The LAUNCH Nordic Innovation Challenge 2017 focuses on new ways of design and manufacturing for a circular economy. LAUNCH Nordic aims to select ten innovations to be scaled globally through its international partners, network, and accelerator program. The program is open to innovators worldwide. The deadline for submissions is 01 September 2017. Link
business/enterprise
U.S. Department of State — Environmental Funding for Pacific Islands
The U.S. Department of State announces environmental awards up to US$25 thousand to support local and regional small-scale environmental projects in eligible countries of the Pacific Islands region. Subject areas are agriculture and fisheries; sustainable economic development; adaptation to changing environmental conditions, e.g., coastal management; waste management, including marine litter; air quality; biodiversity and healthy ecosystems; marine protected areas; environment or health-related education; capacity building for scientific research on environmental issues; and deployment of new technology for application to environmental issues. Projects may propose activities in Fiji; Kiribati; Marshall Islands; Micronesia; Nauru; Palau; Samoa; Solomon Islands; Tonga; Tuvalu; or Vanuatu. Applications are invited from NGOs; public international organizations; institutions of higher education; and for-profit organizations and businesses. Funding Opportunity 2017-EAP-SUVAREO. The application deadline is 15 July 2017. Link
Conservation International — Conservation Stewards Program
The Conservation Stewards Program works with communities who agree to protect their natural resources and the benefits they provide through conservation agreements. The Conservation Agreements Private Partnership Platform (CAPPP) is global in scope and open to all areas where greater support for biodiversity conservation from the private sector can be achieved through conservation agreements. The deadline for proposals is 30 June 2017. Link
European Commission — Energy Development in Lesotho
The EC invites applications to promote expanded access to rural energy in Lesotho. Activities should focus on commercial opportunities for solar innovations in households; demonstration of mini-grid projects; and support for businesses that offer sustainable energy products and services in rural Lesotho. The lead applicant should be an NGO, private company, research institute, public sector operator, or local authority in Lesotho or an EU member state. International (inter-governmental) organisations are also eligible. Reference EuropeAid/155297/DD/ACT/LS. The deadline for concept notes is 07 June 2017. Link
Global Cleantech Innovation Programme — Clean Technology for SMEs 2017
The Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP) for small and medium enterprises is co-sponsored by the GEF, UNIDO, and national institutions in the participating countries. The GCIP aims to spur local innovations in energy efficiency, green buildings, renewable energy, waste management, and water efficiency. Each country manages a competition to identify promising entrepreneurs and a business accelerator to connect them to potential investors, customers, and partners. The rules of participation, and the benefits of the program, vary by country. The remaining application deadlines include: 10 May for Turkey, Link; 09 June for Malaysia, Link; and 10 June for Pakistan, Link.
U.S. Department of State — Supporting Tunisia’s Agribusiness Sector
The program aims to increase the productivity, competitiveness, and sustainability in selected value chains and areas of the agribusiness sector to boost Tunisia’s agro-food exports. Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations; for-profit organizations; private institutions of higher education, public and state institutions of higher education; public international organizations; and small businesses. The U.S. Embassy in Tunis strongly encourages applications from civil society organizations headquartered in the Middle East and North Africa. Funding Opportunity NEAAC-EMBASSYTUNIS-16-002. The application deadline is 08 June 2017. Link
IUCN-Oceania — Small Grants for Energy in the Pacific Islands
The Energy Small Grants Programme provides funding for renewable energy and energy efficiency in participating countries of the Oceania region. These energy projects should be coupled with strong linkages to biodiversity and ecosystem conservation. Applications are invited from communities, civil society organisations, and private enterprises. The participating countries are Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Funding is up to US$20 thousand. The deadline for applications is 01 June 2017. Link
Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves — Women’s Empowerment Fund
The Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves welcomes applications for the fourth annual Women’s Empowerment Fund (WEF). The WEF is a financing mechanism to scale business models for women’s entrepreneurship in projects to advance household energy. The WEF will award up to four grants in the range of US$75 thousand to US$150 thousand for one year. The Alliance will give preference to enterprises owned and managed by women in the following countries: Bangladesh,China, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda. However, qualified organizations operating in other countries are also encouraged to apply. Applicants must be a registered partner of the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves prior to the application deadline. Organizations that are not currently partners can learn how to register from information published on the website. The application deadline is 02 April 2017. Link
Energy and Environmental Partnership Mekong — Support for Project Preparation
The Energy and Environment Partnership Programme with the Mekong Region (EEP Mekong) is funded by Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs to improve access to sustainable energy in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. EEP Mekong offers grants to facilitate project preparation in the participating countries. The focus of preparation support will be feasibility studies on clean energy, particularly bioenergy and W2E projects, in both the public and private sectors. Other types of preparation support (cost-benefit analysis, environmental impact studies, etc.) will be considered case-by-case. EEP Mekong will fund up to 80% of the feasibility studies or other preparation costs. Proposed projects should have a minimum capital investment of €500 thousand. Applications can be submitted through 31 December 2017. Link
European Commission — Kolarctic Collaboration, Europe with Russia
Kolarctic offers funding to projects that contribute to internationalization and cross-border cooperation between countries in northern Europe (Finland, Norway, Sweden) and Northwest Russia. Themes in Kolarctic address environmental protection, along with climate change adaptation and mitigation (among others). Eligibility for project funding extends to private and public organizations from each side of the EU-Russia border. Every project should provide at least 10% co-funding. The application deadline is 15 March 2017. Link