CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
| Subject | Call for Application (CFA) |
| CFA Number: | INSPIRE-CFA-Y2-01-CWT |
| NOFO TITLE: | Counter Wildlife Trafficking (CWT) Project |
| ISSUANCE DATE (APS): | March 10, 2023 |
| Closing date/time for questions | March 17, 2023/5:00 P.M. (PST) |
| Closing date/time for applications | April 10, 2023/5:00 P.M. (PST) |
This CFA intends to prescribe information to potential applicants so that they may develop and submit grant applications for the Investing in Sustainability and Partnerships for Inclusive Growth and Regenerative Ecosystems (INSPIRE) Counter Wildlife Trafficking (CWT) Project. This CFA (i) describes interventions that will be required for applications; (ii) explains available funding, the application process, and pre-requisites for submission; (iii) describes the standards used to evaluate applications; and (iv) directs potential applicants to pertinent USAID documentation available online.
Applications submitted in response to this solicitation must adhere to and be fully responsive to the requirements outlined in this APS document.
INSPIRE reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted under this CFA.
BACKGROUND
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded the Gerry Roxas Foundation (GRF) a five-year cooperative agreement to implement the INSPIRE Project. INSPIRE seeks to 1) improve the way that natural resources and the areas from which these are derived are governed and 2) address the drivers of natural resources insecurity by addressing both the supply of and demand for natural resources through the reduction of environmental crimes, unsustainable environmental practices, and the sustainable management of the natural resources sector.
INSPIRE supports activities that seek to advance natural resource resilience and security through the increased participation and critical engagement of civil society organizations (CSO), media, indigenous peoples (IPs), academe, local communities, and the private sector in planning and governance decisions that impact habitats and have climate change repercussions. This goal will be achieved by implementing a suite of interventions geared towards 1) improving the capacity of CSOs, IPs, and local communities to participate in and demand good natural resource governance; 2) enhancing legal frameworks with stronger support for customary rights to land and water especially those within biologically significant areas that sequester carbon from the atmosphere, and the appropriate allocation of rights to natural resources; and 3) increasing transparency and accountability of various stakeholders, especially of the government, on how natural resources are managed, extracted and brought to market. In light of the above objectives, INSPIRE also seeks to contribute to national and global efforts at addressing wildlife trafficking.
INSPIRE COMBATING WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING (CWT) PROJECT CONTEXT
According to a report published by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2019, the Philippines is a hotspot for Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) with an estimated value of P50 billion a year or roughly equivalent to $1 billion. Driven by poverty, its poor population depends on biodiversity for livelihood, threatening endemic species populations. Major wildlife seizures include the confiscation of 10,504 Pangolins; nearly 1,000 endemic pitcher plans and lady slipper orchids; 4,300 freshwater turtles; among others; all during the period of 2000 to 2019.
Acknowledging the threats of IWT to the biodiversity and economy of the country, the Government of the Philippines passed the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act (RA 9147) in 2001. In 2018, the Wildlife Law Enforcement Action Plan (WildLEAP) was adopted as the national roadmap for addressing wildlife crimes. The roadmap was formulated through a multi-stakeholder consultation process and was anchored on the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP) 2015-2028. Despite having policies and legislations for wildlife protection, IWT continues to worsen in the country. Major gaps in policy implementation are the weak legal system for CWT and the lack of a database and guidance for law enforcement agencies on commonly trafficked species.
Since major detrimental ecosystem changes can happen when there is biodiversity decline and species loss that is essential to the ecosystems’ functioning, IWT is a great concern as this occurs in the country not just for international trade but also domestically.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The CWT Project seeks applications that will build on INSPIRE’s strategic approaches and channel them to concerted efforts that would lessen the major threats and long-term impacts of illegal wildlife trafficking at habitat and species levels. INSPIRE will fund one application that would feature innovations that will directly reduce the threats of illegal wildlife trade, enhance the capacity of CSOs in countering wildlife trafficking, and demonstrate approaches that are cost-effective, high-impact, and scalable.
Strategic Approach 1: Development and Behavior Change Communications
Enabling CSOs and communities to be involved in and demand for the sustainable management and conservation of biodiversity and wildlife is intended by this strategic approach. The CSOs will work closely with scientists, local communities, and enablers to properly communicate and translate available scientific research as a strategic approach towards improvement and streamlining of appropriate management interventions in natural resource management and biodiversity conservation within wildlife trafficking hotspots.
The presence of media is needed to create awareness to the people the importance of communication in supporting policies, changing behavior, and guiding public opinions on the direct and tangible benefits that wildlife species bring as well as the indirect ecosystems goods and services they provide.
Strategic Approach 2: Capacity Development of CSOs
The CSO capacity-building approach will follow two tracks, one is the strengthening of CSO internal governance and the second is on the technical competence of the CSO on natural resource management (NRM) issues. The strengthening of the CSO’s organization development or internal governance comprises the establishment of a clear vision and mission of the organization, ensuring a safe workplace and healthy well-being of its staff, robust financial management, and documentation including the accreditation to certification bodies that promotes transparency.
Strategic Approach 3: Private Sector Engagement (PSE)
This strategic approach focuses on improving transparency and accountability in natural resource management, extracted and brought to market. The issue concerning this objective arises from weak science-based decision-making and outdated biodiversity and social standards which will be addressed or resolved by better distillation of substantive and relevant scientific information. This will be complemented by the private sector engagement through the infusion of the private sector’s creativity and innovations to demand better standards that will improve overall natural resource management.
