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Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator (AFCIA)

Adaptation Fund Slideshow

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ADAPTATION FUND CLIMATE INNOVATION ACCELERATOR
The Adaptation Fund has launched a new programme which will foster innovation of adaptation practices in vulnerable countries.
UNEP-CTCN and UNDP are administrating the grants.

In the UNEP-CTCN programme, the third call for submission of applications is now open until September 30, 2022.
slideshow image 3
ADAPTATION FUND CLIMATE INNOVATION ACCELERATOR
The Adaptation Fund has launched a new programme which will foster innovation of adaptation practices in vulnerable countries.
UNEP-CTCN and UNDP are administrating the grants.

In the UNEP-CTCN programme, the third call for submission of applications is now open until September 30, 2022.
slideshow image 2
ADAPTATION FUND CLIMATE INNOVATION ACCELERATOR
The Adaptation Fund has launched a new programme which will foster innovation of adaptation practices in vulnerable countries.
UNEP-CTCN and UNDP are administrating the grants.

In the UNEP-CTCN programme, the third call for submission of applications is now open until September 30, 2022.
slideshow image 1
ADAPTATION FUND CLIMATE INNOVATION ACCELERATOR
The Adaptation Fund has launched a new programme which will foster innovation of adaptation practices in vulnerable countries.
UNEP-CTCN and UNDP are administrating the grants.

In the UNEP-CTCN programme, the third call for submission of applications is now open until September 30, 2022.
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$10M

Funding by UNEP-CTCN & UNDP (USD)

100+

Countries eligible for funding

50+

Entities receiving funding

$250,000

Maximum grant funding (USD)

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About the funding opportunities

About the funding opportunities

The Adaptation Fund has launched a new USD 10 million pilot small grants programme (Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator, AFCIA) to foster innovation in adaptation in developing countries at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP25) in Madrid. The AFCIA targets a broad range of potential finance recipients, including governments, non-governmental organisations, community groups, young innovators and other groups.

The AFCIA will provide small grants to developing countries to support innovation for effective, long-term adaptation to climate change and is part of the Adaptation Fund’s Innovation Facility (please click here for more information). Two of the Adaptation Fund’s accredited Multilateral Implementing Entities (MIEs), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), receive USD 5 million each to administrate and aggregate a project of small grants (up to USD 250,000 each). The Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), which is the operational arm of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Technology Mechanism, works in conjunction with UNEP as an executing entity in the AFCIA.

The AFCIA will focus on producing two of the expected results of the ‘Strategic Focus 2 (Innovation)’ in the Adaptation Fund Medium-Term Strategy 2018-2022 (please click here for more information), which are:

  • New innovations encouraged and accelerated - Development of innovative adaptation practices, tools and technologies encouraged and accelerated; and
  • Evidence base generated - Evidence of effective, efficient adaptation practices, products and technologies generated as a basis for implementing entities and other funds to assess scaling up.

 

Please note that UNEP-CTCN and UNDP provide different services to support innovation in adaptation to developing countries in the AFCIA.

  • (UNEP-CTCN) Technical assistance will be provided to developing countries on a competitive basis. A selected application will be further developed to design a customised solution tailored to the need of developing country, and the solution will be implemented in the country by a technology provider selected by the CTCN. Please note that the application should be endorsed by the national focal points to the Adaptation Fund (Designated Authority) and the CTCN (National Designated Entity, NDE) prior to official submission via the programme webpage.
  • (UNDP) Grant funding is provided to applicants on a competitive basis. Selected grantees will operate and manage their projects by themselves with support from UNDP. Grant funding is open to Not-for-profit, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) including Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Business Member Associations (BMOs), and other Associations, Cooperatives, or Community Based Organisations registered in a developing country.

 

Please check more details on the UNEP-CTCN programme and the UNDP programme either by clicking on the application buttons or through the web-links as below:

The AFCIA will provide developing countries with special opportunities for innovation in adaptation. Please note that UNEP-CTCN and UNDP have different eligibility for supporting developing countries in the AFCIA.

