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Supported by USD 10 million in GEF funding, the CSO Challenge Program is part of the (GEF SGP) and will establish a competitive, global, inclusive call for proposals open to CSOs working across five strategic areas: (i) Community-based management of threatened ecosystems and species; (ii) Sustainable agriculture and fisheries, and food security; (iii) Low-carbon energy access and co-benefits; (iv) Local to global coalitions for chemicals and waste management; and (v) Sustainable urban solutions.

Winning CSOs will be supported with up to USD 300,000 in direct funding as well as support including mentorship and training on business development, innovation and risk management, leadership, and communication. Additional support from ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� will include assessing, strengthening, and monitoring work to conserve and protect threatened ecosystems and biodiversity in a variety of settings including protected areas, agricultural landscapes, and urban environments, and support for knowledge-sharing and learning.

The program will provide extensive opportunities for partnership and peer-to-peer learning including through development of joint knowledge products, shared communities of practice, and awareness-raising events. The call for proposals is expected to be launched in the Spring of 2025 and the anticipated results include 12,000 ha of land and ecosystems under restoration, 159,000 ha of landscapes under improved practices, and 25,000 direct beneficiaries, of whom half are women.

“I’m delighted that ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� has been entrusted with the implementation of the Small Grants Programme Civil Society Organisations Challenge Program that builds upon ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ��’s longstanding leadership and support for CSO-led conservation throughout the world," said ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� Director General Dr Grethel Aguilar. "To tackle the most pressing global environmental challenges, we need the voices, ideas, and solutions from all members of society, including from youth, women, and Indigenous People and local communities. This program is an exciting and vital opportunity for the GEF partnership to support promising CSO-led solutions with the potential to positively impact a wide range of GEF programming and investments.”

“I am sure we will deliver new ways of scaling up environmental solutions driven by youth, women, and Indigenous Peoples and local communities around the world with the launch of the SGP CSO Challenge Program”, Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, CEO and Chairperson of the GEF said. “As we set out to expand the scale and scope of the GEF SGP, I am very pleased to have ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� as part of this program since it has, for many years, been at the forefront of bringing governments and civil society together to conserve nature.”

CSOs live and operate on the front lines of the climate, land degradation, and other environmental crises. Their ideas, innovations, and work addressing these challenges are an essential but often under-funded, under-recognised part of efforts to meet global environmental goals.

About ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ��

Created in 1948, ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� is the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of over 1,400 Member organisations and 17,000 experts. ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� has been at the forefront of global efforts to recognise, empower, and support CSO-led conservation, with a global portfolio of projects and initiatives supporting community-based approaches. ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� partnership with CSOs is enabled and strengthened by its membership union that includes over 1,000 national non-governmental and community-based organisations, as well as 27 Indigenous People’s organisations from throughout the world. This diversity and expertise makes ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.

About the GEF Small Grants Program (GEF SGP)

The GEF Small Grants Program (GEF SGP) provides financial and technical support to civil society and community-based organisations to address global environmental challenges. It empowers local communities, Indigenous Peoples, women, and youth by funding projects in biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, land degradation, sustainable forest management, and international waters. GEF SGP is active in 137 countries and has provided almost $1.5 billion in funding over the past three decades, supporting more than 29,000 community-led initiatives. It is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Conservation International, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

About the Global Environment Facility

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is a multilateral family of funds dedicated to confronting biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution, and supporting land and ocean health. Its financing enables developing countries to address complex challenges and work towards international environmental goals. The partnership includes 186 member governments as well as civil society, Indigenous Peoples, women, and youth, with a focus on integration and inclusivity. Over the past three decades, the GEF has provided more than $25 billion in financing and mobilized $145 billion for country-driven priority projects. The family of funds includes the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund, ��(�ҵ����),����(���ٰ��),����(������),�� (NPIF), and ��(�������).