Case Study: Accessing GEF funding by a local NGO GEF-NGO consultation

An NGO Experience on access GEF funding ISSUES THAT AFFECT ACCESS Information Participation Project concept design and mechanisms Project delivery

The common route of a GEF project Need -Idea ! Conventions GEF Implementing agency Government International NGO National NGO Local NGO People at the communities Concept-Packaging GEF programmatic approach “Global importance” Implementing agency Government institutions International NGOs National NGOs sometines local people Consultants– their ideas +Implementing agencies+ International NGO+ some stakeholders Arrangements based on the Implementing agency..+ National administration issues+ institutional established mechanisms of exc agency complex delivery… Project design Project implementation Results

1.- GEF 2.- Implementing agency 3.- Country program (ownership?-sequestration? Few gov agencies involved) 4.- CSOs (NGOs) network Information

Participation Definition of portafolio –From the top or from the botton Evaluation and monitoring of the performance of GEF projects in the country Rol of CSOs All the satekholders

Project concept design Mechanism for proposal development Rol of implementing agencies Capacity building to expand the number of projects. Project packaging

Capacity for delivery Civil society?.. Size, administration, technical expertise How to expand the concept of civil society participation, through the type of projects Cost-benefit of small, medium and full size projects (mobilize resources) UN agencies (international funding and structure)

Improvement opportunities 1.- At the GEF Secretariat Communication campaigns, Mechanisms for reach a variety of stakeholders Project design/evaluation assistance Diversify and create new access points and a system for follow-up Include components for improve civil society participation Information-communication-capacity building/ horizontal exchange-south-south Stress criteria for disadvantage groups (indigenous, rural communities)

2. At the implementing agency Reduce the administration procedures Increase technical support for key issues Support capacity building of governments and NGOs Facilitate mobilization of additional funding Facilitate communication to a larger number of stakeholders

3.- At the country level Strategy definition most include participation of civil society and experiences builted by the implementing agencies Participatory evaluation of performance Information of stage of project cycle have to be public Steering committee YES (with all the sectors) Country selection/evaluation of project mechanism Evaluation of cost benefit to be public reports at the country accesible for everybody interested. Country programmatic approach but a great more of ideas and project development opportunities with participation of everybody and partnerships.

4. At the CSOs Network Increase membership Increase national participation (national networks and related with the Conventions) Increase “representation” Develop capacity building projects