  • (UNEP-CTCN) The eligible countries in the programme include developing countries in Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America and Caribbean under the UNFCCC that do not have National Implementing Entities (NIEs) accredited with the Adaptation Fund (113 countries in total as of April 2021). 
  • (UNDP) The programme is open to Not-for-profit, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) including Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Business Member Associations (BMOs), and other Associations, Cooperatives, or Community Based Organisations registered in a developing country.

 

For developing countries with the Adaptation Fund’s accredited NIEs, the Adaptation Fund provides a recently launched innovation grant funding window, and more information can be found by clicking here. Please note that an applicant cannot submit the same application to both UNEP-CTCN and UNDP. As administrators of the AFCIA, UNEP-CTCN and UNDP will cross check applications to ensure there is no duplication. Please check more details on the UNEP-CTCN programme and the UNDP programme either by clicking on the application buttons or through the web-links as below:

Please note that UNEP-CTCN and UNDP have different timelines in the AFCIA.

  • (UNEP-CTCN) There will be three-time opportunities to submit an application (technology concept) to UNEP-CTCN. The first, second and third calls for application submission are planned to be open in November 2020, February 2021 and May 2021, respectively.
  • (UNDP) The first call for proposals will be open in late November, and final grantees will be selected in late December. The first cycle of projects will be implemented for two years from December 2020 to December 2022. The second call for proposals will be in late 2022 for another two-year project cycle.

 

Please check more details on the UNEP-CTCN programme and the UNDP programme either by clicking on the application buttons or through the web-links as below:

All applicants can submit their application via the respective programme webpage. The applicants can download an application template or submit their application online.

Please check more details on the UNEP-CTCN programme and the UNDP programme either by clicking on the application buttons or through the web-links as below:

An applicant (e.g. government, non-governmental organisation, community group, young innovator and other groups) should fill in an application template which can be downloaded via the programme webpage. The applicant is required to develop an application (technology concept) in close consultation with its national focal points to the Adaptation Fund (Designated Authority) and the CTCN (National Designated Entity, NDE). It is also acceptable to develop an application in which multiple countries engage.

The application should be endorsed by the Designated Authority and the NDE of the country prior to official submission. The Designated Authority of the country needs to confirm the following statement included in the application template by checking a box next to the statement.

“The Designated Authority of the country has been engaged in the design of the technology concept and will be involved in the further process leading to the implementation of the micro-grants project.”

The NDE of the country needs to sign the application before online submission to UNEP-CTCN. Please note that if the application does not have endorsement from the national focal points, it will not be evaluated in the selection stage. Please find the national focal points of your country through the web-links as below:

 

The NDE should submit the application via the programme webpage. It is requested to provide basic information online (e.g. name of the country, title of the technology concept, adaptation sector, etc.) when submitting the application.

Please check more details on the UNEP-CTCN programme either by clicking on the application button or through the web-link as below:

https://www.ctc-n.org/afcia/unep-ctcn

For the UNDP programme, please check details either by clicking on the application button or through the web-link as below:

https://www.adaptation-undp.org/smallgrantaggregator/

Should you have any further questions about the AFCIA administrated by UNEP-CTCN and UNDP, please feel free to contact:  

  • (UNEP-CTCN) Ms. Nadege Trocellier (Climate Technology Specialist – Africa, CIS and West Asia, CTCN, email: [email protected])
  • (UNDP) Mr. Chongguang (Charles) Yu (Investment Appraisal Specialist, UNDP, email: [email protected])

This webpage is public and discloses Project and safeguard information to public and relevant stakeholders. It is the Safeguard Mechanism specific webpage of the CTCN for the AFCIA Programme.  

Environmental and social risks under this project will depend on the types of grants awarded by the programme. The nature of the AFCIA programme reduces the environmental and social risks as small grant are awarded based on a thorough screening process, they are not higher than 250,000 USD and delivered through technical assistance by CTCN partner pre-selected and part of the existing network of the CTCN. UNEP and Adaptation Fund safeguard policies will be followed to ensure full compliance. 

UNEP’s Environmental and Social Sustainability Framework (ESSF) aims to strengthen the sustainability and accountability of UNEP programmes and projects.  It respects human rights and aims to protect people and the environment from potential adverse impacts of project interventions and to ensure that stakeholders activity participate in programmes and projects and have effective channels to voice their concerns.  The ESSF sets out UNEP’s commitment to sustainable development and environmental and social standards that are designed to promote human well-being and the protection of the environment.  

