Beneficiary grants are an investment modality, focusing on improved agro-forestry production and value chains. As such, beneficiaries may be private individuals (e.g. farmers); not-for-profit entities (e.g. producer organizations) or for-profit entities (e.g. small-to-medium sized enterprises in the forestry and agricultural sector.

Successful applicants will be supported with grant value ranging between USD 5 000 to USD 100 000 (maximum limit) to be provided directly to the beneficiary organizations in two or three separate instalments depending on the size of the grant, the nature of activities, the history of collaboration with the organizations and the outcome of the technical and administrative visits carried out by the FFF Country Facilitator. The grant value calculation will be evaluated based on the one proposed in the budget table by the applicant and it will be agreed by the First Committee and the Second Committee.

FFF will disburse grants to successful applicants whose proposals include investments. FFF commits to support from 80 % up to 90% of the investments of the work plan.The minimum beneficiary contribution for the related beneficiary group is set out at 10%, if the amount of the investments included in the work plan/application is below USD 10 000 and at 20% if the amount of the investments is above USD 10 000. The FFPO commits to match in cash the minimum contribution to the investment of the work plan.

The Grants awards will be disbursed based on the following payments schedule:

1. first payment will be equal to 30% of the award, to be disbursed upon signature;
2. second payment will be equal to 50% of the award, to be disbursed upon clearance of the first narrative and financial reports;
3. third and final payment will be equal to 20 % of the award, to be disbursed upon clearance of the final narrative and financial reports.

In order to disburse the second payment, FAO will have to confirm that 80% of the previous instalment has been satisfactorily spent.

Objective of this call for applications is to award grants for organising forest and farm producers for development of farm forestry, and landscape based production systems based and end market driven (gender) inclusive business in (name of the pilot sites identified).

Expected group business initiatives could include, but not be limited to the following, under the 4 outcomes and outputs:

Outcome 1

More enabling policy and legal frameworks for FFPOs delivered through more FFPO-inclusive governance and cross-sectoral processes.

Output 1.1: The FFPOs have clear advocacy agendas that represent all their members’ interest.

Examples of potential activities:

• Establish or strengthen FFPOs organizational management capacity according to the members interest and needs.
• Empower women within FFPOs to improve gender equity.
• Facilitate the formulation of clear advocacy agendas targeting policy processes.

Output 1.2: Cross-sectoral, multi-stakeholder policy processes strengthened with better representation from forest and farm producers.

Examples of potential activities:

• Facilitate cross-sectoral, multi-stakeholder policy processes that deal with issues affecting forest and farm producers in countries and internationally.
• Facilitate openings for representation by forest and farm producers cross-sectoral, multi-stakeholder policy processes in countries and internationally.

Outcome 2 

Increased entrepreneurship, access to markets and finance through gender equitable value chains delivered through new capacity to provide business incubation within FFPOs.

Output 2.1: FFPOs have the capacity to deliver targeted business incubation services to their members.

Examples of potential activities:

• Organize and deliver training in market analysis and development and other business development packages.
• Support the development or strengthening of business incubation services within FFPOs.

Output 2.2: FFPOs (and their members) have improved access to business, marketing, and financial services.

Examples of potential activities:

• Facilitate FFPOs’ and their members’ access to financial and other business services.
• Support gender-based value chain analysis and development to increase scale of market share, processing enterprises and prioritize investments and broker access to finance with forest and farm business.

Outcome 3 

Improved delivery of landscape scale mitigation, adaptation, and climate resilience for climate change through direct engagement of FFPOs and integration with inclusive livelihood approaches

Output 3.1: FFPOs contribution in climate and landscape level programs has increased the outreach of these programs:

Examples of potential activities:

• Facilitate links between sustainable forest and farm producer organizations, climate mitigation and adaptation and landscape restoration programs.
• Build FFPO capacity and engagement in innovative funding mechanisms to access and channel resources to their members.
• Arrange trainings and exchange events to increase exposure of forest and farm producer to climate resilient landscape planning, sustainable production businesses and potential markets.

Output 3.2: FFPOs have mainstreamed climate change into their operations.

Examples of potential activities:

• Support to FFPOs to conduct climate change risk assessment, and other exercises to develop climate resilient plans and strategies.
• Capacity building of FFPOs in climate change adaptation /mitigation/resilient practices
• Support to FFPOs in climate resilient planning.

Outcome 4    

Improved and equitable access to social and cultural services

Output 4.1: FFPOs have systems in place to provide social and cultural services (targeting the most vulnerable members)

Examples of potential activities:

• Organize capacity development events, exchanges and peer to peer learning to increase understanding of the role of FFPOs in social and cultural services to strengthen ownership and cohesion.

Output 4.2: FFPOs link their social and cultural development agenda to national SDG process and other governmental development processes.

Examples of potential activities:

• Broker links with national SDG secretariat and facilitate the inclusion of FFPO members and their voices in the planning, implementation, and monitoring process.
• Develop country-specific communication products.

Project proposals to receive grants through the Direct Beneficiary Grants (DBGs). Applicants will be required to provide information and to present documentation to prove that they meet the eligibility criteria (see below). Accordingly, the organization must:

• be located in the country of the proposal.
• be a registered member-based forest and farm producer organization or in exceptional circumstances a non-profit-making organization registered as local community-based organization (CBOs) dealing with forest and farm products in the country of application.
• be producer organizations focusing on integrating either agricultural landscapes and forestry, farm forestry or Community Forestry User Groups in the country of application.
• clearly indicate the number of members benefitting from the inputs.
• clearly address and have an impact at the Forest and Farm Facility outcomes.
• have a bank account registered in the name of the organization.
• not be bankrupted or, be liquidated or have their affairs administered by the courts.
• be willing and able to contribute in cash with a minimum of 10 percent  to the investments in the budget.

If the applicant does not meet any of the above criteria, the application will be automatically rejected.

Eligible investments:

• Equipment for adding product value; Infrastructure building, i.e. silos-house, processing machineries, solar pumps, boreholes, beehives.
• Purchase of vehicles, including insurance, silos/garage

Ineligible investments:

Procurement of illegal material, harmful or exploitative forms of labour and violation of basic principles of non-discrimination, equal opportunities, occupational safety and health, and/or child labour prevention contrary to applicable national employment and labour laws and FAO’s Environmental and Social Standards (ESS).[i]

At the same time PC equipment, management of infrastructures, HR related costs and travels are also considered ineligible investments.  

Project Duration:

The proposed project duration should be within 12 months, starting from the assignment of the grant.

Applications shall be submitted through the country office of FAO. The deadline will be specified in each call for proposals. Any applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

Applicants are requested to submit electronic applications using the format provided. The time frame and application methodology will change depending on the country, for more information, please write to the country focal point.

Contact:

The Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) is available for any clarification, for example on the topic, procedure, drafting, and selection criteria,  please write to the country focal point.

[i] ESS 7 – Decent work. FAO,2015: Environmental and Social Management Guidelines