2010 IPEN General Assembly and Global Toxic-Free Future Forum

1. 2010 IPEN General Assembly and Global Toxic-Free Future Forum Support to Community Initiatives in the Area of Environment UNDP GEF SGP October 18th – 22nd, 2010 Almaty, Kazakhstan

2. Global Environment Facility (GEF) It is a financial mechanism structured as a trust fund that operates in collaboration and partnership with implementing agencies: UNDP, UNEP and The World Bank

3. GEF • Rationale for support of all GEF projects: • some global environmental benefit are at stake, and the project seeks to address the threat(s) or need(s) to ensure that the global environmental benefit is conserved, or sustainably used and managed. • Every 4 years donor nations pledge billion of dollars to fund the work of the GEF • GEF brings together 179 member governments. (BD, CC, Stockholm and other conventions) • General Assembly, Council and Secretariat. • OFP and PFP • FSP, MSPs Projects and SGP

4. GEF • The Global Environment Facility (GEF) forges international cooperation and finances actions to address five critical threats to the global environment: • biodiversity loss, • climate change, • degradation of international waters, • land degradation (sustainable land management), and • persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

5. Small Grants Programme (SGP) Implemented UNOPS (executed)

6. SGP Structure SGP operational structure showing simplified reporting lines and links of the decentralized framework:

7. CONTEXT • SGP established/launched in 1992 • Administered by UNDP on behalf of the Implementing Agencies of the GEF (World Bank, UNDP and UNEP) and executed by UNOPS. • 122 developing countries, 12,000 projects • SGP is not considered as core program of UNDP, it is Corporate Program of GEF • Dedicated exclusively to support community-based initiatives and those of national NGOs in developing countries

8. MANDATE • SGP funds community-based initiatives aimed to deliver globalenvironmental benefits in the GEF focal areas: • Conservation of biological diversity • Abatement of Climate change • Protection of international waters • Sustainable land management including land degradation • Elimination of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) • SGP projects address global environmental challenges at the same time aim to improve the quality of life of the communities. • Build the capacity of organizations as a necessary element for sustainable use of their natural resources

9. CHARACTERISTICS • Flexible and decentralized • Responds to priorities and needs at the national and community levels • Community and country driven • Involvement of a wide range of national and local stakeholders • Based on participation and consensus of all stakeholders • Direct funding to the communities and local groups • Resource moblization from other sources • A small Central Programme Management Team (CPMT), base in New York, is staffed by nine people.

10. Global Conventions CBD - United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity CCD - United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification UNFCCC - United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change POPs - Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants Ramsar - The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands WHS - The World Heritage Convention CITES - Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

11. HOW DOES SGP OPERATE? Management Arrangement/instrument: • The NC supported by PA (supports identification projects, responsible for the execution of the programme, serves as secretary for NSC, M&E, oversees the fulfillment of policies and objectives, etc) • The NSC (voluntary, majority NGOs, gives major substantive support, ensures systematic and transparent project selection, M& E of the programme, appraisal) • Country Program Strategy (CPS) (prepared by the NSC and approved by stakeholders, thematic and geographic focus related, combines both national and global concerns, etc.). • UNDP/GEF Unit at UNDP HQ in N.Y • SGP Central Program Management Team (CPMT) • The UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) • The UNDP Country office • M & E Framework

12. Grants and Grant Application • Grants are made directlyCBOs and NGOs • The maximum grant amount/project is US$50,000, averages around US$20,000. • At global level SGP must match dollar for dollar the GEF funds in, in-kind and in-cash co-financing. • Steps: Guidelines, CN, Pre-screening, PP, submit to NC then to NSC, Review of proposal (accepts, rejects or returns for further work, approved projects enter SGP work program (3-4 installments)

13. Grantees eligibility Criteria • Any local CBO/ NGO is eligible for the SGP provided that: • It is legally registered local/national organization (CBOs/NGOs). • Submitted proposal covers the agreed two or more of the thematic areas (in addition to livelihood and empowerment) • Addresses poverty issue at local level and environmental linkages at global. • Demonstrate that it has experience in implementing projects and has an acceptable accounting system. • It presents written proof of acceptance of its intervention from the concerned local administration.

14. Project eligibility Criteria A project should include all of the following criteria to be eligible for the SGP: • The project proposal must meet a priority need of the majority of the community applying for the fund. • The project must be community initiated, planned and managed. • The project should be replicable. • The project proposal must have the potential to demonstrate verifiable improvements in the local environmental goods and services.

15. EXPECTED RESULTS • Direct benefits to the communities involved • Awareness and understanding of global, local and national environmental problems and benefits. • Strengthening of local initiatives and community participation. • Capacity building and ownership of community • Documentation and dissemination of experiences • Replication, up-scaling and mainstreaming • Impact both at local and global

16. Thank You