Project Detail

SGP National Conference of Grantees and Partners

Ten years passed since the pilot implementation of the Small Grants Programme in 1992, the UNDP GEF/RNE SGP is organizing its first ever Stakeholders' National Conference last December 03-05, 2002 to build on the gains of the programme through its 10 years of existence from the pilot phase in 1992-1995 to its operational phase in 1996-1998, all the way to its second operational phase from 1999 to the present.

One of the ways or means being considered to build on those gains is by creating a network of past and current SGP grantees and partners that would institutionalize the partnerships forged among them through the years. Among other reasons, the conference is being held to raise with the grantees the possibility of accrediting their organizations under the CGEF that would then serve as their network organization. The national conference would serve as the forum whereby grantees would be able to address the issue of establishing themselves into a network.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Communities for Global Environment Foundation Inc.

Country:

Philippines

Area Of Work:

Multifocal Area

Operational Phase:

Phase 2

Grant Amount:

US$ 44,588.00

Co-Financing Cash:

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 2,512.30

Project Number:

PHI/29/02 GEF-RNE

Start Date:

10/2002

End Date:

3/2003

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Gender Focus

A total of 104 SGP grantees/organizations, POs and NGOs from 42 provinces representing 250 communities. (Total Number of SGP grantees: 114 from 1992-2002)

Capacity - Building Component

A video presentation: Partnership and Community Action: A Journey chronicled the gains and impact of Philippine Programme over the last decade. Case presentations from selected projects underscored the gains, impact, and elements/key success factors of biodiversity conservation and climate change. Three separate discussion forums were also held where grantees shared learnings; identified gaps, challenges, strategies, systems and structures, and resources to address issues; and drafted an activity plan which included a solidarity statement of commitment. A symbolic signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between UNDP Resident Representative and the RNE Ambassador was among the highlights of the conference. Three (3) small group discussions/workshops were facilitated during the entire Conference on the following topics: a Taking Stock of Where We Have Been, and Appreciating What We Have to Move Us Forward into the Future - Undertaken during the first day, this focused on the sharing of grantees of their experiences and drawing of learnings/insights. a "Moving Forward" - This session, which was done during the second day, focused on identifying the challenges, gaps and what needs to be done such as strategies, systems, structures and resources to address the gaps/issues. a "Building National Constituency in Facing the Challenges of the Future" - A Plan of follow through activities including the solidarity statement of commitment was the output of this workshop, which was undertaken during the third day. For the small group discussions/workshops, the grantees and partners were divided into five (5) groups according to geographic distribution: Northern and Central Luzon; Southern Luzon and Metro Manila; Visayas, Northern and Eastern Mindanao, and Southern and Central Mindanao and ARMM. Each group was further divided according to ecosystem and focal theme (forest/upland, coastal/marshland/wetland and climate change). The participants were able to: 1. Describe the achievements and impact of the SGP participating groups/organizations; 2. Able to identify factors that will sustain the change process, protect the gains achieved over time, and move the environmental protection and conservation movement forward. 3. Agreed on the courses of action necessary to protect the gains over time, and sustain the change process. 4. Develop a constituency to support the mainstreaming of SGP through policy-setting and advocacy.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

In compliance with the GEF policy that livelihood activities are not eligible for funding, the Philippine Programme has adhered to this policy. Moreover this policy has not deterred the programme from funding livelihood activities in fact, SGP-funded projects have almost always included livelihood components/activities. SGP has succeeded to assist grantees to access from other funding facilities that address livelihood. It is also worthwhile to share the observation of the SGP stakeholders/collaborators and partners that resource mobilization is working successfully since more than half of the SGP-funded projects have livelihood components.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous peoples coming from different provinces also came to attend the conference.

Notable Community Participation

Now on its 10th year, the SGP-Philippines has funded a total of 114 projects benefiting directly at least 220 NGOs/POs/community-based organizations (CBOs) and 250 local communities. Organized and conducted the UNDP GEF/RNE Small Grants Programme-Philippines first ever national conference tagged as "SGP-Philippines + 10 National Conference of Grantees and Partners" last 03-05 December 2002 at The Legend Hotel in Mandaluyong City. It is also worthwhile to share the observation of the SGP stakeholders/collaborators and partners that resource mobilization is working successfully since more than half of the SGP-funded projects have livelihood components. The event was covered by television and print media during the opening and at the launching of the SGP Decade Report, SGP Policy Paper, SGP Directory and SGP-Philippines Website. UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Terence D. Jones in his keynote highlighted the niche of SGP, as community-focused and its critical role of capacitating communities and its rights-based approach to development; highly committed NSC and NC for the innovations and taking risks in program implementation and systematic monitoring and evaluation of projects, i.e., being able to track the progress and development of each project.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

The national conference is expected to lead to the formulation of an action plan that aims to protect the gains achieved by the projects and their implementing organizations through time. The action plan would outline the specific programs, projects and activities that need to be done within a specific timeline to build on the gains accomplished. It will map out a strategy towards moving the environmental protection and conservation movement forward by strengthening existing community-based initiatives of SGP grantees and their partners and expanding these using a multi-stakeholders approach. Where possible, an ad hoc structure that would eventually be developed into a full-blown organization or alliance/network of past and current SGP grantees and their partners is envisioned to be formed as a result of the conference. The network is expected to spearhead the formulation and implementation of the action plan for sustainability including resource mobilization to sustain current projects and finance future programs, among other things. More importantly, the Conference led to the initial identification of an ad hoc structure/mechanism that could eventually develop into a full-blown organization or alliance/network of past and current SGP grantees and their partners. Likewise, the Conference identified the gaps, challenges, strategies, systems, and structures, and resources to address various issues particularly sustainability of projects beyond SGP-funding. A draft activity plan was formulated as a jump-off point for follow-thru activities, this time, at the ground/community level. The signing of the "solidarity cloth" that bears the Statement of Commitment capped the final day of the conference.

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