Reversing Environmental Degradation in Africa and Asia (REDAA) programme grants: scaling up locally-led restoration

REDAA invites proposals by 30 June 2024 for locally-led, multi-locational, applied research and research-to-action restoration programmes in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Reversing Environmental Degradation in Africa and Asia (REDAA) is a programme that catalyses research, innovation and action on ecological restoration in sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia, by providing grants and technical support.

REDAA invites proposals for locally-led, multi-locational, applied research and research-to-action restoration programmes in specific sub-regions and environments in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Approaches

Proposals must include specific applied research and research-to-action activities which adopt one or more of the 3 approaches:

  • use of legal tools to secure local rights and strengthen local nature stewardship and restoration
  • development of finance mechanisms that support local nature stewardship and restoration
  • development or strengthening of productive ecosystem-based enterprises that are sustainable, equitable and climate-resilient

Regions, countries, locations and environments

Proposed programmes must be focused in one of the following 6 regions and on one of the environments in that region listed below.

Region Environment
The Sahel in western and north-central Africa Semi-arid Sahelian savannah
West Africa Farm-forest landscape or wetlands
Central Africa Forest or drylands or wetlands
Southern Africa Urban or peri-urban
Southeast Asia Peatlands in farm-forest landscape or peri-urban or coastal lands, including mangroves
South Asia Mountain or peri-urban or coastal lands including mangroves

During this second REDAA funding round, up to 9 programme grants of between £1,000,000 and £1,500,000 will be available for initiatives lasting 4 years.

Applicants whose concept notes are shortlisted in stage 1 (closing 30 June 2024) will be invited to submit full proposals later in the year in stage 2.

The final selection of grants expected to start operations in early 2025. Refer to the REDAA website for more details.

REDAA seeks proposals for locally led applied research and research-to-action programmes supporting Indigenous Peoples’ and local communities’ efforts to improve their evidence, tools, civic space, and governance powers. To demonstrate this, proposals should outline activities that will:

  • strengthen local research-to-action capability and leadership of such capability
  • include rigorous research and its translation into effective engagement with, and improvement of, inclusive decision-making at policy level

Proposals should demonstrate that they are proposing positive and integrated activities for nature, people and climate. They should clearly identify:

  • climate change, nature loss and human wellbeing challenges that will be addressed
  • improvements that can be directly achieved by the programme for nature, people and climate
  • synergies and trade-offs expected between the benefits for nature, people and climate, and how they will be managed

Proposals should demonstrate commitment to promoting equality between different groups of people. This should ensure that those who are most marginalised and negatively affected by climate change and nature loss are not left behind but are empowered through planned actions.

Proposals should outline activities that will improve gender equality and inclusion of people who have been disadvantaged and historically excluded in decision making, domestic and community roles, and access to and control over assets.

Proposed programmes must take place in more than one location, either in one country or in different countries in the same region.

REDAA programmes are expected to be mostly focused on activities in low income and lower middle-income countries (based on OECD DAC eligibility).

Lead organisations should be a non-profit organisation based within one of the 6 focal regions for this grant call. A small minority of programmes with a lead organisation based outside the region or country of focus may be considered for funding. This will depend on the proposals providing a strong rationale for why the organisation is not in the region, as well as demonstrating strong partnerships with locally-led organisations.

The lead organisation must partner with at least one other non-profit organisation. This partner can be based in one of the 6 regions but that is not essential. The minimum required partnership of 2 organisations (a non-profit lead organisation and a non-profit partner) must include a research/academic organisation and an action-oriented non-profit organisation (which may include indigenous peoples and local community organisations). Refer to the REDAA website for more details on eligibility.

How to apply

REDAA programme grants involve a 2-stage application process:

  1. For stage 1 applications, the lead applicant must complete and submit a concept note application form on the online IIED Grants portal by 30 June 2024, 11:59pm British Summer Time (UTC+1).

  2. Successful applicants will be invited to submit a stage 2 full proposal form from September 2024.

Contacts

Email: enquiries@redaa.org

Visit: www.redaa.org/contact

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Published 13 May 2024