Capacity development in regular SGP projects
Capacity development and learning underpin all SGP activities. An integral understanding of how local communities manage change combined with innovative approaches to capacity development — at all levels and among a broad spectrum of grantees and partner organizations — have proven critical to achieve environment and sustainability goals. Almost all SGP-supported projects include capacity-building, communications and experience-sharing elements.
Many partners consider SGP's capacity development approach one of its most valuable features, whether it takes the form of participating in the NSC, conducting meetings with partners, strategic planning and management of the project, building consensus and promoting dialogue between stakeholders, publishing an article in the media, or developing monitoring and learning tools to measure and reflect on progress. The programme's flexibility and willingness to delegate responsibilities to grantees and partners are positive factors.
Capacity development as standalone projects
In addition to the usual capacity development activities included in regular SGP projects, during OP5 SGP will start grant-making in Capacity Development as a multifocal area. These grants consist of standalone projects that are strategic and support the work of the other areas of work at the portfolio level. These grants should contribute to meet the objectives of the Country Programme Strategy, contribute to the GEF Capacity Development Framework and shall not exceed 10% of total country program grant allocation.
The National Steering Committee in each country will decide whether to use these allocation for Capacity Development grants and will also decide and prioritize what should be the focus of these grants:
- To enhance the capacities of stakeholders to engage throughout the consultative process
- To generate, access and use information and knowledge
- To strengthen capacities to develop policy an legislative frameworks
- To strengthen capacities to implement and manage global convention guidelines
- To enhance capacities to monitor and evaluate environmental impacts and trends
These grants will have a specific call for proposals and criteria for the selection process to ensure transparency. The identification and selection process remains in line with established SGP standards and should be open to all local and national NGOs and CBOs. The selected entity should provide a detail project report on the utilization of the funds with a focus on results and indicators.