding round under Operational Phase Eight (OP8) to empower local civil society organizations, community-based organizations and grassroots actors in Zambia to lead community-driven environmental solutions. Since 1992, the GEF-SGP has supported over 26,000 projects worldwide, proving that local, community-led initiatives can generate significant environmental benefits while simultaneously improving livelihoods, creating resilience and advancing sustainable development.

This is a unique opportunity for Zambian organizations to receive funding for innovative, inclusive environmental projects addressing critical challenges in biodiversity conservation, climate change, land degradation, sustainable agriculture, water management and chemicals and waste reduction. The programme explicitly prioritizes women, youth, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, using integrated landscape approaches that combine conservation with community economic benefits.

Strategic Focus Areas (What Gets Funded)

GEF-SGP OP8 supports projects across three primary strategic initiatives:

1. Community-Based Ecosystem Conservation and Management
This pillar funds community-led conservation and sustainable use of natural resources across diverse ecosystems:

  • Forest landscapes: Forest biodiversity conservation, sustainable forest management, agroforestry, REDD+ activities, and livelihood diversification
  • Grasslands: Rangeland conservation, sustainable grazing management, and restoration of degraded grasslands
  • River basins and catchments: Integrated water resource management, wetland conservation, restoration and sustainable use
  • Wetlands: Ramsar wetland conservation, sustainable use of wetland resources, community-led restoration
  • Coastal and marine ecosystems: Marine protected area management, sustainable fisheries, mangrove restoration (where applicable)
  • Biodiversity mainstreaming: Integrating biodiversity conservation principles into key production sectors (agriculture, fisheries, forestry)

Projects in this area should involve local communities, local indigenous peoples, civil society organizations and multi-stakeholder governance platforms.

2. Sustainable Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Security
This pillar enhances the sustainability and productivity of socio-ecological production systems to improve food security:

  • Climate-smart agriculture: Science-based agroecological and regenerative agriculture practices adapted to local contexts
  • Crop production: Support to smallholder farmers adopting sustainable intensification, crop diversity, and conservation agriculture
  • Livestock production: Sustainable livestock management, rotational grazing, fodder production and market linkages
  • Fisheries and aquaculture: Sustainable fishing practices, aquaculture development, livelihood diversification, and value chain strengthening
  • Land degradation neutrality: Local actions directly supporting Zambia's voluntary Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets
  • Traditional knowledge integration: Combining science-based practices with local and indigenous knowledge systems
  • Food staples and commodities: Focus on priority crops and agricultural products essential to local food and income security

3. Local-to-Global Coalitions for Chemicals and Waste Management
This pillar supports communities facing chemicals and waste-related threats with innovative, affordable, practical solutions:

  • Plastic waste management: Community-led solutions for plastic waste collection, sorting, recycling, and alternative livelihoods
  • Electronic waste (e-waste): Safe handling, recycling and recovery of valuable materials from discarded electronics
  • Hazardous chemicals: Management of pesticides, fertilizers, and other agricultural or industrial chemicals
  • Persistent organic pollutants (POPs): Management of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), DDT and other POPs
  • Mercury management: Safe handling and reduction of mercury in artisanal mining, industrial processes and household products
  • Household chemicals: Community awareness and alternatives for household cleaning, personal care and pest control products
  • Waste reduction: Zero-waste initiatives, circular economy approaches, and waste minimization at community level

Prioritized Geographic Areas (Where Projects Will Focus)

GEF-SGP OP8 prioritizes six river catchment areas in Zambia, reflecting the integrated landscape approach:

  1. Chambeshi Catchment – Northern region, linking to broader Congo Basin ecosystems
  2. Luapula Catchment – North-western region, important for freshwater fisheries and wetlands
  3. Luangwa Catchment – Eastern region, significant for wildlife and tourism
  4. Kafue Catchment – Central region, critical water source and wildlife habitat
  5. Tanganyika Catchment – North-western region, trans-boundary water resource
  6. Zambezi Catchment – Southern and western regions, major trans-boundary river system

Projects should be located within one or more of these catchment areas and demonstrate how they contribute to landscape-level environmental and livelihood goals.

