The Benefit-sharing Fund comes under the direct control of the International Treaty’s Governing Body, which regularly reviews its decision-making processes, operational modalities, reporting, monitoring and learning.

Since 2009, allocation of resources under the Benefit-sharing Fund has operated through a competitive mechanism, with the proposals handled by independent experts. To date, five Calls for Proposals have been launched and a total of 81 projects selected to receive funding.¹

The Operations Manual for the Benefit-sharing Fund (BSF Manual) as adopted in 2019, expands the options for the use of resources and delegates authority for the management of BSF operations to the Standing Committee on the Funding Strategy and Resource Mobilization (the Funding Committee), which may decide to:

1. establish and launch a new round of the project cycle;
2. provide funding to projects that previously received a Certificate of Excellence from the Panel of Experts or to a second phase of projects previously funded by the Benefit-sharing Fund;
3. contribute to larger development programmes to support the implementation of interventions that are aligned with the programmatic approach of the Benefit-sharing Fund; and
4. provide project preparation funding for larger project proposal development contributing to the programmatic approach of the Fund.

An independent panel of 14 experts – two from each of the FAO regions – oversees the screening and appraisal of project proposals. Based on the recommendations of the panel, the Funding Committee approves the portfolio of projects to be funded.²

¹ Each Call for Proposals under the Benefit-sharing Fund is published on Treaty website in all Treaty languages. The Secretariat sends Notifications on the issuance of the Call to all the National Focal Points of the International Treaty, accredited Permanent Representations to FAO, and FAO Representations in countries that are Contracting Parties to the Treaty. 

² Main steps in the grant-making process of the Benefit-sharing Fund 

1. The Funding Committee launches a new round of the project cycle.
2. The International Treaty activates its global network to publicize the new round of the project cycle by publishing the text of the Call and relevant Annexes on the Treaty web site.
3. The Secretariat sends notifications on the issuance of the project cycle to all the National Focal Points of the International Treaty, accredited Permanent Representations to FAO, and FAO Representations in countries that are Contracting Parties to the Treaty.
4. The Secretariat activates a helpdesk to support applicants throughout the project cycle.
5. The Funding Committee establishes an Independent Panel of 14 experts who screen, score and rank received proposals based on their quality and technical merit.
6. Shortlisted pre-proposals are invited to develop full project proposals.
7. Support workshops are delivered.
8. Based on the appraisal and recommendations made by the Panel of Experts, the Funding Committee approves the projects to be funded. Information is made available to applicants on the International Treaty’s website.
9. The Secretariat signs contractual agreements (LoAs) with the executing entities of the approved projects and the first disbursements are processed.
10. Executing entities submit narrative and financial reports on a regular basis; subsequent payments are contingent upon approval by the Secretariat of the progress reports.
11. An independent evaluation is carried out at the end of each project cycle