The Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) is pleased to announce the signing of its 7^th  Partnership Agreement!  Our newest Partner NCTF is the St. Christopher and Nevis Conservation Foundation (SCNCF). With this Agreement, the CBF Conservation Finance Program will be channelling resources to the SCNCF to support biodiversity conservation actions in the country. 

The Caribbean Challenge Initiative (CCI) and the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) Secretariats hosted the 5^th CCI-CBF Week, which took place virtually on July 13^th – 16^th, 2020. The event was held under the theme “Nature-Based Solutions for our Caribbean Future”. The week had several highlights, a diverse array of panels, networking events and even a virtual field trip!

The Fundación Grupo Puntacana (FGPC, https://www.puntacana.org) is one of 11 grantees, who are benefitting from funding by the German Development Bank (KfW) through the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund’s (CBF) Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) Facility under its first Call for Proposals.

FGPC is receiving a USD 799,919 grant and contributing USD458,305 of its own resources to make CoralRestore DR a reality in Puntacana, Dominican Republic. 

This year, 2020, has sent many of us spinning! For the CBF Partner Funds, one of the major challenges has been the award of grants.  The funds have found ways to continue during the COVID pandemic by using technology.  The National Conservation Trust Fund of Jamaica (NCTFJ) had announced their Call for Proposals just before the lockdowns in March and they were able to continue with the process, including holding an online sensitization and Question and Answer session with prospective applicants.  NCTFJ grant awards are expected to be made in October 2020.

The Ecosystem based Adaptation Facility is the instrument through which the CBF currently delivers on its Climate Change Program. Designed as a sinking fund, the EbA Facility award grants that support actions on climate change adaptation and poverty alleviation through biodiversity conservation and ecosystems management. The grants aim to assist organisations in beneficiary countries in their on-the-ground efforts to maintain and increase resilience and reduce the vulnerability of ecosystems and people in the face of the adverse effects of climate change. The EbA Facility resources are currently composed of a 45 million EURO contribution from the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety through KfW. This financing is being programmed and disbursed during the 2018 - 2025 period.  The CBF uses open Call for Proposals for the identification and selection of projects. 

Nassau, THE BAHAMAS: Since 2016, the Caribbean Challenge Initiative (CCI) and the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) have been holding joint annual meetings, called CCI-CBF Week. This year’s event, originally due to be scheduled in the Bahamas, will now be held online and is free to attend. This year’s meeting theme is – “Nature-Based Solutions for our Caribbean Future”-

The host organizations invite all Caribbean citizens and stakeholders with an interest in protecting the region’s natural resources to participate and contribute to the discussions.