Benjamin Salt’s Post

🌊🌿 Empowering Coastal Communities: The OCEAN Grants Programme is Now Open! 🌿🌊 Are you part of a local coastal community or organization passionate about marine protection and poverty reduction? Dive into an incredible opportunity with the Ocean Community Empowerment and Nature (OCEAN) Grants Programme, supported by the UK Government's Blue Planet Fund. 1. Why Apply? OCEAN is on a mission to fund local solutions to local problems, supporting projects that aim to: - 🐠 Protect marine environments - 🚀 Reduce poverty - 💡 Deliver innovative marine protection solutions - 🌍 Foster community resilience against climate change 2. Two Funding Pathways: 1. Community Grants: Up to £250,000 for small to medium local organizations in eligible countries. Projects should enhance local community capacity to address marine and poverty issues. 2. Partnership Grants: £250,000 to £3 million for projects led by medium to large organizations that create impactful partnerships with local entities. 3. Key Dates: - Community Grants Stage 1: Open until 18 March 2024 - Partnership Grants Stage 1: Open until 2 April 2024 4. Eligibility: - Projects in eligible countries focused on marine protection and poverty reduction - Partnership projects must collaborate with at least one local organization 5. How to Apply: - Check the full list of eligible countries and detailed guidance on [OCEAN Grants Homepage](https://lnkd.in/gxGBdHcx) - Register an account or log in to submit your innovative project proposal 6. Don't Miss This Wave: Seize this chance to make a significant impact on ocean health and community prosperity. Whether you're aiming to restore coral reefs, combat overfishing, or empower coastal communities, OCEAN Grants can turn your vision into reality. For more details and to apply, visit our website: https://lnkd.in/dHTft5Cc Let's work together for thriving oceans and communities! 🌐🔵 #ChanakyaAdvisors #OceanConservation #CommunityEmpowerment #MarineProtection #BluePlanetFund #OCEANGrants #SustainableDevelopment #ApplyNow

As Chair of the BNZ Foundation, I am thrilled to announce that following 18 months of comprehensive planning and groundwork, the Foundation is now actively supporting community initiatives, committing $590,000 in grants to our initial three community partners: 🌊 Revive Our Gulf: This project, receiving $450,000, is led by the Mussel Reef Restoration Trust in collaboration with iwi and research partners. It focuses on restoring the kūtai (green-lipped mussel) reefs in the Hauraki Gulf, aiming to enhance marine biodiversity and water quality. This restoration is crucial for re-establishing natural habitats, vital for marine life, and has the potential to significantly benefit local fisheries and coastal ecosystems. 🚗 Waka Aronui: Waka Aronui is a social car leasing programme designed to provide low-income families and whānau with access to affordable, safe, and low-emission vehicles. Aimed at reducing the reliance on high-interest, second-tier vehicle finance, which too often sees low-income families saddled with unaffordable, poorly maintained and uninsured vehicles, the programme is already making a difference through a pilot currently under way in South Auckland. (The Ākina Foundation, Manukau Urban Māori Authority) With a $110,000 grant from the BNZ Foundation, a comprehensive feasibility study will explore options to scale the programme to more regions across New Zealand as well as the potential to incorporate new solutions such as vehicle sharing and e-bikes. 💡 A new initiative to enhance financial resilience: With a $30,000 grant from the BNZ Foundation and support from other philanthropic sources, Centre for Sustainable Finance: Toitū Tahua is leading work to establish a network of corporates and community groups to support New Zealanders facing economic hardship. The goal is to ensure New Zealanders experiencing hardship can continue to access essential goods and services, by connecting with corporate and community providers through a single access point. Each of these projects demonstrates our targeted approach to funding, ensuring that every dollar counts and contributes to lasting positive change in our country. We are looking forward to working closely with our partners and supporting the growth and impact these partnerships will bring to our communities. 🔗 Find out more about the BNZ Foundation at bnz.co.nz/bnzfoundation #BNZFoundation #Communities #Sustainability #Impact #NewZealand 📷 Arie Spyskma