Strategic Approach 4: Conservation-based Enterprises
INSPIRE will support initiatives on conservation-based enterprises, livelihood diversification, and further support to livelihood and sustainable enterprises to wean people away from illegal wildlife trade and to combat wildlife trafficking. Income diversification and support to livelihood can be realized through value-adding to traditional community livelihood and non-extractive forms such as ecotourism programs involving volunteer opportunities and highlighting cultural experiences in learning the significance of ecosystems, further instilling to the community the advocacy for natural resource protection and conservation.
Illustrative Activities
In line with INSPIRE’s Strategic Approaches, illustrative activities for the CFA includes:
- Partnership-building or establishment of a community of practice (including media, academe, Indigenous People’s groups, local communities, private sector, and others) or a platform for coordination, knowledge sharing, and a more organized collaboration among CSOs and other nonstate organizations for CWT;
- Establishment of a public platform/knowledge hub that can serve as the repository of conservation, databases, manuals to detect IWT violations, and other knowledge products on CWT. The hub could provide on-demand access to CWT information and scientific data to both practitioners and policymakers alike;
- Capacity-building and strengthening of governments, communities, and CSOs to enforce wildlife laws;
- Evidence-based recommendations for policy reforms and innovations. This involves capturing lessons learned from community actions and using them as bases for developing policy recommendations, with on-site technical assistance to national and local counterparts;
- Promoting conservation-based enterprises that could potentially wean people away from the illegal wildlife trade;
- Support to technology and communication solutions for activity monitoring and transparency;
- Planning and monitoring tools that have verifiable development impacts for IWT detection, reporting, recording, responding, investigating/prosecuting, and sanctioning.
- Support to technology and communications solutions for planning and monitoring that could have significant impacts on IWT detection, reporting, recording, responding, investigating/prosecuting, and sanctioning;
- Collaboration and harmonization with national agencies (DENR, BFAR, etc.), local governments, and CSOs on deputation opportunities for Wildlife Enforcement Officers (WEO), underscoring conduct of training on proper protocols in collecting and handling biological samples for forensic use to ensure the validity of the Chain of Custody.
APPLICATION PROCESS
INSPIRE will use a two-step application process. Applicants will submit a program description specifying their technical approach to address the requirements of this CFA based on the Situation Model and Theory of Change developed during the Solicitation Conference. If the program description is selected, the proponent should agree to a co-development process which includes enhancement of the program description, development of cost proposal, and participation in the Non-US Organization Pre-award Survey (NUPAS).
An invitation to the co-development process does not constitute an award. The decision for funding will go through a more stringent review process and is subject to the availability of funds.
ELIGIBILITY
Applications will be accepted from non-profit organizations, people’s organizations (POs), cooperatives, and other CSOs including private universities, research organizations, professional associations, media, faith-based and community organizations, and other relevant entities. Branches or Local Offices of international organizations are eligible to apply, and the requested funds should be used solely for project operations in the Philippines.
Applicants must have:
- Legal Certifications (SEC Registration and/or other accreditation by authorized government agencies);
- An established three-year track record;
- A working Board of Trustees or any equivalent governing body and preferably with a determinable membership base or constituency
GRANT CEILING AND PERIOD OF AWARD
Subject to the availability of funds, INSPIRE intends to provide funding for this program a maximum of Php 20M over a period of 3 years.
INSPIRE intends to award 1 grant pursuant to this CFA. INSPIRE reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications received.
COST SHARE
Applicants will be required to provide a cost share of 5% of the amount requested. Cost share may be in kind or in cash. It must be noted however that funds coming from other USAID projects are not eligible to be used as cost-share.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
| Technical Feasibility | Has a clear understanding of the threats and challenges in the illegal wildlife trade; Has a clear definition of goals and objectives and how they will be progressively achieved through outputs and measurable outcomes; Has clear plans for generating, measuring, and reporting verifiable results and demonstrating interventions that work. |
| Strategic Positioning and Sustainability | Features innovative ideas and interventions; Has potential for scaling up and sustainability; Has potential to build synergy with other INSPIRE Projects and with USAID or development projects in the area to amplify project results and build partnerships; Expands constituency, leverages resources, and engages the CSO community and private sector for CWT. |
| Organizational Capacity | Past performance showing experience or track record in managing similar activities; An established three-year track record; A working Board of Trustees or any equivalent governing body and preferably with a determinable membership base or constituency. |
The cost proposal will be evaluated on the following criteria:
| Reasonableness | Costs are generally recognized as ordinary and necessary |
| Allocability | Costs are incurred specifically for the award |
| Allowability | Costs are not disallowed by the terms of the award |
The budget narrative should include explanations of budget categories, descriptions and justifications of each line item, and sufficient details to allow INSPIRE to assess proposed costs and see precisely how the money will be spent.
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
The deadline for submission of application proposals is on April 10, 2023, at 5:00 P.M. (PST). Late submissions will not be considered.
Applicants must follow the provided technical and cost templates.
An organization shall not submit more than one application for the INSPIRE WPS Project as a primary proponent or as a consortium lead. However, organizations may participate in multiple consortia or under different applications and not as a prime or consortium lead.
Application proposals should be addressed to:
The CHIEF OF PARTY
INSPIRE Project, Gerry Roxas Foundation
Level 3 Cyberpark Tower 1, #60 Gen. Aguinaldo Ave.,
Araneta Center, Quezon City
Only electronic submissions will be accepted.
Any questions concerning this application must be emailed to [email protected] until March 17, 2023, 5:00 P.M. (PST). Interested applicants are also invited to visit GRF’s website www.gerryroxasfoundation.org for updates on this application, additional guidelines, and instructions.
Issuance of this CFA does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the INSPIRE Project, nor does it commit INSPIRE to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission.