Programme Objectives and Approach

The GEF-SGP OP8 programme has four overarching objectives:

I. Empower Local Civil Society and CBOs

  • Enable locally registered civil society and community-based organizations to lead community-driven initiatives
  • Enhance organizational capacity for environmental management and social resilience
  • Improve community well-being through sustainable livelihoods and resource management
  • Generate global environmental benefits at local scale

II. Integrated Landscape Approaches

  • Improve ecosystem services (water provision, pollination, carbon storage, nutrient cycling, etc.)
  • Diversify and strengthen community livelihoods
  • Strengthen governance systems and community institutions
  • Address interconnected environmental and development challenges across entire landscapes/catchments

III. Accelerate Innovation and Scaling

  • Support innovative, pilot-stage solutions that can be scaled up
  • Leverage multi-stakeholder alliances and partnerships
  • Create platforms for dialogue and knowledge exchange
  • Connect community initiatives to national and global agendas
  • Document and share lessons learned

IV. Promote Social Inclusion and Equity

  • Prioritize women's economic empowerment and leadership
  • Ensure youth engagement and intergenerational knowledge transfer
  • Support persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups
  • Promote gender equality and women's land rights
  • Center indigenous and local knowledge systems

Who Can Apply

To be eligible to apply for GEF-SGP OP8 funding, organizations must meet the following criteria:

Organizational Requirements:

  • Legal registration: Must be locally registered as:
    • Civil Society Organization (CSO)
    • Community-Based Organization (CBO)
    • Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)
    • Foundation
    • Academic institution or research center
    • Similar locally registered entity in accordance with Zambian government legal requirements
  • Proof of registration required: Must attach official registration documents with application
  • Operational experience: Minimum of 2 years' operational experience in community-based environmental or development work
  • Sector exclusion: Private sector entities (for-profit companies) and political parties are NOT eligible

Organizational Capacity:

  • Must demonstrate strong community involvement in proposed activities
  • Must have prior experience implementing similar projects at comparable scope
  • Must be capable of preparing both narrative and financial reports in English
  • Must have basic financial management systems and audit capacity
  • Must be willing to participate in monitoring and evaluation activities

Financial Commitment:

  • Must be willing and able to provide a matching contribution (cash and/or in-kind) to complement the GEF-SGP grant
  • Matching contribution demonstrates organizational commitment and sustainability
  • In-kind contributions (labor, materials, equipment, facilities) are acceptable and valued

Community Engagement:

  • Must demonstrate commitment to inclusive decision-making with project beneficiaries
  • Must show commitment to integrating women, youth, persons with disabilities and marginalized groups
  • Must have governance structures that allow for community participation

Geographic Eligibility:

  • Organization must be registered and operational in Zambia
  • Project activities must take place within one or more of the six prioritized catchment areas (Chambeshi, Luapula, Luangwa, Kafue, Tanganyika, or Zambezi)
  • Organization's primary service area should be within Zambia

Who Cannot Apply (Ineligible Organizations)

The following organizations and entities cannot apply:

  • Private sector companies and for-profit enterprises
  • Political parties and partisan organizations
  • Religious organizations (though faith-based organizations with development work can apply if development focus is primary)
  • Individual entrepreneurs or informal groups without legal registration
  • Organizations without at least 2 years' operational history
  • Organizations unable to provide matching contributions

Types of Projects That Are NOT Eligible

GEF-SGP OP8 will not fund the following types of proposals:

Politically/Ideologically Ineligible:

  • Activities that violate UN values, principles or human rights
  • Activities supporting criminal conduct, terrorism, or illegal activities
  • Projects promoting political agendas or partisan activities
  • Projects that discriminate on grounds of gender, religious belief or ethnic origin
  • Activities contradicting environmental or human rights commitments

Financially Ineligible:

  • Projects consisting exclusively or primarily of capital expenditures (land purchase, building construction, vehicle purchase, equipment acquisition without clear community benefit)
  • Projects focused only on sponsorships for workshops, seminars, conferences or congresses for individuals
  • Projects providing only individual scholarships for studies or training courses
  • Credit or loan schemes (microfinance models without capacity building)
  • Cash donations to individuals or groups
  • Debt repayment or debt relief programs

Programmatically Ineligible:

  • Activities not aligned with GEF focal areas (biodiversity, climate change, land degradation, international waters, chemicals and waste)
  • Projects that do not demonstrate clear environmental benefits
  • Activities lacking community participation or local ownership
  • Projects without measurable impact indicators

Eligible Project Costs (What Can Be Funded)

The GEF-SGP budget must be realistic, cost-effective, and based on actual supporting documents. The budget serves as both a cost estimate and a ceiling for eligible expenses. Eligible costs must be:

  • Directly verifiable and traceable to proposed project activities
  • Based on real costs supported by quotes, invoices or documented rates
  • Cost-effective and reasonable for the Zambian context
  • Calculated in USD

