GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP)

Enriched multilateral · Found: 2026-04-20 21:59

Provides grants up to USD 50,000 to civil society and community-based organisations in developing countries. Focal areas include biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, chemicals and waste. Implemented by UNDP in 130+ countries.

Source: https://www.thegef.org/what-we-do/topics/gef-small-grants-programme

Funding Details

Funder

Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Funding Goal

Provide financial and technical support to local civil society organizations (CSOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) to develop and implement innovative local actions that address global environmental issues including biodiversity, climate change, land degradation, international waters (including marine/coastal), chemicals and plastic pollution, while improving livelihoods and reducing poverty.

Funding Amount

Standard grants up to $75,000; strategic projects up to $150,000. GEF-8 allocated $155 million to the corporate program, with $135 million in core resources for 144 eligible countries. (up to 150.000 €)

Deadline

Rolling basis (Rolling)

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through decentralized country-level offices managed by UNDP, FAO, or Conservation International in each eligible country. The SGP national coordinator in each country manages the call for proposals and grant selection. Visit the country page on sgp.undp.org to find local contact and current open calls. A CSO Challenge Program and Microfinance Initiative were also launched under GEF-8 with $10 million each.

Target Region

Global — 144 GEF-eligible countries across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Eastern Europe and CIS, and Arab States. Donor countries (including Denmark) are not typically eligible recipient countries.

Contact

sgp.undp.org — National SGP offices in each country. GEF Secretariat: Washington D.C.

Last Checked

2026-04-20 22:28

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Applicant must be a locally-based CSO or CBO in a GEF-eligible country (not Danish-registered applying from Denmark)
• Danish NGOs must apply through partner country SGP offices in project countries (Indonesia, Tanzania, Vietnam, Kenya, etc.)

Project Scope

• Project must deliver measurable Global Environmental Benefits (GEBs) in GEF focal areas
• Projects must improve local livelihoods alongside environmental outcomes

Required Documents

• Application goes through the national UNDP/FAO/Conservation International SGP office in the project country
• Contact national SGP coordinator for current open calls and country-specific requirements

Constraints

• Standard grants capped at $75,000; strategic/scale-up projects capped at $150,000

Summary

The GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) is one of the longest-running small grant mechanisms for civil society action on global environmental issues, operating since 1992 under the Global Environment Facility. In its current GEF-8 cycle, $155 million has been allocated, with $135 million in core resources distributed across 144 eligible countries and complemented by STAR (System for Transparent Allocation of Resources) funding. The programme's thematic priorities span all GEF focal areas: biodiversity, climate change mitigation and adaptation, land degradation, sustainable forest management, international waters (including marine and coastal ecosystems), chemicals and waste (including plastics), and sustainable food systems. Projects addressing marine plastic litter, coastal ecosystem restoration, ocean-bound plastic collection, or sustainable fisheries practices all fall within eligible thematic scope. SGP provides grants directly to local civil society organizations (CSOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs). Standard grants are up to $75,000, while larger strategic projects enabling scale-up and replication can receive up to $150,000. The programme particularly prioritizes Indigenous Peoples, women, and youth. Projects must generate verifiable Global Environmental Benefits (GEBs) while also improving local livelihoods. Geographic eligibility is defined by GEF country eligibility lists (144 countries, primarily in the Global South). Donor countries such as Denmark are not typically eligible recipient countries, though Danish NGOs operating through partnerships in eligible countries (e.g., Indonesia, Tanzania, Vietnam, Kenya, Ghana) could apply through the national SGP offices in those partner countries. Application processes are decentralized to country-level teams managed by UNDP, FAO, or Conservation International. SGP 2.0 introduced under GEF-8 added two new implementing agencies (FAO, Conservation International) alongside UNDP, and launched a CSO Challenge Program ($10M) and a Microfinance Initiative ($10M) in the second half of 2024, creating additional entry points for civil society beyond standard project grants. These represent potentially accessible mechanisms for organizations with on-the-ground project implementation in GEF-eligible countries.

Historical Context

GEF SGP has been running since 1992. Currently in its 8th replenishment cycle (GEF-8), with $155 million allocated. SGP 2.0 was introduced to expand implementing agencies beyond UNDP to include FAO and Conservation International. Two new CSO Initiatives launched in second semester 2024: a CSO Challenge Program ($10M) and a Microfinance Initiative ($10M).

Why it was added

discovered from funder #441: GEF – Global Environment Facility

Sources

• https://www.thegef.org/what-we-do/topics/gef-small-grants-programme
• https://sgp.undp.org/

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