The Kiwa Inititiative provides grants for both local and regional-scale projects in 19 eligible countries and territories in the Pacific region, including the three French Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) in addition to the ACP (for countries in the Pacific, part of African, Caribbean and Pacific region).  The Kiwa initiative also provides support to project leaders in the form of capacity building and technical assistance.

Whereas regional projects involved at least 2 eligible countries/territories in a common project with funds from 1,5M€ to 5M€, local projects focus on very small to medium-sized grants. IUCN Oceania and the IUCN French Committee (for OCTs) currently oversees local projects of the Kiwa Initiative, specifically targeting local communities.

“The Kiwa Initiative is one of our flagship Nature-based Solution programme as it allows us to reach the grassroots communities in the ACP and OCTs to address the major challenge in the region threatens our PICTs existence – climate change, through working with Nature-based Solution to adapt to the impacts of climate change and other societal challenges such as health, food security, water and natural disasters”, said Maria-Goreti Muavesi, IUCN Oceania Regional Director ad interim

To date, fourteen (14) Kiwa local projects - nine (9) in ACP and five (5) in OCTs, led by civil society organisations, national authorities, and international NGOs, have been awarded grants. These include projects led by organisations such as the Ministry of Waterways - Fiji , Samoa Conservation Society – Samoa, Lamacca Climate Change Association – Vanuatu, Community Centred Conservation – Fiji, National Trust of Fiji - Fiji, Ebiil Society – Palau, Tonga National Youth Congress - Tonga, Birdlife  International - Solomon Islands, Blue Ventures Conservation - Timor Leste, ACCMP Dayu Biik – New Caledonia, WWF France – New Caledonia, Province Nord – New Caledonia, Vaiku’a i te manu Ua Huka – French Polynesia, Pu Tahi haga no Ganaa – French Polynesia.

The four (4) last grant recipients from this first Call of proposals, closed in 2022, will soon be announced by IUCN Oceania, featuring projects in Niue, Nauru, Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste.

“The launch of this Kiwa Initiative’s new call for local projects represents a significant opportunity to further our climate change adaptation efforts through NbS. This call is specifically designed to empower small-scale community projects, offering support to those already grappling with the adverse impacts of climate change and seeking proactive adaptation measures. The capacity building provided by IUCN serve to bridge the knowledge gap for those less experienced in project management, providing them with the tools and confidence needed to navigate the application process. Within the Kiwa Initiative, we are a diverse family that currently includes approximately twenty projects, both at the local and regional levels. And we are happy to see that the family is growing! On behalf of all the Kiwa Initiative donors, I would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to our esteemed partners, IUCN Oceania and the IUCN French Committee, for their commitment to supporting communities of Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia in accessing our funding resources.” says Ms Aurélie Ahmim-Richard, Regional policy officer in New Caledonia, AFD.

How to apply

The new Kiwa Call for proposals welcomes applications from September 20^th to November 12^th, 2023.  

Interested proponents can submit a concept note either for a Very Small, a Small, or a Medium grant, with budget ranges between EUR 25,000 to EUR 400,000, depending on the project’s size.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their concept note by 23:59 UTC+12 (Fiji time) on November 12^th, 2023. Applications received after this deadline will not be considered for this round but can be resubmitted during a next Call for proposals.

Successful applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal, including due diligence processes, with eight (8) weeks allotted for submission.

The Kiwa Initiative welcomes submissions from the following countries/territories:

Cook Islands / Federated States of Micronesia / Fiji / French Polynesia / Kiribati / Marshall Islands / Nauru New Caledonia / Niue / Palau / Papua New Guinea / Samoa / Solomon Islands / Timor Leste / Tokelau Tonga / Tuvalu / Vanuatu / Wallis and Futuna

Capacity Building for Project Applicants

In line with its strong commitment to fostering positive change in the Pacific region, the Kiwa Initiative places a significant emphasis on capacity building. Recognizing that not all organisations may be familiar with the project submission process, the IUCN Oceania and IUCN French National Committee are dedicated to providing essential support and guidance to ensure the success of potential applicants.

A series of four (4) informative webinars in English will be organised virtually, at 11.00 am UTC+12 (Fiji time) on September 25^th and October 5^th, 12^th and 19^th. For the Pacific French Overseas Territories, a session in French is planned on Thursday October 5^th, at 10:00 am (UTC+11 New Caledonia time), 11:00am (UTC+12 Wallis and Futuna time) and Wednesday October 4^th at 1:00 pm (UTC-10 Polynesia time), and two workshops "Designing your concept note for the Kiwa Initiative" will be organized: - on Tuesday, October 10^th at 9:00 am (UTC-10 Polynesian Time) - at Fare Te mana o te moana (PF 7 c/o mer, Hôtel Intercontinental Tahiti, Faaa 98704, French Polynesia),- on Friday, October 13^th at 9:00 am (UTC+11 New Caledonia time), 10:00 am (UTC+12 Wallis and Futuna time) – online.

These sessions will empower individuals and organisations to submit compelling project proposals that align with the Kiwa Initiative’s mission to enhance climate resilience through Nature-based Solutions (NbS). We encourage all interested parties to take advantage of this opportunity to strengthen their project development skills in order to contribute to the sustainable future of the Pacific region.

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The Kiwa Initiative – Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for climate resilience aims at strengthening the climate change resilience of Pacific Islands ecosystems, communities and economies through NbS, by protecting, sustainably managing and restoring biodiversity. The Initiative, launched in 2020 with EUR 31 million and endowed now with more than EUR 75 million, is funded by the European Union (EU), Agence française de développement (AFD), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). The Kiwa Initiative has established partnerships with the Pacific Community (SPC), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Oceania Regional Office of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN Oceania).

www. kiwainitiative.org