Categories of Eligible Costs Include:

  • Personnel costs (staff salaries, consultants, community workers)
  • Training and capacity building activities
  • Equipment and tools directly supporting project activities
  • Materials and supplies (seeds, nursery materials, construction materials for community structures, etc.)
  • Travel and transport for project implementation
  • Community mobilization and outreach activities
  • Monitoring, evaluation and documentation
  • Project management and administration (reasonable overhead)
  • Technology and communications support
  • Research and assessments related to project activities

Ineligible Costs (What Cannot Be Funded):

  • Debts, debt provisions or losses
  • Interest payments on loans
  • Salary top-ups to government employees or other project-interested persons (unless they work full-time for the implementing organization)
  • Items already financed through other funding sources or programs
  • Depreciation and amortization
  • General organizational overhead not directly linked to the project
  • Political or religious activities
  • Capital expenditure without clear, documented community benefit

Grant Amount and Project Scope

While the specific grant range is not explicitly stated in the provided materials, based on the GEF-SGP's typical structure:

  • Grant range: Generally $5,000–$50,000 per project (typical for OP8 phase)
  • Project duration: Typically 1–3 years
  • Co-funding requirement: Typically 20–50% of total project budget (in cash or in-kind)
  • Maximum project budget: Generally USD $100,000 (including GEF grant plus co-funding)

Note: Specific grant ranges should be confirmed in the detailed guidelines provided by UNDP Zambia

Application Process and Timeline

Step 1: Attend Information Session (Optional but Recommended)

Step 2: Prepare Your Proposal

Use the official GEF-SGP OP8 proposal template (provided by UNDP) and include:

Core Proposal Content:

  • Project title and description: Clear, concise description of your project and how it addresses one of the three strategic initiatives
  • Problem statement: Clear articulation of environmental and/or livelihood challenges in your community
  • Project objectives: Specific, measurable outcomes aligned with GEF focal areas
  • Outputs and activities: Detailed description of what will be done, by whom, and how
  • Expected results and indicators: Quantifiable environmental and livelihood benefits; number of beneficiaries; women/youth engagement targets
  • Community engagement plan: How communities will be involved in planning, implementation and monitoring
  • Sustainability plan: How project benefits will be sustained after funding ends
  • Risk assessment and mitigation: Identification of potential risks and management strategies
  • Budget narrative: Justification for each cost line; demonstration of cost-effectiveness

Supporting Documents (Required):

  1. Proof of organizational registration (official certificate or registration document)
  2. Organizational structure details (organogram/organizational chart showing governance and staff)
  3. Letter of support from relevant government ministry or department (e.g., Ministry of Green Economy, Ministry of Agriculture, local District Commissioner)
  4. Bank account details for the implementing organization
  5. Audited financial statements or basic financial reports (if available)
  6. Completed budget using the GEF-SGP provided template (in USD)

Step 3: Submit Your Proposal

  • Submission email addresses:
  • Subject line: "GEF-SGP OP8 Proposal – [Your Organization Name] – [Project Title]"
  • Deadline: 31 December 2025, 11:59 PM Zambia Time (hard deadline)
  • File format: Use official GEF-SGP OP8 templates only; proposals using other templates will not be considered
  • Late submissions: Proposals submitted after the deadline will NOT be considered
  • Technical clarifications: Any questions about the call should be sent to ops.zm@undp.org via email

Step 4: Evaluation and Selection

  • Evaluation body: National Steering Committee (NSC) – comprised of government, civil society, and development partners
  • Evaluation timeline: January–March 2026 (estimated)
  • Selection criteria:
    • Alignment with GEF-SGP strategic initiatives
    • Environmental and development impact potential
    • Community participation and local ownership
    • Organizational capacity
    • Cost-effectiveness and sustainability
    • Social inclusion (women, youth, vulnerable groups)
    • Innovation and scalability

Step 5: Grant Agreement

  • Selected applicants will be notified and invited to sign a grant agreement
  • Grant agreement outlines:
    • Project activities, timeline and budget
    • Disbursement schedule
    • Reporting and monitoring requirements
    • Accountability and financial management obligations
    • Intellectual property and beneficiary rights

Click here to visit the official website. 

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Website link
https://www.undp.org/zambia/news/call-proposals-gef-sgp-operational-phase-8

Brochures and other documents

annex_13-2_sgp_standard_appllication_budget_1_4.xls48.5 KB
gef_sgp_call_for_project_proposals_0.pdf305.94 KB
terms_of_reference_0.pdf230.08 KB