Great opportunity to apply for #grants for those working in the #marineenvironment and #coastalcommunities. Open to small. medium and large organisations worldwide. "What types of projects will OCEAN fund? Funding is available for projects that focus on both: Marine Protection: Applications must focus on marine protection. This could directly relate to one of the Blue Planet Fund’s following seven key outcomes, but this is not a requirement: • Marine protected areas (MPAs) and other effective conservation measures (OECMs); • Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU); • International and large-scale fisheries; • Marine pollution; • Critical marine habitats; • Small-scale fisheries; • Sustainable aquaculture."

"The optimism and resilience from community change makers is inspiring...There is much hope and light at the end of the tunnel. What if all the last-mile, little known community organisations document their natural physical resources such as rivers, land, shelter, wildlife, sunshine, carbon, gas, oil, minerals, coffee, trees, herbs combine that with money and in-kind contributions such as skills, knowledge, security, territories, people, languages, food, hospitality, warmth, love, music, dance, culture, and networks. We shall have huge community prosperity funds spread across the globe. From Colombia to Peru. South Africa to Niger. Combined these community funds will have huge asset bases and they shall be more than 1000% rich of what is computed as humanitarian aid from the usual big donors. With such community prosperity funds, we shall have built a strong base to respond to our development challenges and avoid the top-down power imbalances that comes with external funding." A powerful vision of an alternative future from Elizaphan Ogechi, one that is already emerging and within our grasp. It calls to mind the words Arundhati Roy: "Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”  https://lnkd.in/eueaCk9F

Green Foster Action Uganda (GreFA) is a youth-led non-profit organization which is legally registered. GreFA is inspired by young people and grass root communities that stand up collectively to protect the environment and their rights. GreFA works with social movements and grass-root organizations in exposing authorities that hold power and corporations that oppress communities that face climate change impacts, water scarcity, energy deficiency, poverty, and insufficient food production leaving people vulnerable and unable to meet their basic needs. GreFA advocates for accountability, equity, and justice. We are committed to embracing an inclusive approach, prioritizing the needs identified by social movements, grassroots communities, and organizations. Our unwavering belief in supporting initiatives that foster growth and development drives our dedication to achieving success in the four strategic areas we focus on. Our mission: We envision a community free from threats of climate change and embracing sustainable environmental practices for a decent livelihood. Our Vision: Our mission is to engage communities in creative approaches of climate change advocacy, research and related processes. Our Values: Integrity, Team Work, Innovation, Respect, Commitment, Partnership. #ClimateAction #ClimateEmergency

Someone asked me what's so particular about this tree planting and I made him know that for the past 7 years, we have invested several millions of naira in community tree planting- purely social investment on #landrestoration. We do not own or directly benefit from these trees- they are for the good of the people and their environment. It is giving the people hope for a brighter, greener, and more prosperous future. It teaches patience, resilience, and patriotism. When you teach people to understand values, destroying them becomes inconceivable. They will be inspired to protect, nurture, and live to reap from their labours. Local tree planting creates lasting pathways to emancipate the vulnerable from economic, social, and environmental undersupply. It feeds the people and creates employment which eventually #empowers them to walk out of poverty! #communitytreeplanting #sustainabledevelopment #community #humanity #charity #climateaction #nonprofitleader #developmentpractitioner #leadership Kindly follow the Rural Watch Africa Initiative - RUWAI for regular updates. Global EverGreening Alliance UN Convention to Combat Desertification G20 Global Land Initiative GlobalGiving Ecosia Google Microsoft

