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Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund aims to help developing countries and economies in transition contribute to the overall objective of the Rio Conventions including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to mitigate climate change, while enabling sustainable economic development. The GEF is intended to cover the incremental costs of a measure to address environmental issues such as climate change, relative to a business as usual base line. Additionally, the GEF has multiple, focused initiatives:

Support for Programming Through National Dialogues, which provides resources so that countries can carry out multi stakeholder exercises that help prioritize actions that can be financed with GEF funding
Non-Grant Support Program, which supports non-grant financial instruments to combat global environmental degradation
Small-Grants Program, which promotes community-based innovation, capacity development, and empowerment of local communities and civil society organizations

Support provider

Global Environment Facility

Purpose of support

Project and program implementation

Eligible countries and regions

Countries are eligible for GEF funding in Climate Change if the country has ratified the UNFCCC and conforms with the eligibility criteria decided by the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC. Check if your country is eligible and the corresponding funding allocated to it here.

Eligibility criteria

National priority: The project must be driven by the country (rather than by an external partner) and be consistent with national priorities that support sustainable development. GEF’s funds are available to projects that are endorsed by governments in eligible countries.

Incremental cost: The project must seek GEF financing only for the agreed incremental costs on measures to achieve global environmental benefits. Consult the definition of incremental cost here.

Participation: The project must involve all relevant stakeholders in project design and implementation, following the Policy on Stakeholder Engagement and the respective guidelines. Find them here.

Deployment of funds through a Partner Agency: to deploy its resources, the GEF works with Partners Agencies (GEF Implementing Agencies), which, for most activities, are the only institutions that can access GEF funding directly. However, countries can access funding from the GEF for some enabling activities such as completing Biennial Update Reports (BURs) and National Communications. GEF Partner Agencies comply with GEF’s Fiduciary Standards and Environment and Social Safeguard Policies. There are currently 18 GEF Agencies including UN agencies, multilateral development banks, international financial institutions, and NGOs. Click here for the list of GEF Agencies.

Financial instruments

Grants, Concessional loans, Equity, Guarantees

Co-financing requirements (if applicable)

Yes. See the GEF’s co-financing policy here. Sources of co-financing include public and private, domestic and international.

Decision-making information

Secretariat: The Global Environmental Facility (GEF) has an independent secretariat based in Washington DC. It coordinates the overall implementation and is headed by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) appointed to serve for four years, with a maximum of two terms.
GEF Assembly: The governing body of the GEF in which representatives of all member countries participate. It meets every four years and is responsible for the upcoming 4-years cycle approval including the GEF Trust Fund replenishment and policies.
GEF Council: A 32-member Council made up of 16 developing countries, 14 developed countries and two economies in transition. It meets twice a year to develop, adopt and evaluate operational policies, and review and approve the Work Program (projects submitted for approval). Decisions are taken by consensus where possible, but if not, through a double-majority voting requiring 60% of Council members and 60% of contributions.
Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP): Provides independent review and advice, including on GEF programs and projects. Its members are appointed by the Executive Director of UNEP, in consultation with the GEF’s CEO, the Administrator of UNDP, and the President of the World Bank.
Independent Evaluation Office: An Independent Office of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) informs decision-making on amendments and improvements; and promotes accountability for the effective use of resources while supporting knowledge management and learning.
Trustee: World Bank
GEF Focal Points: Government officials, designated by member countries, responsible for GEF activities and to ensure that GEF projects are country-driven and responsive of national priorities. All the GEF projects operating in a country need to be endorsed by the Operational Focal Points. The list of the GEF Focal points can be found here.

Monitoring and reporting procedures

Each GEF Implementing Agency is responsible for project implementation and is directly accountable to the GEF Council. GEF Implementing Agencies conduct project-level monitoring and evaluation activities in accordance with the GEF Implementing Agency systems and consistent with the GEF Monitoring and Evaluation Policy. GEF Implementing Agencies undertake mid-term reviews for Full-sized Projects under implementation and submit them to the GEF Secretariat (See sections "Organizational and decision-making structure" above for the governance structure of the GEF). Agencies submit projects terminal evaluation reports to the GEF Independent Evaluation Office.

Information on the updated Monitoring and Evaluation Policies can be found here.

More information on the GEF can be found in the GEF Knowledge and Learning landing page here including the e-course “Introduction to the GEF” accessible here.

Information on how to...

Understand the steps to access

Access preparatory support for national dialogues and reports

Partner with a GEF Agency

Develop strong concept notes and project proposals

Submit a Funding proposal

Involve the private sector

Climate objective

Adaptation, Mitigation, Cross-cutting

Sectors and themes

Agriculture, Cities, Disaster risk reduction, Education, Energy efficiency, Forestry and Land-Use, Gender, Health, Industry and Infrastructure, Jobs, Nature-based Solutions and Ecosystem Services, Oceans and Coasts, Poverty, Renewable Energy, Rural Development, Transport, Waste Management, Water

Type of support provider

Multilateral

Type of recipient

Public entity at the national level, International organization, Non-profit or civil society organization, Private sector

Fund size

Since its inception, it has provided more than USD 21 billion in grants

Co-financing required

Yes

Application timeframe

On a rolling basis.

Trustee or administrator

World Bank

Contact information

http://www.thegef.org/gef/

secretariat@thegef.org

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Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund

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