USAID:
The US government issues grants to NGOs through a number of different agencies; however, USAID is its primary distributor. USAID has a 5- year Global Climate and Development Strategy that is effective through 2016. The initiative operates through three objectives and three priority areas of action: Adaptation, Mitigation and Integration; and Adaptation, Clean Energy, and Sustainable Landscapes, respectively. Mostly through USAID, the US government provides climate change assistance to some 50 developing countries, particularly those most vulnerable to climate change.
To access USAID funds for climate change, NGOs may find request for proposals (RFPs) from specific areas of the US Department of State, or small grants for local NGOS from the US Embassies in the host country. These can be found by monitoring the grants and opportunities section of the US Embassy website for the local country. Below is an example of a call for applications from the US Embassy website for Tanzania. This particular call for applications is for the Ambassador’s Community and Sustainability Grant for small, local NGOs:
(Taken from US embassy, Tanzania website)
NGOs should regularly check the federal grants database, grants.gov for small grants for climate change and environment projects. NGOs should also check embassy website for relevant local calls for proposals.
Development Grants Program
In addition to the above, USAID also issues small grants to local NGOs of developing countries through their Development Grants Program. The program provides financial support and technical assistance to organizations that have no prior experience with USAID. Funded projects come from a variety of different areas of interest, including environment, livelihood and climate change. In 2011, four NGOs received grants for their climate mitigation projects. For more information on application process and eligibility requirements of this grant, please click here.
Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad):
Norad is primarily concerned with the economic, political and social welfare of impoverished communities in developing countries. The agency lists climate change and the environment as one of their main priorities, in addition to energy. Here are two funding schemes through which the Norad provides grants to NGOs for work on climate change and environment:
Norwegian Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI)
NICFI provides funds to Norwegian civil society organizations supporting REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) in developing countries. The initiative promotes sustainable development, conservation of natural forests and poverty reduction. In addition, NICFI works supports for four thematic areas, which reflect a continuation and development of REDD+. Although the funding program is only for Norwegian organizations, prospective grantees must have local partners in the host country of their work. To access this funding, NGOs can find collaborations with Norwegian partners working on projects that contribute to REDD+. A list of past recipients of the NICFI grant can be found here. For more information on NICFI, please click here.
International Organizations and Networks:
This grant scheme provides funding for civil society organizations and networks whose work complements other channels of Norwegian development cooperation. The primary purpose of the program is to help civil society actors to influence national, regional and international decision-makers in: environment and climate change; sex and reproduction health and rights; the economic participation of women. International NGOs are eligible to apply if the organization has members from more than two countries. For more details on the application process and eligibility requirements, please click here.
Nordic Climate Facility
The Nordic Development Fund, a collaboration of Nordic finance institutions, supports climate change projects through the Nordic Climate Facility (NCF). NCF’s main themes are adaptation and mitigation of climate change impacts for sustainable development and poverty reduction. The program stresses collaboration and exchange of technology and ideas between Nordic countries and developing countries for climate change. The grants – which are of Euro 250,000 to 500,000 – are issued each year through a call for proposal for innovative projects with a 24 month or less implementation period. Sub-themes will also be defined during the call for proposals.
However, this grant program administers funds only to Nordic institutions in collaborations with partners from developing countries. To access this source of funding, NGOs must find partnerships with Nordic institutions applying for the grant. For more information on NCF, please click here.
German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation (BMZ):
Small grants for civil society organizations in developing countries:
BMZ is a development cooperation agency that focuses on health, rural development, good governance and sustainable economic development. Renewable energy/energy efficiency, climate and development, and environment and natural resources are listed among its priority areas. BMZ also has a Progamme of Action on Climate Change and Development that supports adaptation to climate change and sustainable development. For NGOs in developing countries, BMZ provides small grants for mirco-projects and self-help initiatives on selected themes, which depend on the specific host country. To apply, NGOs should check the German Embassy Development Cooperation page of their local country. Below we provide an example of a small grants program for small local initiatives (including environmental protection projects) in Brazil:
(taken from: Brasil)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
SIDA’s primary mission is to reduce poverty worldwide. Sweden has a bottom-up approach to development that gives priority local needs and civil society in addressing the issue of poverty in developing countries. SIDA works in about thirty partner countries, a list of these supported areas can be found here. SIDA works with civil society organizations (CSOs) in Sweden and partner countries in three key areas: economic development, democracy and human rights, and conflict management. SIDA has highlighted climate change and sustainable development as important issues within their key themes. For 2013, SIDA’s budget is $6 billion with support for NGOs accounting for 10%.
SIDA offers grants to Swedish CSOs working in developing countries. Funding for Swedish CSOs are given through the 15 framework organizations, which are either umbrella organizations with partnerships in the developing world or single organizations that run their own development cooperation programs with local partners in developing countries. The largest of these framework organizations is Forum Syd, which has a membership of 163 Swedish CSOs.
NGOs can apply for SIDA funding by coming into partnerships with any of the 15 framework organizations. These framework organizations will have their own applications for local NGOs to apply for funding. A list of all 15 Swedish framework organizations can be found here.
Non-Swedish NGOs can often apply for funding by responding to SIAD request for proposals (RFP) (check the SIDA website for the latest RFPs) or b direct negotiation with SIDA headquarters or SIDA officers in local embassies.
