SGP Planning Grants may be awarded to selected SGP projects which, in the view of the SGP National Steering Committee (NSC), have a high likelihood of being eventually approved by the NSC. Such SGP Planning Grants - not exceeding US$ 2,000 per project - are designed to enable project proponents to formulate and develop better quality SGP project proposals through more intensive and/or extensive stakeholder consultations, problem analysis, and through the use of local community-based participatory processes in project planning, conceptualization, design and formulation.

SGP Planning Grants are authorized by the NSC on the basis of one-page applications (please see the attached SGP Planning Grant Application Cover Note), which should accompany the SGP Project Concept Paper, when it is submitted to the SGP National Coordinator. Please provide a budget breakdown of the activities for which you plan to use the SGP Planning Grant.

Guidelines for concept paper or proposal writing

1. Project Name

The name usually explains what the project is expected to achieve

2. GEF Focal area

The relevant focal area(s) (Bio-diversity, climate change and international waters) should be listed. Some project may across more than one focal area

3. Operational Program/short-term measure

Project should fall into at least one GEF operational programme or be short-term measures, as defined by the Country programme strategy

4. Project linkage to national priorities, action plan and programme

This should explain how the project is linked to national priorities, environmental action plans and sectoral activities.

5. Project Rationale and Objectives

This should explain the goal and purpose of the project. It should also explain briefly the relationship of the GEF-financed activities to the baseline (or co-financed) activities. It could include:

• Problem statement (summary of threats/root causes)
• What would happen without GEF (global environment consequences)-baseline scenario
• What would happen with the project (global environment benefits)-alternate scenario
• If the project will be removing barriers, describe them
• Why should GEF be involved at all

Generally what parts of the alternative are GEF responsibilities, and what parts are co-financing

6. Expected outcomes

This should identify which concrete results (changes) are expected form the project in order to address global environmental issues (i.e. it should explain the global environmental benefits of the project).

7. Planned activities to achieve outcomes

This should identify what specific activities the project will undertake to achieve expected outcomes benefiting the global environment

8. Stakeholder involved in project

This should briefly describe stakeholder groups that will be involved in the project and/ or those groups affected by the project activities.

9. Information on project proposer

Information on the proponent should include: name, type and location of the entity. Additional information, such as the date of establishment, mandate/terms of reference, and membership/ leadership of the entity, evidence of registration/ accreditation, latest annual budget (include sources of revenue), and relevant experience or activities, manpower, including prior or ongoing activities with the implementing agencies, can be attached to the concept paper.

10. Estimated budget

The budget should include a preliminary estimate of the GEF-financed portion of project execution costs, the portion expected to be financed by other sources and the total.

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