Mesoamerican Reef Fund (MAR Fund)

Enriched International · Found: 2026-03-10 21:35

MAR Fund manages Mesoamerican Reef Parametric Insurance Programme with Willis Towers Watson and AXA Climate, providing post-storm financial relief for 10,000 hectares of coral.

Source: https://marfund.org/en/

Funding Details

Funder

MAR Fund (Mesoamerican Reef Fund)

Funding Goal

Finance projects that conserve, restore, and promote sustainable use of marine and coastal ecosystems in the Mesoamerican Reef region, with a focus on protected area management, sustainable fisheries, coral reef conservation, and climate change adaptation

Funding Amount

Typical grants range from approximately US$10,000 to US$50,000; matching funds often expected from grantees (10.000 € – 50.000 €)

Deadline

Annual, typically mid-year (18th RFP deadline was September 9, 2025) (periodic)

How to Apply

Proposals submitted in response to periodic Requests for Proposals (RFPs). Contact the Small Grants Program Officer at eblanda@marfund.org for current call details. 18 rounds have been held since 2007.

Target Region

Mesoamerican Reef region: Mexico (Caribbean coast), Belize, Guatemala, Honduras

Contact

Elisa Blanda, Small Grants Program Officer, eblanda@marfund.org

Official Page

https://marfund.org/en/small-grants-program/

Last Checked

2026-03-15 13:19

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Project must be located in and directly benefit the Mesoamerican Reef region (Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras)
• Organisation must demonstrate operational presence in the MAR region

Project Scope

• Project must address threats to coastal/marine protected areas or support sustainable fisheries, reef conservation, or climate adaptation in the MAR

Required Documents

• Submit proposal in response to active Request for Proposals (RFP) — contact eblanda@marfund.org for current round status
• Full project proposal with objectives, methodology, budget, and expected results required

Constraints

• Matching funds from grantee organisation are typically expected
• Grant amounts typically range from US$10,000 to US$50,000 per project

Summary

The MAR Fund Small Grants Program is a long-running grant mechanism operated by the Mesoamerican Reef Fund (MAR Fund), a regional conservation institution established in 2004 to protect the second-largest coral reef system in the world. As of 2025, the programme has completed 18 rounds of funding since its inception in 2007. Thematic scope covers direct threats to coastal and marine protected areas in the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR), sustainable fisheries management, coral reef conservation and restoration, climate change adaptation including mangroves and reef resilience, clean water for reef health, and sustainable blue economy development. Priority areas also include biodiversity monitoring, marine enforcement capacity, invasive species management (e.g., lionfish), and fish replenishment zones. Eligible activities include field research, biodiversity assessments, management planning, capacity building, enforcement training, biological monitoring, community consultations, and policy advocacy related to coastal and marine conservation in the MAR region. Geographic scope is strictly the Mesoamerican Reef region, encompassing the Caribbean coastlines of Mexico (Quintana Roo), Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. Projects must demonstrate direct relevance to the MAR ecosystem. Eligible applicants include NGOs, government agencies (including fisheries departments), research institutions, tri-national alliances, and universities operating in the MAR region. Community organisations and conservation coalitions are also eligible. Matching funds from grantees are typical and often exceed the grant amount itself. Target beneficiaries include coastal communities, fishing communities, marine protected area managers, and the broader Mesoamerican Reef ecosystem and its biodiversity. Grant amounts in historical rounds have typically ranged from approximately US$10,000 to US$50,000. The 18th Request for Proposals had a submission deadline of September 9, 2025. The programme issues new calls periodically (approximately annually). Interested applicants should contact the Small Grants Program Officer directly for current call information.

Historical Context

The Small Grants Program has operated since 2007 and has completed 18 rounds of funding. Grant themes have included queen conch population assessments, marine protected area enforcement, fish refuge strengthening, shark and ray conservation, and environmental impact studies. Co-funding (matching funds) is typically expected and often exceeds the grant amount. The MAR Fund was established in 2004 by conservation funds from Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.

Why it was added

FI4: MAR Fund parametric reef insurance - Mesoamerican Reef Insurance Programme

Sources

• https://www.marfund.org/en/
• https://marfund.org/en/small-grants-program/

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