The Hifadhi Blu Programme — a collaborative funding initiative by the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA), Advanced Conservation Strategies (ACS), WIOMPAN, and the Minderoo Foundation — has announced a new funding opportunity for marine conservation organisations in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region.

This call invites motivation letters from organisations dedicated to improving the effectiveness, governance, and sustainability of Marine Conservation Areas (MCAs) — including Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs), Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECMs), and co-managed areas formally recognised by competent authorities.

About the Programme

The Hifadhi Blu Programme aims to strengthen the management effectiveness of Marine and Coastal Conservation Areas by addressing key challenges such as:

• Limited technical and financial capacity
• Fragmented management approaches and weak enforcement
• Insufficient community engagement and training opportunities
• Outdated management plans and conflicting stakeholder priorities

Through targeted funding and capacity development, the programme supports realistic and catalytic interventions that foster long-term conservation impact, institutional ownership, and community legitimacy.

Thematic Focus

Projects should directly enhance site-level management effectiveness with clear alignment to the site’s management plan or diagnostic tools such as the IMET baseline.

Priority will be given to proposals that:

• Address critical management gaps (e.g., enforcement, governance, ecological monitoring).
• Focus on 2–3 priority interventions that deliver tangible, scalable impact.
• Demonstrate sustainability, institutional ownership, and community participation.
• Include community consultations and adherence to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) principles.

Eligibility

Applicants must have a legal or community-based mandate to manage a defined marine or coastal site. Eligible entities include:

• Government agencies or parastatals with official conservation mandates
• Community-based organisations, fishers’ associations, or local management committees
• Co-managed structures jointly governed by communities, NGOs, or private sector partners

Applicants should demonstrate a clear commitment to sustainability, gender inclusion, and collaborative management.

Funding Details

Each selected project will receive up to USD 200,000 over a two-year period (2026–2028).
Funding will be disbursed in two tranches, contingent on satisfactory Year 1 performance.
A total of eight sites will be selected for this funding round.

Budget allocations should prioritise site-level management activities, with reasonable provisions for staff, technical support, and equipment.

Eligible Countries

Organisations from the following Western Indian Ocean countries are eligible to apply: Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Réunion, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, and Tanzania.

Application Process

Applicants are invited to submit concise motivation letters (2–3 pages) in English, French, or Portuguese, outlining:

• The project site and key management challenges
• Proposed interventions and expected outcomes
• Partner roles and collaborative strategies

Letters should be submitted through WIOMSA Proposal Central by 29 November 2025, 11:59 PM EAT.

👉 Register and Apply via WIOMSA Proposal Central
(Applicants must create a profile if applying for the first time.)

For inquiries, contact:
📧 secretary@wiomsa.org or deidre@wiomsa.org (subject line: Hifadhi Blu).
For full details, download the Call for Motivation Letters.