The Adaptation Fund has launched a new USD 10 million pilot small grants programme (Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator, AFCIA) to foster innovation in adaptation in developing countries at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP25) in Madrid. The AFCIA targets a broad range of potential finance recipients, including governments, non-governmental organisations, community groups, young innovators and other groups.

The AFCIA will provide small grants to developing countries to support innovation for effective, long-term adaptation to climate change and is part of the Adaptation Fund’s Innovation Facility (please click here for more information).

The AFCIA will focus on producing two of the expected results of the ‘Strategic Focus 2 (Innovation)’ in the Adaptation Fund Medium-Term Strategy 2018-2022 (please click here for more information), which are:

  • New innovations encouraged and accelerated – Development of innovative adaptation practices, tools and technologies encouraged and accelerated; and
  • Evidence base generated – Evidence of effective, efficient adaptation practices, products and technologies generated as a basis for implementing entities and other funds to assess scaling up.

Please note that UNEP-CTCN and UNDP provide different services to support innovation in adaptation to developing countries in the AFCIA.

  • (UNEP-CTCN) Technical assistance will be provided to developing countries on a competitive basis. A selected application will be further developed to design a customised solution tailored to the need of developing country, and the solution will be implemented in the country by a technology provider selected by the CTCN. Please note that the application should be endorsed by the national focal points to the Adaptation Fund (Designated Authority) and the CTCN (National Designated Entity, NDE) prior to official submission via the programme webpage.
  • (UNDP) Grant funding is provided to applicants on a competitive basis. Selected grantees will operate and manage their projects by themselves with support from UNDP. Grant funding is open to Not-for-profit, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) including Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Business Member Associations (BMOs), and other Associations, Cooperatives, or Community Based Organisations registered in a developing country.

Requirements

The AFCIA will provide developing countries with special opportunities for innovation in adaptation. Please note that UNEP-CTCN and UNDP have different eligibility for supporting developing countries in the AFCIA.

  • (UNEP-CTCN) The eligible countries in the programme include developing countries in Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America and Caribbean under the UNFCCC that do not have National Implementing Entities (NIEs) accredited with the Adaptation Fund (114 countries in total as of 26 June 2020). 
  • (UNDP) The programme is open to Not-for-profit, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) including Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Business Member Associations (BMOs), and other Associations, Cooperatives, or Community Based Organisations registered in a developing country.

Application Deadline: 1st of January 2021.

For More Information:

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