Just came across this insightful article written by Zach Theiler, The New Humanitarian, and it brought to mind the famous French expression, "vouloir le beurre et l'argent du beurre," which translates to "having your cake and eating it too." The piece highlights a critical issue in the humanitarian sector: the overhead funding rules that often starve grassroots NGOs of essential resources. These organisations are the backbone of local communities, driving impactful change from the ground up. Yet, restrictive funding policies leave them struggling to cover basic operational costs, creating a paradox where we expect them to deliver exceptional outcomes with minimal support. It’s time for a paradigm shift in how we allocate resources. By investing more in the operational capacities of these grassroots organisations, we can enable them to be more effective, sustainable, and ultimately, more impactful in their missions. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dbE92kk6 What are your thoughts on this? How can we advocate for more equitable funding practices? #EquitablePartnerships #AuthenticStorytelling #InfluencingWiderChange #HumanitarianAid #GrassrootsNGOs #Funding #SustainableDevelopment #ChangeMakers Kate Moger, Aleema Shivji, John Kitui, Amy Croome, Abby Maxman, Helen Stawski, Lute Kazembe, Suzi Faye, Marta Valdés García, Patrick Gathara,Irwin Loy

We are pleased to share our Annual Impact Report for 2023 with you! In two years, the Belize Fund has: ✅ BZ $18 million total funds approved 💰 BZ $7.3 million total funds disbursed 🌊 14 projects funded 🏫 6 Government Agencies, 11 NGOs, 1 Academia, and 1 CBO funded 🌱 14 marine protected areas supported (527,268 ha) 👨👩👧👦 40 coastal communities reached 🪸 66 persons trained We've made great progress in our governance and institutional effectiveness and we will continue to make adjustments as we prioritize how we implement our fit-for-purpose grantmaking to be more inclusive. We plan to launch several new mechanisms to increase access by community organizations and stakeholder groups. We invite you to read our report and learn more about our work here: https://lnkd.in/euTuwiP2 _ #BelizeFund #MarineConservation #BlueEconomy #OceanResilience

Funding Opportunities for NGOs Title: Addressing water Contamination and sanitation issues. Funder/donor: Well Aware Target: Supports communities who are facing water contamination and/or scarcity. Eligible Organization: Nonprofits organizations working in the WASH Eligible Countries: Kenya and Tanzania Amount: Flexible Deadline: Ongoing Additional info; https://lnkd.in/db-Nkfxe Title: Systems Change Funder/donor: Firelight Foundation Target: Community-based organisations that are working with their communities to drive systems change for children and youth. Eligible Organization: CBOs Eligible Countries: Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe Amount: Flexible Deadline: Ongoing Additional info; https://lnkd.in/dTXEtJ2Y Title: Call for Research Grant Proposals: Environment, Climate Change and Human Rights in Zimbabwe Funder/donor: Raoul Wallenberg Institute Target: Grants under the Call are awarded to research projects relevant to the theme, “Environment, Climate Change and Human Rights” Change Eligible Organization: Academic faculty members and researchers from Zimbabwean universities, independent research centres, independent commissions and civil society organisations are eligible to apply both individually and jointly Eligible Countries: Zimbabwe Amount: the budgets for individual research projects should not exceed USD 1000 and for a team of two on a research project USD 2000. Deadline: 8th July 2024 Additional info; https://lnkd.in/dabH-cJX Share within your circles. Join https://lnkd.in/dQ8JkZQ5 for more detailed alerts. #NGOs #Grants #Partnerships #funding #Sustainability #UN #nonprofits #SDGs #Proposals #opportunities #opportunity #Philanthropy #Povery #ClimateChange #Women #Vulnerability

Today marks #International_Charity_Day, as designated by the United Nations. Our #Group and Antipollution SA, Antipollution Egypt, VEN Engineering SA embody the #values of #charity and #solidarity through a wide range of #Corporate_Social_Responsibility initiatives. These efforts are also supported by the Deppy Vasileiadis Foundation, with a focus on key areas such as #education, #healthcare, #social welfare, #poverty #alleviation, #unemployment, #environmental_protection, #animal_care, and #disaster_relief in #local_communities affected by #crises and #climate_change. We remain #committed to strengthening our #work in these pillars, becoming #stronger every day. #charity #solidarity #commitment #vgroup #antipollution #esg #society #unitednations