Adaptation Fund ESP policy is aligned with UNEP safeguard policy that will be applied to identify and manage risks and ensure that no negative impacts are expected because of the implementation of the micro-grants. UNEP Safeguard Risk Identification Form (SRIF) will be used to ease the approval process internally and ensure the quality of the screening by UNEP team. For each pre-selected micro- grants, a SRIF has been prepared and sent for clearance to the UNEP Safeguards Advisor. If the screening assigns a high or moderate risk category to the project, additional steps will be taken to avoid or mitigate such risks during project preparation and management. Under AFCIA, projects with low risks (Category C as per Adaptation Fund´s ESMS) will be prioritized while projects with high risks will not be selected. If medium risk are identified, a management and /or gender action plan will be developed and approved at project level, following the AF ESP policy, to mitigate and monitor the risks during the project implementation. 

For each pre-selected request, a Safeguards Risk Identification Form (SRIF) will be formulated and cleared by UNEP safeguard division.  If the screening assigns a moderate risk category to the project (high risk projects will not be selected), then additional steps will be taken to avoid or mitigate such risks during project preparation and management in alignment with AF ESMS and ESP. Project and safeguard information will be identified with support from and disclose to public and all relevant stakeholders during the early consultation processes and inception meetings. A grievance redress mechanism will be clearly defined and established through protocols and made publicly available from CTCN webpage. It will follow UNEP´s procedures as well as Adaptation Fund´s ESP and ESMS.  The project team will respond promptly to any concerns observed or reported to avoid their escalation to grievances. The response process will be managed by CTCN with complaints not addressed referred to UNEP as a second step. Roles and responsibilities will be further detailed in the GRM protocols that will be developed at project inception phase and presented during the launch workshop. 

These SRIF can be accessed through the specific webpage of each of the AFCIA Projects, a list of all the projects can be found here.

The SRIF is developed during the identification and formulation of the project or programme, in alignment with the Adaptation Fund´s Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS)  procedures. The SRIF rates the level of risks of the technical assistance as defined in Adaptation Fund´s 15 principles, the Adaptation Fund ESP and ESMS. The SRIF also serves as a preliminary gender  and youth Assessment of the request. At proposal stage, the SRIF is informed by in-country consultations and cleared by UNEP safeguards officer. Adaptation Fund ESP policy is fully aligned with UNEP ESSMF, so is the UNEP SRIF with Adaptation Fund´s 15 principles. In compliance with the Adaptation Fund Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS), the delivery process for the ESP will include: 

  • an environmental and social risks identification through the SRIF,
  • an environmental and social assessment through the approval of the SRIF by UNEP Safeguard officer,
  • an environmental and social management planning for projects that would have been identified as medium risk,
  • monitoring, reporting, and evaluation of the risks will be ensured yearly through the PPR,
  • public disclosure and consultation will be ensured by the CTCN during the formulation of the Response Plan and throughout the implementation of the technical assistance, and
  • the establishment of a grievance mechanism that will be accessible through CTCN´s website and communicated to the stakeholders during the inception workshop. 

To support the Environmental and Social Safeguards Framework UNEP has adopted several related policies which will be applied to the Aggregator mechanism including:

Grievance Mechanism

The programme grievance redress mechanism will be established and introduced during the programme launch workshop as well as each selected TA projects’ kick off meetings and the links will be made publicly available via the AFCIA website. The project team will respond promptly to any concerns observed or reported to avoid their escalation to grievances. Protocols will be developed to establish the Grievance Redress Mechanism following UNEP’s Stakeholder Response Mechanism (SRM) providing the opportunity for people who believe they have been adversely affected by activities that are implemented or executed as part of AFCIA II projects to submit complaints directly to CTCN and UNEP. Any person or group of persons who believe that they are or may be adversely affected by an activity implemented or executed as part of AFCIA will be able to file a complaint. The response process will be managed by CTCN with complaints not addressed referred to UNEP as a second step. Protocols will describe the dissemination strategy of the GRM, explains the process of complaints registration and sets the GRM operating procedures to respond to the requests and address the grievances. 

Raise a grievance case
Access the grievance redress mechanism

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