GEF SGP CSO Challenge Programme — Grants up to USD 300,000 for Civil Society
Enriched multilateral · Found: 2026-03-14 22:04
A pilot programme of the GEF Small Grants Program, implemented by IUCN and RTI International, offering grants up to USD 300,000 to CSOs with proven environmental solutions ready for scaling. Focus includes chemicals and waste management.
Funding Details
- Funder
- Global Environment Facility (GEF) / IUCN / RTI International
- Funding Goal
- Support civil society organizations with proven environmental solutions to scale their impact through grants of up to USD 300,000
- Funding Amount
- Up to USD 300,000 per CSO; total programme USD 10 million (up to 300.000 €)
- Deadline
- 2026 - call expected announced January 2026; check IUCN/GEF SGP portal for current status (periodic)
- How to Apply
- Open call through GEF SGP portal; implemented by IUCN and RTI International. Monitor sgp.undp.org and iucn.org for call announcements.
- Target Region
- Global (all GEF-eligible countries)
- Contact
- GEF SGP Secretariat via sgp.undp.org; IUCN at iucn.org
- Last Checked
- 2026-03-14 22:04
Application Checklist
Eligibility
Project Scope
Constraints
Summary
The GEF SGP CSO Challenge Programme is a pilot initiative of the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Program (GEF SGP), funded with USD 10 million in GEF-8 resources and jointly implemented by IUCN and RTI International. The programme identifies, rewards and supports high-impact innovative environmental approaches led by civil society organizations, offering grants of up to USD 300,000 per initiative — significantly higher than the standard GEF SGP maximum of USD 75,000. The programme targets CSOs that have demonstrated effectiveness at local or regional scale and are ready to grow, replicate or scale their solutions. Eligible thematic areas include sustainable agriculture, community-based management of threatened ecosystems and species, sustainable cities, low-carbon energy access, and chemicals and waste management. Chemicals and waste management explicitly covers plastic waste, persistent organic pollutants, mercury, and related topics. The programme is open to CSOs across all GEF-eligible countries, with particular emphasis on organizations led by or primarily serving youth, women, and Indigenous Peoples. Unlike regular GEF SGP which requires national registration in the target country, the CSO Challenge Programme may have more flexible geographic eligibility for organizations operating across multiple GEF-eligible countries. Calls for proposals were expected to be announced in January 2026. As of March 2026, it is unclear whether the call has been formally launched; interested organizations should monitor the GEF SGP portal (sgp.undp.org) and IUCN website for official call announcements. The programme is structured as a competitive challenge, meaning only a limited number of high-impact organizations with strong track records will be selected.
Historical Context
This is a new pilot programme approved in December 2025 under GEF-8. It builds on the GEF SGP platform which has operated since 1992. The CSO Challenge Programme represents a significant increase in per-grant amounts compared to standard SGP grants.
Why it was added
grant-scan-list4-2026-03-14
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