BESTLIFE2030 - Grant scheme for biodiversity in EU Overseas
Small grants for a big impact
BESTLIFE2030 is a sub-granting facility targeting stakeholders of the EU’s Outermost Regions (ORs) and associated Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) that aims to fund projects that will ensure impact on the ground and will ultimately demonstrate the commitment of the EU Overseas towards the successful implementation of regional and global biodiversity strategies and it announced the launch of its first call for proposals on October 31, 2023.
Why is this call significant?
Overseas Entities are at the forefront of preserving our planet’s natural heritage. Within the European Union, the Outermost Regions (ORs) and Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) are home to 80% of Europe’s biodiversity. It is a well-established fact that the more diverse and abundant our biodiversity, the more precious it becomes. However, the Overseas territories find themselves on the front line of the ongoing climate crisis.
The BEST initiative was introduced in 2010 as a preparatory action for the ORs and OCTs with a modest budget of EUR 2 million. Today, BEST has evolved into an integral part of the EU’s Programme for Environment and Climate Action (LIFE) with BESTLIFE2030, a programme that will disburse over 200 grants across the ORs and the OCTs with a substantial budget of EUR 23.2 million until 2030.
About the programme
Since its inception, BEST has made significant strides in the realm of knowledge acquisition, promotion, and preservation of biodiversity within Overseas Entities. Local communities and grassroots organisations are the true heroes of this endeavour whose contributions warrant unequivocal recognition and support, as manifested by European Union’s representatives at the launch of BESTLIFE2030 in June 2023.
However, local actors require more than just financial support. The Knowledge Sharing Journey organised earlier this year to reflect on the grant-making experience revealed that projects implementers also need networking opportunities, collaboration, lessons sharing and communication support, all of which are underpinned by BESTLIFE2030.
The time has come to expedite the exchange of solutions and best practices, with a particular focus on fostering cooperation and integrating the ORs and OCTs into the broader conservation narrative.
If you aspire to join this crucial endeavour and become a prospective applicant for BESTLIFE2030, we invite you to read this detailed article. Guidelines and application forms will be accessible on the BESTLIFE2030 website on the day of the call for proposals’ launch, scheduled for October 31st.
Concept notes may be submitted by the 8th of January 2024. Subsequently, by early March, successful applicants will receive invitations to submit their full proposals.
This grant scheme is tailored to provide effective support for locally-driven, small-scale and impactful initiatives by civil society associations, non-governmental organisations, and municipalities.
Project funding is capped at €100,000, constituting 95% of the total budget, with project durations spanning from 18 to 36 months.
Applicants are encouraged to seek the maximum grant amount available. 5% co-funding contribution is required. Co-funding can take the following forms: own resources (resources not directly tied to the action submitted for funding, including volunteering) and financial contributions (funds provided by third parties to a beneficiary for use in the same project action).
To ensure complementarity with previous BEST-funded projects and avoid duplication of activities, please access the relevant sections of the LIFE4BEST and BEST2.0+ websites.
For media inquiries, please contact: Margaux Ysebaert, Communications Officer, +32475286125, margaux.ysebaert@iucn.org