The IUCN-NL (International Union of Conservation of Nature – National Committee of the Netherlands) is administrating the Small Grants for the Purchase of Nature (SPN) Programme with the support of the National Postal Code Lottery. The Programme will fund local NGOs in tropical countries. The aim of the programme is “to contribute to conservation of biodiversity by supporting (strategic) purchase of threatened natural areas. The acquired ownership – or management rights will be transferred to local nature conservation NGOs. Strategic purchase can mean securing a corridor between two protected areas in order to safeguard migration routes and the exchange of genetic material. It may also mean securing an area to form a buffer against encroaching agricultural or tourism developments.” NGOs from CEE/NIC countries such as Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Byelorussia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, FYR Macedonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kirgizia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Tadzhikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan have to submit their proposals through the EECONET Action Fund. NGOs in other tropical countries can submit proposals directly to the SPN Secretariat.
NGOs submitting proposals should have proven capacity and experience in the field. The proposed project should not have any negative impact upon the rights of the indigenous people inhabiting the area. The maximum amount to be supported under the programme is 85,000 Euros. Initially, applicants can submit only pre-proposals following which full proposals will be requested from selected ones.
Funding priority will be given to:
- Land purchase in or adjacent to areas with a high biodiversity value, like, AZE -sites, IBAs or Ramsar sites;
- Areas with ecosystems hosting species listed CR or EN on the IUCN Red List;
- Land purchase involving ecosystems under-represented in the public protected
- areas system;
- Areas with a strategic importance for the protection of the hinterland (buffer zones) or connect important areas (corridors).
The deadline to submit pre-proposals is 1 May 2010. For more information, visit this link.
