Small Grants (ISG Call 2025)

About this grant

IKI Small Grants is a German Federal Government programme, implemented by GIZ, that supports local actors such as non-governmental organisations to implement climate and biodiversity action. It responds to the need for all of society to take part in delivering the Paris Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity, and it targets local actors who work closest to the communities most affected by climate change and biodiversity loss. The page reports that since 2019 more than 250 local project ideas have been selected across two funding lines, supporting around 48,000 people with climate resilience measures and protecting or sustainably managing nearly 100,000 hectares of terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems. The programme funds non-profit projects addressing four IKI support areas: mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation to climate change impacts, conservation of natural carbon sinks including REDD+, and conservation of biodiversity. It operates two lines. The International Calls line selects projects through an annual selection procedure, with grants of 60,000 to 200,000 euros over 1 to 3 years. The Funding Institutions line provides technical and financial support to national and regional institutions so they can run their own calls for proposals for local climate and biodiversity action, with grants of up to 950,000 euros over up to 36 months. Besides financing, the programme offers capacity development so that funded organisations can build stronger roles as actors. The page indicates the current call is in preparation, with the seventh call for proposals announced in November 2025. Contact is through the IKI Small Grants team at GIZ in Berlin.

Eligibility

Under the International Calls line, funding is available to sub-national, national and regional non-profit organisations based in ODA-eligible countries. For-profit non-governmental organisations may also apply if their proposal has not-for-profit objectives. Applicants must have at least three years of relevant experience and an average annual revenue between 60,000 and 500,000 euros. Under the Funding Institutions line, eligible applicants are national and regional institutions based in ODA-eligible countries that have been operational for at least three years, have an average annual turnover of at least 500,000 euros, and have experience managing grants and disbursing funds. These institutions must also pass an assessment of economic viability and other risks, and are identified and selected by the German government and GIZ. Projects must address one of the four IKI support areas.

How it's scored

The page states that projects must address specific local challenges and achieve measurable impacts, and that funding is expected to be both valuable and effective. No explicit scoring criteria, weightings or panel composition are disclosed on this page.

Key requirements

• ✓Project must address climate mitigation, climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, or natural carbon sinks
• ✓Grassroots or smaller-scale implementation in IKI partner countries
• ✓Applicants should be local organizations, community groups, or smaller NGOs with demonstrated capacity

Funder contact

The notice names a programme contact you can speak to before applying.

Frequently asked questions

How much funding does International Climate Initiative (IKI) offer?

Small Grants (ISG Call 2025) offers $66K – $1M.

Who can apply for Small Grants (ISG Call 2025)?

Eligibility covers organisations in GLOBAL-SOUTH, AFRICA, ASIA, LATAM; nonprofit, community-group, local-authority, social-enterprise, indigenous-community. See the eligibility criteria above for the full conditions.

Relevant sectors

About this sector

Climate adaptation funding helps communities, infrastructure and businesses prepare for heat, flooding, drought and sea level rise. Most of it is public and multilateral money, often targeted at vulnerable regions and delivered with local government. Calls usually ask for a climate risk assessment and evidence that local people shaped the plan.