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The path to selection and the funding that follows

The Call for Proposals follows a two-stage approach. Applicants will submit a Concept Note, after which shortlisted candidates will be invited to submit a Full Proposal.

As part of the Concept Note stage, the Innovation Facility today offers the opportunity for project managers and entrepreneurs to submit details of their project as a first-step in the application process.

Following the review of Full Proposals, it is expected that up to six projects will be selected for the Innovation Facility grant funding.

Successful applicants will receive grants ranging from EUR 750,000 to EUR 1.5 million. Selected projects will also be required to contribute at least an additional 25% of the grant amount to the total project costs during the grant period.

The grant funding period will be a maximum of 24 months, ending by June 30, 2027, and is intended to support projects to achieve carbon standard registration and mobilise private sector investments and support, via the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM). Following the completion of the funding period, projects are expected to continue with the implementation of project activities without the support of the Innovation Facility.

Who can apply?

Applications will be accepted from a wide range of organisations involved in the design, development, and implementation of high-quality, scalable nature-based projects for carbon markets, such as Local or international non-governmental organisations (NGOs); Indigenous Peoples (IPs), and Local Community (LCs) organisations; private project developers; forestry and agricultural companies; cooperatives; and others with the relevant expertise.

All applicants must be willing and able to work closely with national stakeholders, Indigenous Peoples and their traditional authorities, and local communities. For any project, consent and all required authorisations from all levels of government is necessary.

Every applicant must demonstrate relevant competence, technical and financial capacities, and have a track record of managing comparable projects with robust environmental and social safeguards during implementation.

Which activities are eligible?

Activities in one or more of three areas are required.

1. Forest-based activities that focus on removals of CO2

Key activities included under this category are restoration and agroforestry.

• Restoration refers to the recovery of degraded or deforested land and ecosystems: the recovery of biodiversity and ecosystem functions.
• Agroforestry is the integration of trees into agricultural systems, combining crops and/or livestock with forestry to enhance both carbon sequestration and land productivity. Well-designed and implemented agroforestry systems promote biodiversity, soil health, and carbon capture.

Projects under this category should focus on generating carbon removals. REDD projects are excluded.

2. Inland wetland-based activities that focus on removals of CO2

Wetlands, particularly peatlands, store vast amounts of carbon in the form of partially decayed organic matter, and they play a crucial role in climate regulation. The protection and restoration of these ecosystems can avoid emissions and enhance carbon removals.

• Carbon removals from peatlands involve the restoration of degraded peatlands, allowing them to re-establish their natural water-logged state and resume the slow accumulation of organic matter, which sequesters carbon.

Projects under this category will focus predominantly on carbon removal. However, avoided emissions may also be considered as part of the overall project.

3. Coastal wetland activities that focus on removals of CO2

Oceans and coastal ecosystems buffer much human-induced climate change. The main coastal ecosystems that are eligible for active climate mitigation policies are mangroves, salt marshes, kelp, and seagrass beds.

refers to the carbon stored in these ecosystems, which all play a crucial role in both avoided emissions and carbon removals. They sequester CO2 from the atmosphere and store it in both biomass and the sediment beneath them.

Proposals must incorporate the core principles of  the Innovation Facility

The fundamental principles of the Innovation Facility must be a foundation of any proposal:

• Delivering nature positive impacts 
• Leveraging the voluntary carbon market 
• Advancing social inclusion, benefit sharing, and gender equality 
• Fostering innovation for impact 

Where can proposed projects be implemented?

On-ground implementation must be in countries eligible for (ODA) and not be subject to international sanctions.

Projects should aim to be located in or near one or more (KBAs), which represent areas of high ecological significance.

Timeline and Deadlines

The call opens today, 11 December 2024!

The deadline for Concept Note submission is Thursday, 13 February 2025 at 17:00 (5pm) Central European Time (CET).

Please remember that only complete applications, submitted through the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ Grants Portal with all the mandatory documents, will be considered for review.

Further information on the way forward

Through the links below, applicants and others will find all essential information to guide applicants through the process of preparing a Concept Note, such as detail on all steps to follow  to complete and submit your application. A full explanation of how the  Innovation Facility proposal reviews will evaluate projects’ eligibility for funding and outline is naturally included.

Full information on the call for concepts, including Guidelines and Template is found in the

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