Global EbA Fund (IUCN and UNEP)Grant

Up to $500,000 Ecosystem Adaptation Grant

Nov 16, 2026 23:59:00 UTC

Opportunity type

Grant

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

Global

Deadline

Nov 16, 2026 23:59:00 UTC

About this opportunity

The Global EbA Fund, run by IUCN and the UN Environment Programme with funding from Germany's International Climate Initiative (IKI), is offering grants of up to USD 500,000 for projects that help people and ecosystems adapt to climate change. This medium-size call backs ambitious, catalytic work that removes the systemic barriers to scaling ecosystem-based adaptation and feeds into national plans and global policy, with optional themes on innovative finance, climate and security, and joining up the Rio Conventions. Organisations apply, not individuals, and the bar for innovation and scalability is set deliberately high.

What you get:

A grant of up to USD 500,000 per project, with the call document naming 10 grants
Funding for a project lasting up to 24 months
A place in a portfolio of 75 Global EbA Fund projects across 41 countries

What you'll do:

Design a project that tackles a systemic barrier to scaling ecosystem-based adaptation, such as policy uptake, institutional capacity, evidence, or investment readiness
Optionally focus on one of three themes: innovative finance for EbA, EbA for human development and security in fragile settings, or synergies across the climate, biodiversity and land conventions
Build on existing work and partner with local institutions, with at least 25 percent of the budget going to local partners for country-level projects
Submit the application form, budget, theory of change and logframe, applicant declaration, co-applicant mandate and due diligence questionnaire through IUCN's online portal
Track results against at least three indicators from the Fund's Core Indicator Framework

Key dates:

Call launched 24 August 2026
Applications open on the online platform 12 October 2026
Applications close 16 November 2026

More information:

Medium-size call for proposals document (PDF) on globalebafund.org
Grants Procedures Manual (PDF) on globalebafund.org, which the Fund asks applicants to read before applying
Core Indicator Framework (PDF) on globalebafund.org
Recorded information webinars linked from the Fund's news page

Who can apply

Open to legally recognised organisations only: NGOs, international NGOs, intergovernmental organisations, community-based organisations, Indigenous Peoples' organisations, universities and academic institutions, research institutes and think tanks, and private sector companies (under conditions), or consortia led by one of these
Individuals cannot apply, including for study; an individual's institution may apply on their behalf
Government bodies cannot receive funds directly or through sub-grants, and IUCN and UNEP offices are not eligible to apply
Projects must be global, thematic, or target only countries eligible for official development assistance (OECD-DAC list); multi-country projects must be in ODA-eligible countries only
The applicant organisation does not have to be based in a project country, but needs working experience there, EbA experience and one or more local partners
Projects must qualify as ecosystem-based adaptation, build on existing work, partner with local institutions, and address one Strategic Objective and at most two Action Pillars; standalone or purely field implementation projects are not funded
Budget up to USD 500,000 and duration of 24 months or less
Applications in English; the lead applicant must complete IUCN's due diligence questionnaire, including audited financial statements for the last completed fiscal year and at least five recent relevant projects
Organisations may submit more than one proposal

AI Verification

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Cross-checked 10 of 11 key facts

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Good to know

+Up to USD 500,000 per project from a fund run by IUCN and UNEP and financed by the German government's IKI
+Same closing date stated consistently across the English, French and Spanish pages, the call PDF, the FAQ and the news post
+Clear published eligibility checklist, evaluation weights and FAQ, with drafting templates available to work on offline
+No application fee anywhere in the call page, call PDF or procedures manual
+Evaluation scores the inclusion of women, youth and Indigenous Peoples, and country-level projects must pass at least 25 percent of the budget to local partners

Worth checking yourself

!Organisations only: individuals, including students, cannot apply, and the lead applicant needs legal registration, audited accounts and five recent relevant projects for due diligence
!A demanding call: the Fund says it will hold projects to exceptionally high standards for innovation and scalability, and the call document names 10 grants
!Not a startup fund: projects must build on existing work and cannot be standalone or purely field implementation
!The Fund names no closing time; the record uses 23:59 UTC on 16 November. IUCN's portal shows an end date of 17 November, but apply by the Fund's 16 November and submit well before the last evening
!Country-level projects need a consortium with one or more local organisations receiving at least 25 percent of the budget (call PDF)
!Only successful applicants are contacted, with no feedback for others

Sources checked

GLglobalebafund.orgApplyGLglobalebafund.orgApplyGLglobalebafund.orgApplyGLglobalebafund.orgApplyGLglobalebafund.orgApplyGLglobalebafund.orgApplyGLglobalebafund.orgApply

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