Seeds of Sustainability Fund Program 2025 (Up to $10,000)

 Deadline: 18th April, 2025

The Seeds of Sustainability Fund is intended to stimulate or catalyze projects that address biodiversity loss, climate change, and environmental inequality.

Proposals for Seeds of Sustainability funding should link to one of the following focus areas:

1. Habitat and species protection, both terrestrial and marine:
   • ex: establishing protected areas, conservation easements, species recovery projects, management activities (e.g., signs, trails, park guards, invasive species removal, waste management, population monitoring), projects to reduce human-wildlife conflicts, and no-take zone implementation.
2. Restoration, corridors and habitat connectivity:
   • tree planting, assisted regeneration, riparian and streamside restoration; coral reef, mangrove forest, or seagrass restoration, urban/suburban greenways and parks.
3. Improvements to agriculture that reduce habitat loss and carbon emissions, or improve biodiversity and water quality:
   • agroforestry and silviculture, fencing and watering tanks to keep livestock out of natural areas, organic production systems, fencerow restoration
4.  Environmental entrepreneurships that emphasize environmental conservation, particularly those led by women, indigenous people, or marginalized groups:
   • • ecotourism, beekeeping, agrotourism, sustainable packaging or production
5. Technical training or education related to environment, biodiversity and sustainability:
   • Communication materials and media, equipment or supplies, honoraria for experts to provide training, development of course materials

Funding

The level of funding applicants may request depends on their level of partnership.

*First-time applicants:  Anyone applying for the first time to for a Seeds of Sustainability grant may request up to $5,000 maximum.

Conservation Partners:  First-time grant recipients who demonstrate successful completion of their project, may be invited to join our Conservation Partner network and be eligible to apply for $10,000 (or more) annually.  Continuation of funding depends highly on the ability to demonstrate tangible conservation outcomes that align with our Conservation Priorities after each funding cycle.

Eligible Projects

Non-profit organizations, community organizations or associations, small businesses, and individuals from developing countries in the tropics are eligible to apply.  Preference will be given to projects affecting threatened habitat types and species that align with our current Conservation Priorities (see below).

They support the following kinds of applicants and projects:

• small to medium-sized organizations
• community-led programs, or occasionally projects led by a single person
• conservation that emphasizes equitable community involvement
• projects that connect with UN Development Goals and CBD Biodiversity Targets
• bottom-up over top-down approaches
• projects in the tropics, in areas of high and/or threatened biodiversity
• projects where a small amount of funding can make a big difference

Eligibility

Only organizations that meet the following eligibility criteria may apply for a Seeds of Sustainability grant:

• Small non-profit organizations, indigenous community groups, schools or small universities, individuals, and other types of local organizations/associations, except those engaged primarily in religious or political activities, are eligible to apply.
• Projects must be carried out in a country within the tropics, and align with at least one of Ceiba’s Conservation Priorities.
• Non-profits must be able to provide documentation of their non-profit status. Other types of applicants including individuals must be able to provide a letter of support from a community leader, government entity, supervisor, or other person not directly involved in the project.
• Individual applicants must demonstrate that they have already committed some resources (funds, labor, materials) to initiate their project.
• Only small organizations are eligible (with total annual budgets <$500,000).

Application Process 

1. Complete the online application form.  You may start your form and return to it later. To help you prepare your application before entering text into the online form, you may download the  questions and content guidelines in PDF format.
2. Upload your budget.
3. Upload supporting documents (see eligibity requirements above).

For more information and application.