IUCN is pleased to announce the Second Call for Concept Notes for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCA) Financing Facility, a regional fund which supports the development of TFCAs in the SADC region. It is part of the SADC TFCA Programme, which aims to contribute towards sustainable financing mechanisms for transboundary natural resources management.

The initial phase of this programme (2020-2026) is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and facilitated through KfW Development Bank. The Facility aims to invest in tangible measures that support ecological connectivity, local economic development, and strengthen the institutional capacities of SADC TFCAs.

The SADC TFCA FF is addressing the critical needs for conservation by integrating the three dimensions of “species”, “habitat” and “people”, and aligning with the overall socio-economic development and regional integration goals of SADC.

The Facility supports SADC TFCA initiatives representing 16 SADC Member States namely: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, United Republic Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

How to Apply

Applicants must apply through the SADC TFCA FF Grants Portal using the following steps:

1. Register as a user on the Grants Portal. This will allow applicants to log in and out during the application process.

2. In late August, there will be a webinar for registered applicants. This webinar will guide applicants through the online application process and provide helpful information.

3. The Grants Portal will start accepting applications at the end of August. Before that, applicants can take some time to get familiar with the Portal and the Call's terms and conditions. There are also downloadable documents that can help applicants with their project ideas.

4. Make sure to read the concept note application guidelines along with the instructions for applicants.

5. IUCN will host webinar sessions too, where you can get more information about the online application process, TFCA FF priorities, and ask any questions. The specific dates for these webinars will be announced later.

To apply for funding, follow these steps and attend the webinar sessions. To access the Portal, please click here.