Global Environment Facility (GEF)
Conservation Finance Mechanisms


The Global Environment Facility is an international financial mechanism launched in 1991 that assembles 173 member governments, multilateral banks and institutions, the scientific community, and a wide spectrum of private sector and non-governmental organizations to articulate and achieve a common global environmental agenda. To realize this agenda, GEF provides partial grant funding to eligible countries for projects that address threats to the global environment in four "focal areas": biodiversity loss, climate change, ozone depletion, and degradation of international waters. Projects that deal with land degradation or persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are also eligible for GEF funding. GEF operations are coordinated by a Secretariat in Washington DC and carried out primarily by The World Bank, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) -- which collectively are known as Implementing Agencies (IAs). GEF has several grant windows. Full grants provide monies over US $1 million, and typically have a five year implementation period. Medium sized grants can be as high as US $1 million, but are typically less. The Small Grants Program makes grants up to US $50,000. This chapter introduces the reader to the complex process that one has to navigate to secure funding from the GEF.

Table of Contents

1  Understanding The GEF - How Does It Work?

1.1  Overview

1.2  Key Actors

1.2.1  The Participants Assembly

1.2.2  The GEF Council

1.2.3  The Secretariat

1.2.4  Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

1.2.5  Science and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP)

1.2.6  Host Governments

1.2.7  Implementing Agencies (IAs)

1.2.8  Executing Agencies

1.2.9  "Expanded Executing Agencies"

1.2.10  Project Proponents

1.2.11  Non-Governmental Organizations

1.3  Types of GEF Grants

1.3.1  Full-size projects

1.3.2  Medium-Sized Projects (MSPs)

1.3.3  Project Preparation and Development Facility (PDF)

1.3.4  Enabling Activity Grants

1.3.5  Small Grants Program (SGP)

1.3.6  Environmental investment funds

1.4  Advantages and Disadvantages of GEF financing

1.5  Success Factors

1.6   Step-By-Step Methodology

1.6.1  Project Cycle: Full-sized Projects

1.6.2  Project Cycle: Medium-sized Projects

2  Feasibility Assessment

3  Resources

3.1  Bibliographic References

3.2  Web Sites

3.3  Contacts

3.4  Annex 1. Format for PDF-A Request (UNEP)

3.5  Annex 2. Sample Format for a Full-Project Concept Document

3.6  Annex 3. Sample Format for a PDF-B Cover Page

3.7  Annex 4. Sample Format for a PDF-B Request (UNEP)

3.8  Annex 5. Sample Format for a Full-Project Project Brief