BESTLIFE2030: Grant Scheme for Biodiversity in the EU’s Outermost Regions and OCTs

With the aim of fostering practical capacity building and generating tangible impact in the field of biodiversity conservation across European Overseas, the IUCN EU Office, as coordinator, working alongside the following organizations to execute the BESTLIFE2030 project: the French Biodiversity Agency (OFB), the IUCN National Committee of The Netherlands, the IUCN French National Committee, Consulta Europa, Nordeco, the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA), and the Conference of Presidents of the Outermost Regions.

Objectives

• BESTLIFE2030 is designed to provide substantive and effective support at both local and regional levels in ORs and OCTs for the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of ecosystem services, including for climate adaptation. BESTLIFE2030 will also catalyse the efforts and will constitute a key contribution to the achievement of global objectives and goals in terms of biodiversity, sustainable development and climate change. As regional cooperation is key in the regions where ORs and OCTs are located, BESTLIFE2030 will seek coordination with other organisations to avoid duplication of efforts, and ensure synergy, when possible, with other existing grant mechanisms (e.g. BIOPAMA Action Component, TeMeUm, Kiwa Initiative, Varuna etc.) in order to foster interregional cooperation.

Funding Information

• The indicative total amount made available for this BESTLIFE2030 call for proposals is five million eight hundred and twenty-two thousand nine hundred and ninety-three euros (EUR 5,822,993).
• The BESTLIFE2030 Board (signatories of the grant agreement, except donor CINEA) reserves the right to increase or decrease the amount depending on the number of high-quality proposals. BESTLIFE2030 grants amount to a maximum of EUR 100,000 or 95% of the project budget if the requested amount is below said limit. Therefore, if the applicant’s contribution is 5% (although it can be higher), the total budget will be EUR 105,263.16.

Project Duration

• Project duration must range between 18 to 36 months (including any potential extensions) and must be aligned with the proposed activities and workplan.
• Start date: Projects must have a start date in August 2024 or later. Extensions will only be granted if well justified.

Activities

• Eligible activities must:
  • Be located in one or more ORs/OCTs;
  • Contribute to BESTLIFE2030 objectives with tangible activities on the ground;
  • Comply with IUCN’s environmental and social safeguard aspects;
  • Contribute to tangible and measurable impacts in terms of biodiversity conservation, sustainable development and/or sustainable use of natural resources and ecosystem services, including ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation or mitigation;
  • Encourage partnership-based approach with local stakeholders;
  • Guarantee open access to data, results and all information generated by the project;
• Not be fundamentally research projects. Proposals that include research activities must support tangible follow-up actions using the research during the time-life of the project, i.e. proposal of a practical management plan or new policy, or new protected area design, new natural resources management plan, in vivo pilot site activities implementing the results of the research with new management or conservation actions.

Eligibility Criteria

• In order to be eligible for BESTLIFE2030 grants, the lead applicant and co-applicants must be:
  • A private or public legal entity registered in ORs and/or OCTs. Regional and international organisations, individual consultants and sole traders are not eligible to receive a grant.
  • Directly responsible for the preparation and implementation of the grant project. Applications submitted by a body acting as an intermediary for a third party are not eligible.
  • Have a bank account in the name of the organisation; grants cannot be paid into an account in the name of an individual.
• Note: Financing of entities from third countries1 is only possible under exceptional and limited circumstances. Each case will be examined individually but the application must show beyond a doubt that the involvement of the third country entity is essential to the project to reach its expected impact in the EU ORs and/or associated OCTs. However, an entity from third countries can never be coordinating beneficiary.
• Organisations that are registered in an EU Member States can only apply as co-applicants, provided the project has the support of OR/OCT authorities (e.g. letter of support), and puts a strong focus on local collaboration with relevant local stakeholders and capacity building activities.
• Note: Individual consultants and sole traders can only be involved in a project as sub-contractors in support of local organisations.
• In line with BESTLIFE2030 objectives, target beneficiaries are primarily:
  • local non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
  • local civil society organisations (CSOs)
  • local community-based organisations (CBOs)
  • local non-profit organisations
  • small and medium enterprises as defined by the EC2
  • local research organisations (provided eligible activities are implemented)
  • local sub-governmental bodies i.e. municipalities, cities of a territory, communal services
• The lead applicant may act individually or with co-applicant(s). Co-applicants must sign the mandate form: Co-applicant Mandate. If awarded a grant, the lead applicant will become the beneficiary identified as the Coordinator in the grant contract. The coordinator represents and acts on behalf of any other co-beneficiary (if any) and coordinates the design and implementation of the action. The Coordinator will bear full responsibility for the technical and financial implementation of the project.

For more information, visit IUCN.