Project Types, Templates and Guidelines

GEF provides grants to various types of projects ranging from several thousand dollars to several million dollars. These are Full-Sized projects, Medium-Sized Projects, Programmatic Approaches and Enabling Activities, and are defined below.

Full-Sized (FSPs) and Medium-Sized Projects (MSPs)

FSPs - Over $1 million - Project concepts may be developed by governments, non-governmental organizations, communities, the private sector, or other civil society entities, and must respond to both national priorities and GEF focal area strategies and operational programs, and must satisfy eligibility requirements under the Conventions. Project proponents work closely with national GEF Operational Focal Points (who formally endorse project concepts) and the GEF Agency, to develop concepts and move through the project cycle. FSPs are subject to project review criteria and are approved by the GEF Council.

MSPs - Up to US $1 million - MSPs offer opportunities for a broad range of programming that is typically smaller in scale than full-sized projects and follow expedited procedures for their approval. Funding such projects increases GEF flexibility in allocating its resources and encourages a wide range of stakeholders to propose and develop project concepts. MSPs are limited to a maximum of $1 million in GEF funds. Their approval is delegated by the Council to the CEO, and it is subject to project review criteria, similar to FSPs. Prior to the CEO approval, MSPs are circulated to Council for their information.

FSPs and MSPs Templates and Guidelines

- FSP-MSP Review Template - June 09
- GEF Trust Fund PIF Template - Dec.08
- GEF Trust Fund PPG - Dec.08
- GEF Trust Fund CEO Endorsement/Approval Template - Dec.08

- Request for Extension on Project Milestone(s) - Apr. 08

- Operational Focal Point Endorsement Template - Sep. 07
- Operational Focal Point Endorsement Template-Regional - Sep. 07

Enabling Activities (EAs)

The GEF finances Enabling Activities related to the conventions on biodiversity, climate change, and persistent organic pollutants, to help countries prepare national inventories, strategies, action plans, and reports under these conventions (see Operational Guidance for Enabling Activities for operational guidance). They represent a basic building block of GEF assistance to countries. For additional guidance on the threshold limits guiding the processing of EAs, please refer to the note “Processing of Enabling Activities”. EAs that go beyond the threshold are considered non-expedited, and follow the procedures for processing full-sized projects.

EAs Templates and Guidelines

- GEF Trust Fund Enabling Activity PIF NCSA Template - May 2009
- GEF Trust Fund Enabling Activity NCSA Template - Dec.08
- GEF Trust Fund Enabling Activity Template - Dec.08

Programmatic Approach (PA)

Programmatic Approaches represent a partnership between country/ies, the GEF and other interested stakeholders, such as the private sector, donors and/or the scientific community. This approach secures larger-scale and sustainable impact on the global environment, than a single FSP or MSP, through integrating global environmental objectives into national or regional strategies and plans using partnerships.

A program usual contains several projects that are linked through common objective/s of the program aimed to foster increased horizontal and vertical integration of global environmental issues into the country/ies development agenda. The preparation of PAs is guided by the Council paper “From From Projects to Programs: Clarifying the Programmatic Approach in the GEF Portfolio". (See also the Joint Summary of Chairs for additional comments on the paper in the April 2008 Council Meeting).

PAs Templates and Guidelines

- GEF Trust Fund Program Framework Document Template - Dec.08
- Operational Focal Point Endorsement Letter Template - Program - Feb.08

Climate Change Adaptation Projects

Projects that fall under the area of Adaptation of the Climate Change focal area can apply for funds available under the GEF Trust Fund as well as under the following trust funds:

As of December 2008, financial resources for climate change projects are available only under the LDCF Fund. Additional resources for the other trust funds (the pilot for Adaptation under GEF TF (SPA) and SCCF) are expected in early 2009.

LDCF / SCCF templates for proposals

- LDCF Enabling Activity NAPA Template - Dec.08
- LDCF PPG Template - Dec.08
- LDCF CEO Endorsement Template Guidelines -Dec.08
- LDCF PIF Template Guidelines - Dec.08

- SCCF CEO Endorsement Template Guidelines - Dec.08
- SCCF PIF Template Guidelines - Dec.08
- SCCF PPG Template Guidelines- Dec.08

- LDCF-SCCF Operational Focal Point Endorsement Letter Template - Dec.07
- LDCF-SCCF Operational Focal Point Endorsement Letter Template-Regional Projects - Dec.07

Small Grants Programme (SGP)

Up to $ 50,000 - Funded by GEF as a corporate programme, SGP is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on behalf of the GEF partnership, and is executed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). The SGP supports non-governmental and community organizations, providing small grants for community-based projects in the GEF focal areas. At present, 101 countries participate in SGP having ratified the conventions on biological diversity and climate change. There are 84 country offices, two regional offices, and two sub-regional offices with day-to-day management by SGP National Coordinators. To know more about SGP and how potential grantees can apply for a grant, visit the SGP website.

resources

About GEF Projects:
- Who can apply?
- How to apply?

- The Project Cycle

- Project Database