FINAL CALL FOR PROPOSALS GR V EE aisig N C ano LI C MA atc T h E m FU en N t P D ro je ct Activity 2.2.3 Ecosystem-based Adaptation Enterprise Development This information booklet is for all ELIGIBLE households, community-based organisations, non-governmental organisations, and existing enterprises in the Vaisigano Catchment 1 INTEGRATED FLOOD MANAGEMENT TO ENHANCE CLIMATE RESLIENCE OF THE VAISIGANO RIVER CATCHMENT IN SAMOA 2 2 MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT 3 3 CIVIL SOCIETY SUPPORT PROGRAMME (CSSP) 3 4 SAMOA BUSINESS HUB (SBH) 4 5 WHAT IS ECOSYSTEM-BASED ADAPTATION ENTERPRISE 6 DEVELOPMENT (EbAED)? 6 EXAMPLES OF ELIGIBLE EbAED ACTIVITIES 6 7 PROJECT SCOPE 8 8 OVERALL EbAED FUNDING PRIORITIES AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA 8 ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA TO APPLY FOR THE FOUR (4) 10 9 CATEGORIES OF APPLICANTS 10 INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES AND COSTING 12 11 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS CRITERIA 13 12 SUBMISSION OF PROJECT PROPOSALS / APPLICATION FORMS 14 13 CSSP PROCESS AFTER RECEIVING APPLICATION FORMS 15 14 ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 16 15 CALL FOR PROPOSAL (CfP) PROCESS & TENTATIVE SCHEDULE 18 16 CONTACT & QUESTIONS ON CALL FOR PROPOSALS 19 17 GCF-VCP GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM 20 18 GLOSSARY 21 1 Final Call for Proposals With funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Vaisigano Catchment Project (VCP) and the Government of Samoa; the Civil Support Programme(CSSP) invites Project Proposals from eligible households, organisations and existing businesses to undertake Ecosystem-based Adaptation Enterprise Development (EbAED) initiatives in the Vaisigano Catchment area INTEGRATED FLOOD MANAGEMENT TO ENHANCE CLIMATE RESLIENCE OF THE VAISIGANO RIVER CATCHMENT IN SAMOA The Vaisigano Catchment Project (GCF-VCP) is implemented through a partnership between the Government of Samoa (GoS), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), as the Accredited Entity of the (GCF) to strengthen the adaptive capacity, and to reduce exposure to extreme weather events of vulnerable communities’ infrastructure, and the built environment in the Vaisigano River Catchment Area (VRCA). The project represents the GoS’s initial steps in operationalizing a comprehensive flood management solution and the first GCF approved project (GCF-VCP) and one of the largest of its kind, executed by the Ministry of Finance (MoF), the Executing Agency (EA), with the UNDP as the GCF AE and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), Land Transport Authority (LTA), Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure (MWTI) and the Ministry of Health (MoH) as the Implementing Agencies (IAs). It has three (3) major Outputs: 1. Assessments and mechanisms in place for an integrated approach to reduce vulnerability towards flood-related risks; 2. Infrastructure in the Vaisigano River are flood-proofed to increase resilience to negative effects of excessive water; and 3. Drainage in downstream areas upgraded for increased regulation of water flows. 2 Final Call for Proposals MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT MNRE The overall management and implementation of Activity 2.2 under Output 2 of the GCF-VCP rests with the MNRE, under the leadership of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) working closely with all key focal points of the Ministry, being Environment Sector Coordination Division (ESCD), Division of Environment and Conservation (DEC), Division of Forestry (FD), and Water Resources Management Division (WRMD). The Activity 2.2 will be delivered to the VRCA and Community through three different Programmes; 1. Ecosystem-based Adaptation Enterprise Development (EbAED); 2. Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES); and 3. Cash for Work (CfW). This call for proposals is for Programme1: EbAED The CSSP is a funding mechanism, managed by the GoS under the MoF and a representational Programme Steering Committee (SC). Programme implementation is the responsibility of the Programme Management Unit (PMU). CSSP aims to support sustainable development in Samoa through working in cooperation with the civil society, government and private sectors and their Programmes. The Programme includes special attention to addressing the needs and issues of the most vulnerable people and groups in Samoa. These include the elderly, people with disability (PWD), women, young people, and children. To facilitate support to Civil Society, the CSSP provides a single point of contact and a common set of application forms and reporting requirements CSSP OVERALL GOAL Improve the quality of life for people in Samoa through effective and sustainable civil society organisations. 3 Final Call for Proposals CSSP OBJECTIVES Improve the quality of life for people in Samoa through effective and sustainable civil society organisations. 