Legacy Landscapes Fund’s grant program provides long-term, dependable and secure baseline funding for selected globally recognized biodiversity hotspots – our legacy landscapes.
The fund focuses on places and partnerships that promise effective biodiversity conservation. This includes both new and existing terrestrial protected areas and landscapes that are biologically outstanding and where long-term conservation of habitat, species, and ecological processes is viable.
LLF believes that its strength is its ability to source significant long-term grant funding for legacy landscapes by blending public and private donor funds. Grant funding of one million USD per year will be given in the form of either:
- A perpetual grant, a permanent grant guaranteed at the outset; or
- A sustaining grant, an initial long-term grant of 15 years that is intended to be complemented by further long-term funding sources for the post-grant period that are developed during the grant term.
LLF’s financial commitments are consistent with national and international protection strategies as well as social and ecological standards and safeguards, which includes the needs and human rights of indigenous and local populations. Active involvement of the local population, including the establishment of transparent and culturally appropriate grievance mechanisms, is a mandatory prerequisite for funding. All commitments must also support the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
For detailed information, please have a look at our grant program guide.
What We Fund
Legacy landscapes are defined as:
A terrestrial landscape covering a contiguous area of at least 200,000 hectares (2000 km²) that is ecologically largely intact and of global significance, with
- at least 50% of the landscape’s territory classified as IUCN Category I / II or equivalent protected area(s) and be managed by or under authority delegated by a national or regional government, and
- the remaining area of the landscape (if any) must have some other recognized and legally secured protection status (e.g. another IUCN category, a community-managed conservation area, etc.)
The support program will focus on:
- Preservation of the ecological functions of the protected areas as well as their buffer zones;
- Promotion of good governance, effective public institutions, and trustful cooperation with local populations (e.g. via participation, grievance, and conflict resolution mechanisms), while respecting human rights and the rights of indigenous peoples, as well as international environmental and social standards
Core requirements for grantees:
LLF grantees will be non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or locally based actors (ICCAs, etc.), potentially in consortia, with proven credentials in the following areas:
- Track record of impactful conservation work at scale
- Experience in implementing large grants including financial and administrative systems sufficient to manages such grants
- A legal base to work in the country and region of the legacy landscape (MoU or other) and a proven track record of conservation work in the region of the proposed legacy landscape
- Familiarity and established trustful relations with:
- relevant government agencies (national and local) in which the legacy landscape is located, and
- local communities, grassroots organizations, and local stakeholder groups in the area in which the legacy landscape is located
- Adherence to human rights, social and environmental standards as laid down in the World Bank and UN standards (and as shall be further developed in an environmental and social ,anagement system, the “Program ESMS”)
- The ability to bring the required private match funding to the proposed grant program
How to Apply
LLF does not accept unsolicited proposals. Grants are awarded based on open Calls for Proposals only (Calls for Proposals are currently closed).
LLF issues a call for proposals and may specify any particulars of the call, including any particulars as to the kind of LL’s the call is intended to attract, e.g. geographic location, whether proposals for Perpetual or Sustaining Grants are solicited (or both), how much funding is available and how many proposals are likely to be considered for further development, and the like.