Blue Action Fund Grant Programme

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Enriched International · Found: 2026-03-10 21:45

Grants for NGOs to establish and enhance Marine Protected Areas focus on Africa

Source: https://www.blueactionfund.org/grant-programme/

Funding Details

Funder: Blue Action Fund
Funding Goal: Support conservation of the ocean and improvement of livelihoods of coastal communities in developing countries, through establishing, enlarging, or better managing marine protected areas (MPAs) and networks of MPAs, as well as Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs), and promoting sustainable livelihoods in coastal fishing communities.
Funding Amount: Calls typically offer €12–30 million per geographic call envelope; individual grants vary
Deadline: Periodic, per Call for Proposals (currently no open or upcoming calls) (periodic)
How to Apply: Applications only accepted in response to published Calls for Proposals. Applicants must consult the Grant Procedures Manual and Programme documents. No open calls currently.
Target Region: Developing countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia/Pacific (past calls: Western Indian Ocean, East Asian Seas, Eastern Tropical Pacific, Caribbean, Atlantic Africa)
Official Page: https://blueactionfund.org/grant-programme/
Last Checked: 2026-03-15 13:11

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Applicant must be a national or international NGO
Partnerships with local actors required for project implementation

Project Scope

Project must be implemented in a developing country in Africa, Latin America, or Asia/Pacific
Project must focus on MPA establishment/management or coastal community livelihoods
Projects must deliver measurable outcomes against prescribed indicators

Required Documents

Must consult Grant Procedures Manual before applying

Constraints

Applications can only be submitted in response to an open Call for Proposals

Summary

Blue Action Fund is a German government-backed foundation dedicated to marine conservation in developing countries. Its core objective is to reduce marine biodiversity loss and improve incomes of coastal fishing communities, primarily through support for marine protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures. Thematic priorities include MPA establishment, enlargement, and more effective management; sustainable livelihoods for coastal communities; ecosystem-based adaptation; and linkages between conservation outcomes and community wellbeing. Projects must demonstrate measurable results in either MPA management effectiveness or enhanced livelihood conditions. Eligible activities include MPA creation and strengthening, fisheries governance, ecosystem-based adaptation, coastal community income development, and conservation science support. All projects must be implemented by NGOs in partnership with local actors. Eligible activities must fall within a defined geographic focus specified per Call for Proposals. Geographic scope has varied per call round: Western Indian Ocean (Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Seychelles), East Asian Seas, Eastern Tropical Pacific (Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Galapagos, Peru), Wider Caribbean, Atlantic coast of Africa, and Asia-Pacific. The programme operates exclusively in developing countries. Eligible applicants are national and international NGOs with sufficient organizational capacity to implement multi-year grants. Partnerships with local actors are expected. Only organizations responding to an open Call for Proposals can apply — unsolicited proposals are not accepted. Target beneficiaries include coastal fishing communities and marine ecosystems in developing regions. The programme also tracks beneficiary numbers and improvements in community livelihoods. Grant amounts per call envelope have ranged from €10–30 million. Co-funding/match funding is encouraged. As of January 2026, the fund has disbursed €144.7M in grants with €51.6M in match funding. There are currently no open or upcoming calls for proposals.

Historical Context

Established with German BMZ funding. As of January 2026: €144.7M Blue Action Fund funding, €51.6M match funding, total portfolio €196.3M. Past calls since 2016 covering SIDS, Western Indian Ocean, East Asian Seas, Eastern Tropical Pacific, Atlantic Africa, Caribbean, Asia-Pacific (all closed). Most recent call: Eastern Tropical Pacific 2024 (closed August 2024).

Why it was added

Round 10 Global South search - GEO6

Sources

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