Eligible countries in 2025

The RISE grants challenge will only accept applications proposing implementation in one of the eligible countries. Within that country, applicants are strongly encouraged to focus on no more than two or three sub-counties, or equivalent local administrative areas. 

• Brazil
• Cambodia
• Colombia 
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Ecuador
• Ethiopia
• Gabon
• Ghana
• Guatemala
• Indonesia 
• Kenya 
• Mexico 
• Mozambique
• Nepal
• Peru 
• Philippines 
• Republic of Congo
• Sri Lanka
• Sudan
• Thailand  
• United Republic of Tanzania 
• Vietnam
• Zambia 

Please refer to Annex 1 of the Call for Proposals for the list of eligible countries.

Eligible applicants

The RISE grants challenge is open to legally registered local, national, regional, or international organisations, including:

• Non-governmental organisations (NGOs);
• Grassroots, local and community-based organisations (CBOs), including women, and youth-led organisations;
• Civil society organisations (CSOs);
• Indigenous Peoples’ Organisations (IPOs);
• Women-owned/women-led enterprises;
• Faith-based organisations (FBOs);
• International non-governmental organisations (INGOs);
• Intergovernmental organisations (IGOs);
• Universities and other academic institutions that are NOT publicly funded;
• Research institutes and think tanks; 
• Private sector companies (international, regional, national, local) (for-profit organisations must clearly demonstrate that the proposed project pursues strictly non-profit objectives and does not generate any income);
• Consortiums, partnerships and other already existing forms of collaboration; 
• Organisations that are members of IUCN and/or others with track record improving environment outcomes; and 
• Organisations that have previously applied for and/or received RISE funding (these applicants must specifically articulate how another grant builds on the learnings and results of the first).

Partnership and collaborations

The RISE grants challenge requires partnerships between environmental organisations, gender and GBV-expert organisations, Indigenous Peoples’ Organisations, local communities and/or relevant experts. Lead applicants must partner with no more than two organisations. Please note that governments and public entities are not eligible as partners, but they can be engaged as project stakeholders. 

Local presence

The applicant must already have a presence in the country where the activities are proposed, OR be a local organisation, OR have a duly registered local partner that meets the requirements for consortia and partnerships. It is preferred that at least one of the partners is a grassroots, locally-led organisation; that is, local people and institutions who possess the capability, connectedness and credibility to drive change in their own countries and communities. IUCN will require supporting documentation to demonstrate legal status to operate where the intervention is taking place. 

Thematic responsiveness

Proposals must address the scope, purpose and objectives of the RISE grants challenge, which are defined in section 3 of the Call for Proposals. Additionally, the RISE grants challenge requires interventions that meet the programmatic requirements in section 4.5 of the Call for Proposals.

Operational and administrative capacity

Eligible applicants must have sufficient capacity to allow for professional and timely implementation of proposed projects. Applicants will be asked to answer some initial due diligence questions as part of their application.

Language

Applicants must submit their proposal in English. Hand-written documents will not be accepted.

The primary working language for the RISE grants challenge and related trainings and cohort peer learning is English.

Sexual exploitation, abuse and Harassment (SEAH) policy

In accordance with IUCN’s Policy on the Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Sexual Abuse and Sexual Harassment, IUCN will “encourage its partners involved in IUCN-related activities to abide by this Policy or adopt policies and procedures that are consistent with this Policy, with the purpose of safeguarding against SEAH in IUCN-related activities” (IUCN, 2019). Applicants to RISE will be expected to either have SEAH policies and procedures – or to include their development as part of their RISE activities – in order to be in compliance with IUCN. 

Self- and collective care

Self and collective care is an important strategy for ensuring the well-being of those working on gender-based violence. RISE applicants have an ethical responsibility to do no harm and mitigate risks to the psychological well-being and safety of staff. RISE applicants will be expected to incorporate structures or frameworks to strengthen broader efforts to support staff, such as spaces for learning and discussing stress and trauma, or flexible work arrangements and leave policies for mental health as a part of their proposals and budgets.