Strengthen Climate Resilience and Adaptability in Cabo Verde through Dune Restoration | AFPRA 24 02

Opportunity Information: Apply for AFPRA 24 02

The U.S. Embassy in Praia (U.S. Department of State) is offering a competitive grant to support a pilot project in Cabo Verde focused on strengthening climate resilience by restoring coastal sand dunes. The central idea is that dunes act as natural protective barriers that reduce coastal flooding and erosion, but in Cabo Verde they have been increasingly damaged by human activities such as sand mining, unregulated tourism, and off-road driving. With climate change expected to worsen sea level rise and storm impacts, and with projections suggesting some major tourism zones could be underwater by 2070, the opportunity emphasizes that acting now on dune protection is urgent, especially on islands experiencing rapid beachfront development like Sal, Boa Vista, Maio, Santiago, and Sao Vicente.

The project is designed to do more than just physical restoration. It pairs on-the-ground dune rehabilitation with public education and sustainable eco-tourism practices, aiming to change both behavior and policy over time. Healthy dune systems are tied to biodiversity protection as well, including safeguarding habitats for species such as sea turtles that rely on intact coastal ecosystems. A recurring theme in the opportunity is that Cabo Verde is still early in building technical capacity for dune restoration and coastal management, so the grant is meant to help establish best practices, train local actors, and create replicable approaches that can be scaled to other sites later.

Applicants are expected to choose specific target locations within Cabo Verde, prioritizing high-value tourism areas, and to propose work that can realistically be completed within the available budget and timeframe. The program goal is that by the end of the project period, the selected site(s) will have implemented dune restoration strategies and delivered clear awareness-raising around the ecological importance of dunes and the role of sustainable eco-tourism in climate adaptation. The grant places strong weight on evidence-based and environmentally sustainable restoration methods, including an explicit preference to avoid invasive plants and instead prioritize native species recovery.

The opportunity is organized around three main objectives. First, it seeks implementation of sustainable dune restoration techniques that protect biodiversity and reduce erosion. Second, it aims to integrate eco-tourism by linking restoration to locally grounded climate adaptation and economic development, encouraging tourism models that do not degrade dunes and coastal habitats. Third, it focuses on strengthening local capacity and public awareness through education and leadership development, with the intention of encouraging policy change at both municipal and central government levels.

Expected results include launching dune restoration techniques that can serve as a foundation for future efforts across the country, improving institutional and individual capacity to plan and execute restoration projects, and increasing public engagement and understanding of dunes as a flood-prevention and biodiversity asset. To get there, proposals must include core activities such as building technical partnerships for effective implementation; developing a "green belt" plan to control visitor and vehicle access in sensitive dune areas; designing and implementing cost-effective restoration approaches using native species; holding a workshop for protected area managers and conservation groups led by specialists; and producing practical protocols and guidelines that can be adapted for other restoration projects in Cabo Verde. Outreach and education are also required through tangible site features like an interpretive trail with educational signage, along with broader communication products such as an educational video and supporting social media content.

Monitoring and evaluation is not optional. Applicants need to build in time-bound milestones and define performance indicators that are specific, measurable, achievable, reasonable, and time-bound, including targets, data sources, and how often indicators will be measured. The opportunity lists example indicators tied to climate adaptation capacity, such as the number of people trained in climate change adaptation, the number of institutions with improved capacity to assess or address climate risks, and the number of people supported to adapt to climate impacts. It also highlights land and outreach indicators such as hectares under improved management, hectares of habitat under restoration, the number of people with improved capacity, and the number of information panels installed about the restoration effort.

In terms of funding and administrative details, the award is a grant with a ceiling of $100,000, with the expectation of making one award. The performance period must be two years or less, and funding is subject to availability. Organizations may submit only one application. The Embassy reserves the right to reject any or all applications, accept an application that is not the lowest cost, and make an award based on the initial application without negotiations, meaning proposals need to be submitted in their strongest form from the start. Eligibility is limited to non-profit organizations, including conservation think tanks and civil society or non-governmental organizations, whether Cabo Verdean or international, as long as they have relevant experience in Cabo Verde and in the targeted technical areas. Because this is framed as a pilot effort, applicants are also expected to explain how they would use the initial grant to attract or leverage additional funding to expand or sustain the work after the grant ends.

• The U.S. Mission to Cape Verde in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Strengthen Climate Resilience and Adaptability in Cabo Verde through Dune Restoration" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.989.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-06-11.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-07-26. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for AFPRA 24 02

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