RAISE LENS GRANT BRIEF ·
Up to USD 500,000 for ecosystem-based adaptation: the Global EbA Fund 2026 call
Two windows, closing 26 October and 16 November 2026
Key facts
- Programme
- Global EbA Fund, 2026 call for proposals (small and medium grants)
- Who runs it
- Implemented by IUCN and UNEP, with funding from Germany's International Climate Initiative (IKI)
- What it funds
- Catalytic initiatives that move ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) from single projects to wider uptake
- Amounts
- Small grants up to USD 250,000. Medium grants up to USD 500,000
- Closing dates
- Small grant applications close 26 October 2026. Medium grant applications close 16 November 2026
- Duration
- Small grants 18 to 24 months. Medium grants up to 24 months
- Expected project start
- First quarter of 2027, after due diligence and contract signature
Two windows compared
| Item | Small grant | Medium grant |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Up to USD 250,000 | Up to USD 500,000 |
| Duration | 18 to 24 months | Up to 24 months |
| Window | 28 Sep to 26 Oct 2026 | 12 Oct to 16 Nov 2026 |
| Geography | Priority to least developed countries and small island developing states | All ODA-eligible countries; countries the Fund has not yet supported are encouraged |
| Scope | Investment readiness, adapting tested technology, applied research on specific barriers | Systemic barriers to scale, policy integration, innovative finance, geographic expansion |
| Themes | None | Three optional themes, not scored as such |
Who can apply
Eligible as lead
- International and national NGOs, and community-based organisations
- Intergovernmental organisations
- Universities and research institutes
- Private companies, only where the project is strictly non-profit and earns no income
- Consortia: one lead submits, co-applicants sign a mandate
Not eligible for funding
- Governments, directly or as sub-grantees (they can be local partners)
- UNEP and IUCN offices
- Top-up funding for a project the Fund already supports
- A second application from the same portal account in one window
- Two proposals from one organisation with the same geography and objectives
What reviewers look for
The project must be catalytic. Fieldwork is accepted only as a justified component.
- One strategic objective, and at most two action pillars
- Climate hazards defined and linked to each activity
- One or at most two ecosystems in a country project
- Partners based in the country and the project area
- A named route to follow-on funding: market, private or public
From the brief
