Applications Invited for New Funding Opportunity for Marine Conservation Management – Hifadhi Blu Programme

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About the Organization

WIOMSA remains a leader in advancing science, policy and action for transformational stewardship and the long-term development of the WIO coastal and marine environment.

Our mission is to promote the educational, scientific and technological development of all aspects of marine science in the Western Indian Ocean.

A Western Indian Ocean region that is thriving, sustainable and equitable, supported by scientific knowledge, effective policies and strong institutions.

About the Program

The Hifadhi Blu  Programme —a collaborative initiative by WIOMSA, Advanced Conservation Strategies (ACS), WIOMPAN, and the Minderoo Foundation—announces a new funding opportunity through a call for motivation letters. This initiative aims to enhance marine conservation management and improve the effectiveness of Marine Conservation Area (MCA) management in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region. For this call, a Marine Conservation Area (MCA) refers to any formally recognised site managed under an area-based approach—such as formal Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs), Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECMs), or co-managed areas—acknowledged by a competent authority.

The Western Indian Ocean Marine Protected Area Outlook has identified several challenges affecting the effectiveness of marine conservation management:

• Insufficient organizational capacity, technical expertise, and financial resources.
• Fragmented site management approaches lacking clear goals, leading to unmet conservation objectives.
• Limited access to critical resources such as monitoring tools, vessels, and essential supplies.
• Shortages of skilled personnel and inadequate training opportunities.
• Challenges in aligning enforcement, monitoring, and community needs.
• Conflicting priorities between partners and local communities.
• Limited collaboration platforms and a lack of shared stakeholder vision.
• Outdated management plans, weak implementation of plans, and lack of legal recognition for some conservation areas.

Thematic Focus

Projects must directly strengthen site-level management effectiveness, with clear links to the site’s existing management plan, IMET baseline, or equivalent diagnostic.

Priority will be given to proposals that:

• Address critical management gaps (e.g., enforcement, governance, ecological monitoring, stakeholder conflict resolution).
• Are realistic in scope and focus on 2–3 priority interventions rather than broad, unfocused activities. Interventions should be realistic, well-focused, and catalytic, targeting two to three priority areas that not only deliver tangible results within scope and resources but also generate spillover benefits—addressing multiple related challenges and creating broader, system-wide impact.
• Demonstrate long-term sustainability, institutional ownership, and community legitimacy.
• Demonstrate prior or planned community consultations and commit to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) where relevant.

Funding

Each grant will provide up to USD 200,000 total for the two-year period (2026–2028), disbursed in two tranches contingent on satisfactory Year 1 performance. Funding is cohort-based: 8 sites will be selected for the implementation period 2026 -2028. Budgets should be balanced, with reasonable allocations for staff, consultants, and equipment, and a clear focus on activities that improve site-level management

Eligibility

Applicants must demonstrate clear management responsibility for the project intervention site. This may be through either:

• Formal mandate – legal or administrative recognition as the site’s managing authority (e.g., government agency, parastatal, officially gazetted entity, or private operator with a conservation mandate); or
• De facto community mandate – customary, traditional, or community-based authority recognised locally as responsible for managing the site’s marine and coastal resources.

Eligible entities therefore include:

• Legally recognised management authorities (e.g., national or local government agencies, parastatals, or delegated authorities).
• Community-based organisations, fishers’ associations, or local committees with established governance structures and a community-endorsed role in managing a defined coastal or marine area (e.g., LMMAs).
• Co-managed sites where decision-making responsibilities are shared between communities and government, NGOs, or private actors.

How to Apply

Applicants are invited to submit concise motivation letters (2–3 pages) in English, French, or Portuguese, outlining their proposed site, key management challenges, priority interventions, expected outcomes, and partnering roles, without a detailed budget at this stage. These letters should be submitted via WIOMSA Proposal Central by 29 November 2025 at 11:59 PM EAT. Register and Apply here. All applicants must create a profile on Proposal Central if not previously registered. 

For more information please check the Link

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