GEF Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF)

Enriched UN / Multilateral · Found: 2026-03-11 11:10

Provides resources for biodiversity conservation including projects addressing plastic pollution impact on ecosystems. USD 161.8 million available in second programming tranche. Open to developing countries and economies in transition.

Source: https://thegef.org/who-we-are/funding

Funding Details

Funder

Global Environment Facility (GEF) – Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF)

Funding Goal

Support implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework by helping developing countries strengthen national-level biodiversity management, policy, governance, and resource mobilization, including leveraging private sector financing through blended finance mechanisms.

Funding Amount

USD 161.8 million available in the second programming tranche (total tranche pool, not per-project grant size) (up to 161.800.000 €)

How to Apply

Applicants do not apply directly to the GEF Secretariat. Instead, project proponents partner with one of the 18 accredited GEF Agencies, which then submit proposals on their behalf. Countries access funds through their GEF Focal Points. Applications go through GEF Council-approved work programs. See the GEF Portal (gefportal.worldbank.org) for project submission templates and guidelines.

Target Region

Global – developing countries and economies in transition

Contact

GEF Contact page: https://thegef.org/contact-us | GEF Portal: https://gefportal.worldbank.org/

Last Checked

2026-03-11 16:03

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Project must be implemented in a developing country or economy in transition eligible under GBFF criteria
• Applicant organization must partner with an accredited GEF Agency (e.g., UNDP, UNEP, WWF, FAO) to submit a proposal

Project Scope

• Project must directly support implementation of one or more Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets
• If targeting Indigenous Peoples and local communities, project qualifies for the dedicated 20% IPLC funding stream

Required Documents

• National GEF Focal Point endorsement typically required for country-level proposals
• Proposals must be submitted via the GEF Portal using approved project templates

Constraints

• Private sector co-financing or blended finance components are encouraged and may strengthen proposals
• Funds flow through GEF Trustee (World Bank) to GEF Agencies — direct disbursement to NGOs requires Agency partnership

Summary

The Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) was established by the GEF at the request of parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity's COP15, launched at the Seventh GEF Assembly in 2023. Its primary purpose is to support implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) in developing countries and economies in transition. The fund channels resources toward national-level biodiversity management, governance reform, policy development, and resource mobilization, and explicitly uses blended finance to leverage private sector investment for biodiversity outcomes. The GBFF is notable for its streamlined procedures and its commitment to directing at least 20% of its funding toward biodiversity actions led by Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs). The second programming tranche has USD 161.8 million available. Contributions can be received from public, private, and philanthropic sources, making it a hybrid multilateral fund. Projects are executed through GEF Agencies — a network of 18 international organizations — which transfer funds to government agencies, civil society organizations, private sector companies, and research institutions in recipient countries. Eligibility is restricted to developing countries and economies in transition, meaning projects must be located in and primarily benefit these country contexts. Applicants typically work through accredited GEF Agencies (such as UNDP, UNEP, WWF, or similar) rather than applying directly to the GEF Secretariat. This intermediary structure is a key process consideration for prospective implementers. The GBFF sits alongside other GEF trust funds (LDCF, SCCF, CBIT, NPIF) as a specialized vehicle for the post-2020 biodiversity agenda. It supports a wide range of biodiversity topics, and while it primarily targets terrestrial and freshwater systems at the national policy level, marine and coastal biodiversity projects also fall within scope where they align with KM-GBF targets.

Historical Context

The GBFF was launched at the Seventh GEF Assembly in 2023, established at the request of CBD COP15 parties. It is the primary vehicle for financing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (adopted December 2022). The second programming tranche of USD 161.8 million represents an early stage of the fund's capitalization. GEF itself has been replenished in multi-year cycles (GEF-7, GEF-8, GEF-9) since 1994.

Why it was added

UNEP/UN plastic pollution/CE program

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