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The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund is requesting grant applications to support conservation projects aimed at protecting threatened tree species across Madagascar and the islands of the Indian Ocean.

The focus areas of the call include biodiversity conservation, protection of threatened tree species, conservation across diverse habitats in Madagascar, civil society engagement in biodiversity protection, capacity building for participating organizations, collaboration and exchange among CEPF grantees, and strengthening conservation efforts within the Madagascar and Indian Ocean Biodiversity Hotspot.

The initiative is part of the CEPF programme for the Madagascar and Indian Ocean Biodiversity Hotspot. Previous collaboration under this effort supported nine projects dedicated to threatened tree species across different habitats on the island. The continuation of these conservation actions has been made possible through the Franklinia Foundation joining CEPF as a global donor in 2026.

Participating organizations selected under the programme will benefit from capacity-building opportunities and exchanges with other CEPF grantees in the region. The programme also aims to ensure that lessons and experience gained from these projects contribute to broader biodiversity conservation efforts within the hotspot.

The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund is a joint initiative involving multiple international partners, including the Agence Française de Développement, Conservation International, the European Union, the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, the Franklinia Foundation, the Hempel Foundation, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan, and the World Bank. One of the core objectives of the fund is to strengthen the role of civil society in biodiversity conservation.

The minimum grant amount available under this call is $50,000, while the maximum grant amount is $200,000. The total budget allocated for this funding opportunity is approximately $1,000,000.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include non-governmental organizations, community groups and associations, universities, research institutes, private companies, and other civil society organizations. Individual applicants may only apply in partnership with civil society organizations, as individual grants will not be considered. Applicant organizations must have their own bank accounts and be legally authorized to receive grants.

Public institutions and companies are eligible only if they can demonstrate an independent legal personality from government bodies, the authority to receive private funds, and the inability to claim sovereign immunity.

Grant funds cannot be used for the purchase of land, forced displacement of people, activities negatively affecting Indigenous Peoples or local communities, or the removal, destruction, or alteration of physical cultural property with archaeological, historical, religious, paleontological, or natural value.

Post Date: May 11, 2026