1. To provide an efficient and accountable funding mechanism that enables civil society organisations to implement effective and innovative development initiatives in response to the priority needs of vulnerable communities and groups of people; and 2. To serve as a responsive resource for civil society development in Samoa by strengthening partnerships, promoting alliances, providing information and conducting research to support achievement of priority national development outcomes CSSP Roles under the EbAED Programme • The registration and coding of applications from interested households, organisations, and existing enterprises • The screening of project proposals or applications and short-listing using a tailored version of the screening/short-listing templates prepared by CSSP for the different categories of applicants; • Collaborating with Samoa Business Hub (SBH)) on the provision of capacity building support to interested applicants and to those already awarded with grants from Round 1 (Call for Proposal (CfP) FY2018/2019); • The facilitation of the assessment process, in partnership with a team of assessors to identify the most responsive applications for award of grants; • The effective monitoring of projects, and the provision of support to interested applicants and to grantees; • The overall management of grants allocation to communities and vulnerable groups and report to the MNRE and MOF; and • CSSP is a member of the MNRE Technical Advisory Group (TAG) for Activity 2.2 EbAED Programme SAMOA BUSINESS HUB (SBH) The Samoa Business Hub (SBH), formerly known as the Small Business Enterprises Centre (SBEC), is working collaboratively with the CSSP in the implementation of the GCF-VCP EbAED Programme. The SBH is a semi-government organisation established in 1994 to encourage the development of small business in Samoa. The vision of SBH is “a sustainable economic and social life for all through business development”. 4 Final Call for Proposals The vision statement encompasses SBH’s goal to encourage positive change in the community through business development. It complements the Government of Samoa’s statement of development Vision of an improved quality of life for all. SBH aims to take people from the informal business sector to the formal business sector. SBH is supporting the GCF-VCP with the provision of a business Help Center formerly known as business incubator to support all applicants in the VRCA with the preparation of project applications for grants, and mentoring grantees for at least 12 months after the businesses are established. SBH Roles under the EbAED Programme • Collaborate with CSSP in the coordination of the CfP process and the management of grants awarded to beneficiaries; • Assist applicants and beneficiaries who will participate in the EbAED Programme with the development of EbAED project proposals; • Organize either independently or in partnership with the Community Development Sector, the support required to interested applicants and beneficiaries; • Work with CSSP and partners to organize public awareness; • Facilitate process for obtaining business licenses. • Organize and issue certificates of participation in specialized trainings to support beneficiaries in their applications and implementation of their projects; • Work with CSSP in monitoring of business financial operations of all grantees • Keep log records of business financial operations and implementation progress of individual projects • Provide quarterly reports to the MNRE and MoF; and • SBH is a member of the MNRE TAG for Activity 2.2 EbAED Programme. APPLICANTS TO FIRST CONFIRM THAT THEY SATISFY THE FOLLOWING: 1. Eligibility to apply 2. Eligibility of proposed project location 3. Intended project aligns with the priorities of the EbAED & will contribute to achieving the goals of the GCF-VCP 4. Capacity to undertake the project for the amount requested 5 Final Call for Proposals WHAT IS ECOSYSTEM-BASED ADAPTATION ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (EbAED)? Ecosystem-based Adaptation is an approach that uses biodiversity and ecosystem services as part of a holistic adaptation strategy (UNEP 2018). Enterprise Development is the act of investing time and capital in helping people establish, expand, or improve ventures. The EbAED Programme aims at improving income generation in the VRCA, and upgrading the existing enterprise development activities in targeted communities that comply with the CSSP and GCF-VCP funding eligibility criteria. EXAMPLES OF ELIGIBLE EbAED ACTIVITIES The types of projects that can be funded through this Programme The activities should aim at improving income generation, and/or upgrading existing enterprise development activities in targeted communities that comply with funding priorities and all other conditions of this CfP. The eligible activities may include: Agro-Forestry