General Track: Strategic Scaling and Global Influence
The Global EbA Fund invites proposals that demonstrate collaborative and innovative approaches to advancing EbA by addressing systemic barriers to scalability and contributing to global learning and policy dialogue. Initiatives that strengthen enabling environments and embed EbA into national frameworks to unify strategic climate, biodiversity, land and development priorities are welcome. Alignment with one of these topics is welcomed but not required.
I: Innovative Finance Solutions for EbA
This priority topic supports innovative partnerships with private sector actors –engaging also financiers, adaptors, innovators, and local champions– to unlock private capital and blended finance for EbA. Recognising substantial financing gaps for adaptation, this theme builds on the premise that EbA practices must evolve beyond subsistence into profitable, scalable business models that incentivise conservation through commercial viability.
II: EbA for Human Development and Security
This priority topic addresses the critical intersection of climate, resilience, and security, driving the integration of EbA into national and international security frameworks to secure sustainable development outcomes in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Projects should proactively identify and address specific policy, regulatory, financial, or awareness barriers preventing EbA investment in high-risk zones. While acknowledging that EbA is a targeted approach for climate resilience, applicants are challenged to deploy preventive, community co-designed interventions that directly protect vulnerable populations and support broader humanitarian and development strategies. Proposals must demonstrate a clear, measurable pathway showing how overcoming localised investment barriers will systematically mitigate natural resource-related tensions and reduce climate-induced fragility. The strongest proposals will translate this complex risk landscape into practical entry points for action, showing how targeted EbA investments can reduce exposure, strengthen social cohesion around shared natural resources, and create credible bridges between adaptation, humanitarian, development and peacebuilding agendas.
III: Interlinkages for people-nature-climate-land synergies: From Policy Alignment to Investable Action
The Global EbA Fund invites proposals led by organisations actively collaborating with national governments to strengthen operational interlinkages across the Rio Conventions (UNFCCC, CBD, UNCCD) and other global environmental agreements such as the Sendai Framework on DRR. This topic seeks to deploy non-governmental leadership to scale approaches where EbA serves as the central anchor bridging biodiversity conservation, sustainable land management, climate change adaptation, and disaster risk reduction. The emphasis is on operational coherence: connecting existing commitments, tools, actors and financing opportunities so that countries and communities can reduce duplication, lower transaction costs, and use the same interventions, evidence base and investments to deliver multiple convention-relevant outcomes.
Eligibility Checklist
Only the following types of organisations are eligible for review:
- Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
- International non-governmental organisations (INGOs)
- Intergovernmental organisations (IGOs)
- Community-based organisations (CBOs)
- Indigenous People’s Organisations
- Universities and other academic institutions
- Research institutes and think tanks
- Private sector companies
- Consortia of organisations that promote collaboration and greater impact around EbA. Government entities can be a part of the consortia as long as they do not receive funding from the Global EbA Fund. However, applications submitted on behalf of a consortium should clearly define the lead agency, the “Applicant Organisation”, as detailed in the application template. This organisation, if successful, would be the responsible contract party.
The Fund will consider private sector applicants under certain conditions. No funding can be provided for sector-specific obligations nor compensatory or replacement measures, for-profit activities, etc. Overall, common public interest will be a top priority.
Only project concepts that meet the following criteria will be considered for review:
- Must qualify as “Ecosystem-based Adaptation” (Please ensure your project ultimately aligns with EbA Qualification Criteria & Quality Standards).
- Must have catalytic and innovative potential to create enabling environments for EbA.
- Clearly identifies the climate impacts it is aiming to address and clearly describes how they will be addressed.
- Falls under a maximum of 1 Strategic Objective and a maximum of 2 Action Pillars of the Global EbA Fund.
- Project is Global, Thematic, or otherwise targets only ODA-eligible countries.
- Proposed budget of up to USD $500,000 for Medium-size Grants.
- Project duration of 24 months or less.
- Project must be built / based off existing work.
- Clearly demonstrates how results will be maintained and developed after the funding period.
- Must partner with local institutions and organisations.
- Lead applicant and partner organisations are well-grounded in the proposed area(s) of work, have previous similar experience, and are inclusive of local communities, Indigenous Knowledge, and gender perspectives.
- Lead applicant and partner organisations must be legally recognised entities.
- Lead applicant must comply with the Due Diligence requirements of the Global EbA Fund.
Before developing your proposal, we strongly advise applicants to go through the Grants Procedure Manual.