Climate Action Grants: Navigating the CASA Opportunity Fund for Sustainable Development Organizations
In Brief:
- CASA’s Opportunity Fund, with a deadline of February 29, 2024, invites sustainable development organizations to secure grants between £20,000 and £100,000 for projects supporting climate-vulnerable countries in international negotiations and climate change actions.
- Focus areas include promoting diversity among negotiators, addressing Transparency & Reporting, Adaptation, or Nature, drafting National Adaption Plans (NAPs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), and fostering collaboration to implement the Paris Agreement goals.
- Eligible organizations, operational for at least three months, must showcase financial and technical capabilities, consider environmental impacts, and demonstrate a minimum of eight years’ project delivery experience within the proposed team.
In the realm of sustainable development, securing climate action grants is not merely a financial opportunity; it’s a pivotal step toward fostering transformative change.
The Climate Ambition Support Alliance (CASA) beckons organizations to partake in the Opportunity Fund, a beacon of support for climate-vulnerable countries striving to engage in international climate negotiations and confront the formidable impacts of climate change.
Understanding the Opportunity:
CASA, a £9.5 million initiative funded by the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and executed by DAI Global UK Ltd, extends its arms through the Opportunity Fund.
This funding avenue seeks proposals to bolster the capacity and capability of climate-vulnerable country negotiators and groups.
The objective is clear – to foster a fair, inclusive, and ambitious negotiation process within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), aligning with the Paris Agreement and Glasgow Pact.
Focus Areas for Impact:
CASA places a spotlight on organizations based in the global south, urging them to contribute to this climate action movement.
The Alliance is particularly interested in applications from entities that:
- Support negotiators from diverse backgrounds, emphasizing indigenous groups, women, and youth.
- Concentrate efforts on Transparency & Reporting, Adaptation, or Nature.
- Assist in drafting National Adaption Plans (NAPs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).
- Strengthen coordination and collaboration among negotiators, fostering progressive alliances.
- Generate products that aid countries in developing capacity at institutional, policy, and legislative levels to implement the goals of the Paris Agreement.
- Enable climate-vulnerable country negotiators to access best practice resources, funding, and knowledge exchange for UNFCCC agreement implementation, including support in preparing and submitting applications to large multilateral climate funds.
Funding Landscape:
The Opportunity Fund emerges as a flexible and responsive financial source, welcoming all eligible organizations to seek grants aligning with CASA’s objectives.
Projects falling within the £20,000 to £100,000 range are eligible for consideration.
Eligibility Guidelines:
Organizations aspiring to delve into this climate action opportunity must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Legally registered or in the process of legal registration in their main country of operations.
- Possess financial management and technical capabilities to proficiently implement the proposed project.
- Operational for a minimum of three months before applying for the program.
- A minimum of eight years’ project delivery experience within the proposed delivery team.
- Comprehensive consideration of potential risks, accompanied by a clear risk management approach.
- Minimal or non-existent environmental impacts from the proposed project.
For those eager to explore further, detailed information can be found at the Climate Ambition Support Alliance (CASA) website.
The CASA Opportunity Fund is not merely a grant; it’s an invitation to contribute to a global effort, empowering climate-vulnerable nations and creating a more sustainable future for all.
As the deadline of February 29, 2024, approaches, organizations are encouraged to seize this chance to be catalysts of change in the fight against climate change.
For more information, visit Climate Ambition Support Alliance (CASA).
