Research Grant Competitions
NEW: Research Grant Competition 3 (RGC3)
We are pleased to share the themes for the third GCBC Research Grant Competition, which were formally announced at UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 9 December 2024.
From February 2025, we will be inviting concept note proposals for projects that address either of the two themes set out below. Successful applicants from this first round will then be invited to submit full proposals. Applicants will be invited to submit proposals for projects that address either theme. All proposals need to address poverty alleviation and climate resilience, focusing on approaches that better value, protect, restore and sustainably manage biodiversity.
Theme 1: Using biodiversity to improve the climate resilience of agricultural, food and bioeconomy value chains
Transforming agrifood systems at scale to incorporate nature-based solutions that build biodiversity back into production landscapes to boost climate resilience and reduce poverty (open to all GCBC focus regions).
Theme 2: Biodiversity hotspots in Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
Building sustainable businesses from nature to adapt to climate change, protect biodiversity and tackle poverty (focused on SIDS).
Within the two themes, the GCBC aims to fund a balanced portfolio of projects which collectively:
- Develop innovative nature-based solutions: Working with communities, businesses (including micro-SMEs) and Indigenous peoples to develop and experimentally test new approaches to managing terrestrial, freshwater or coastal ecosystems. For example, research to underpin nature-positive business models, novel forest management approaches or innovative farming systems that improve outcomes for local communities while boosting biodiversity and improving climate resilience for people and nature.
- Apply systems approaches to inform large-scale transformative change: Research looking at the wider socio-ecological context for change, including novel policy interventions at local, sub-national or national scale. We encourage approaches that explore the factors, processes and worldviews that hold socio-ecological systems in unhelpful or unsustainable states to find new ways of intervening at scale. Innovation is needed in developing systemic interventions: identifying specific leverage points to reconfigure socioecological systems, making nature-based solutions the preferred option. For example, exploring novel markets or incentives, or improving access to data and knowledge, or applying systems frameworks to quantify multiple interacting outcomes taking into account interdependencies and feedback loops.
Resources for RGC3
The GCBC has produced a number of resources to assist applicants for RGC3 grant funding:
Download the RGC3 Theme Paper here
Download the Invitation to Apply Overview here
Download the GCBC Research Strategy here
If you or your organisation are considering submitting a concept note for RGC3, please complete this Expression of Interest Form to ensure you are kept fully updated about forthcoming deadlines, project webinars etc well in advance.
Eligible projects
We aim to fund a mixed portfolio of up to twenty grants covering a range of topics and geographies across both themes. Grants sums of between £100,000 and £1 million are offered for projects of 12-36 months duration. To be accepted for funding under the GCBC programme projects must demonstrate:
- Fit to GCBC: All proposals need to address poverty alleviation and climate resilience, focusing on approaches that better value, protect, restore and sustainably manage biodiversity.
- Fit to theme: Proposals must address research questions within one of the themes set out above.
- GESI: All proposals must incorporate clear plans to factor in gender, equality and social inclusion from the outset.
- R&D: Proposed work must meet the definition of research and development: creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge – including knowledge of humankind, culture and society – and to devise new applications of available knowledge (OECD, 2015).
What we're looking for
Full details about selection criteria and scoring will be provided in the application pack.
Research should aim to generate learning, solutions, tools or methodologies that can be upscaled and replicated in other regions or countries. Uptake of research results is likely to require stakeholder involvement throughout project development and implementation. Proposed research must be carried out to a high ethical standard, including due consideration for gender equality and social inclusion.
We encourage innovation in projects. Innovation is the process of developing and testing new ideas, methods, or technologies (or improving existing ones) in ways that advance knowledge, solve problems, or create value for specific groups. Proposals should explain where proposed approaches are novel, and how they are expected to address specific and clearly identified conceptual or practical problems, knowledge gaps or challenges. We encourage applicants to consider the GCBC’s delivery principles.
Strong proposals will demonstrate
Scientific excellence/ research design
Applying robust methods in the collection and analysis of data to answer the research question.
Embedding gender, equality and social inclusion
- Gender equity: Research must explicitly consider inequalities in the opportunities, choices and resources available to girls, women and non-binary individuals.
- Social inclusion and empowerment: Seeking to reduce the marginalisation of indigenous and local communities in developing solutions.
- Equitable access and benefit sharing: Ensuring benefits from the use of the natural resources are shared equally between those using the resources in the local communities and the providers.
Demonstration of demand for research from local, national or international stakeholders
Demonstrating a good understanding of the likely demand and uptake of proposed solutions.
Replicability and scalability
A clearly defined strategy as to how the solutions demonstrated can be sustainable, scalable and replicable to increase impact at an increased rate.
Quality of engagement plan
Involving stakeholders in design and delivery of research through a transdisciplinary approach. Considering multiple scales of governance from local to national or international. Up-front engagement of the private sector, including micro-SMEs.
Previous Funding Rounds
Research Grant Competition 1 (RGC1)
The first grant call invited applications to conduct research on the role of biodiversity in agriculture and natural resources management (NRM) for climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods, specifically:
- Sustainable agriculture (including crops, livestock, post-harvest technology, agronomy, horticulture, aquaculture and agroforestry) for food, fibre, fuel and pharma supply chains; and
- Natural resource management approaches resilient to climate change (including protecting and/or enhancing ecosystem services, water resource management, natural resource extraction and protecting and/or restoring habitats).
Grants of between £100k – £750k were available for research of between 12-36 months. Applications closed in July 2023 and successful applicants were awarded in November 2023.
Research Grant Competition 2 (RCG2)
The second Research Grant Competition (RGC2) was launched on February 5, 2024. This round invited research applications focusing on ‘Unlocking Nature – Driving innovation in how biodiversity can support climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods through practice and governance.’
A series of webinars were held, leading up to RGC2’s official launch, and throughout the application period (starting week commencing January 22nd, 2024). These webinars delved into the competition theme, outlined eligibility criteria, and provided details on RGC2 – including the application and evaluation process.
18 successful applicants under RGC2 were awarded grants in November, 2024.