Global EbA Fund 2026: grants of up to USD 500,000 for ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change
Verified by the editorial team 25 October 2026
Added to the catalogue Added to the catalogue from the 23 October GetGrant export, terms verified on the Global EbA Fund medium-size grants page and in the call for proposals
Summary
Up to USD 500,000 per project of up to 24 months for NGOs, networks and consortia scaling nature-based adaptation of communities to climate change in ODA-eligible countries, including Ukraine. Applications are accepted online until 16 November 2026.
About the call
The Global EbA Fund is managed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) with funding from Germany's International Climate Initiative (IKI). The medium-size grants call looks for projects that remove systemic barriers to ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA): protecting communities from droughts, floods or land degradation by restoring forests, wetlands, soils and natural systems rather than relying on concrete alone.
Each grant is up to USD 500,000 for up to 24 months. Priorities this round are innovative EbA finance with the private sector, EbA for human development and security in fragile and conflict-affected contexts, and links between the UN climate, biodiversity and land conventions. Projects must build on existing work, involve local partners and, if focused on a specific country, allocate at least 25% of the budget to local organisations.
Ukraine is on the list of ODA-eligible countries, so Ukrainian NGOs can be either the lead applicant or a local partner in an international consortium. The security and resilience topic is especially relevant for restoring damaged ecosystems and communities after the war. Government bodies can be partners but cannot receive Fund money.
Who can apply
- Non-governmental and international non-governmental organisations
- Community-based organisations and Indigenous Peoples' organisations
- Universities, research institutes and think tanks
- Private companies under certain conditions and only in the public interest
- Consortia with a clearly defined lead applicant
- Only legally registered organisations with experience in the project area
Who cannot apply
- Government entities (may be unfunded partners)
- IUCN and UNEP offices
- Individuals
What the funds are for
- Scaling ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change
- Innovative EbA finance mechanisms with the private sector
- EbA for community security and resilience in fragile and post-conflict settings
- Embedding EbA in national strategies and policies
- Knowledge exchange and technical and institutional capacity building
What is not funded
- Standalone new projects not built on existing work
- Projects consisting exclusively of field implementation
- Seed grant programmes
- A second phase of a project already funded by the Fund
- Sub-grants to government entities at any level
Documents required
Forms and templates are on the call page
- Applicant Declaration
- Co-applicant Mandate (for consortia)
- Medium-Size Grants Application Form
- Theory of Change, Logframe and Project Activities Form (uploaded on the portal)
- Budget using the Fund template
- Due Diligence and Financial Capacity Questionnaire
- Statutory documents and register entries translated into English
How to apply
- 1Read the call for proposals and the Grants Procedure Manual on the medium-size grants page
- 2Check alignment with the EbA criteria and select 1 Strategic Objective and 1-2 Action Pillars of the Fund
- 3Form a consortium with local partners and complete the forms offline
- 4Submit the application in English on the IUCN online portal by 16 November 2026
Timeline
Questions and answers
- Can a Ukrainian NGO apply to the Global EbA Fund?
- Yes. Ukraine is an ODA-eligible country, so a registered Ukrainian NGO with relevant experience can be the lead applicant or a local consortium partner. For country-level projects at least 25% of the budget must go to local partners.
- Can local authorities receive Global EbA Fund money?
- No. In line with IKI policy the Fund does not grant or sub-grant to government entities at any level, but working with them as unfunded partners is encouraged.
Change history
- Added: Added to the catalogue from the 23 October GetGrant export, terms verified on the Global EbA Fund medium-size grants page and in the call for proposals
Donor contacts
Website: globalebafund.org/contact/
