Grants Award Program

The Grants Award Program

provides funding to eligible non-government partners working to advance Belize’s marine conservation goals.

Projects must align with at least one of four thematic areas:

Eligible applicants include NGOs, community-based and civil society organizations, academic institutions, local associations, and private entities.

Each year, 40% of Belize Fund financing—approximately BZ$3.2 million—is allocated through GAP. All funded projects contribute to Belize’s conservation commitments under the Conservation Funding Agreement of the Belize Blue Bonds.

Thematic Areas

Protection for Biodiversity

Aims to achieve effective protection for marine biodiversity focused on strategies and interventions that ensure full protection and prevents depletion or loss of biodiversity. Such protection includes the marine protected areas, especially no-take zones, and the effective management of these. It also includes protection for species of conservation concern and ecosystems crucial for maintaining the health of ocean ecosystems.

Sustainable Fisheries

Aims to support fisheries management programs and initiatives that promote sustainable fishing and help rebuild depleted stocks. The focus is on ensuring fisheries are sustainable from harvesting through to the consumer’s plate, and that they safeguard the fishing communities by building capacity and leadership. It also considers new fisheries that will be sustainably developed and value-added chains that increase the sustainability of fisheries products.

Climate Resilience

Aims to build and strengthen the resilience of our ocean ecosystems to ensure greater ability to adapt to and survive the impacts of climate change on our coastal and marine resources. This includes building the resilience of communities and their livelihoods by providing secure and green jobs, resilient value chains, safety and protection, and economic security to combat climate change. It also includes improving the first line of defense by building the resilience of the natural environment so that it continues to provide goods and services and maintain critical functions, that support coastal livelihoods and our national economy.

Blue Business Innovation

Aims to incubate and support the growth of the Blue Economy in Belize through innovative and sustainable Blue Businesses. Belize depends heavily on its ocean ecosystems for livelihoods and there is a crucial need to invest in fisheries, aquaculture, coastal tourism, renewable energy and maritime transport so that these are developed sustainably and help to boost the country’s economy, while ensuring our ocean resources remain healthy.

Under the Grants Award Program, the Belize Fund issues four grant: Regular Grants, Community Grants, Emergency Response Grants, and Strategic Partnerships.

Regular Grants

Regular Grants provide funding to established organizations with proven operational capacity. Eligible entities must be legally registered in Belize, have operated for at least one year, and demonstrate basic project and financial management capabilities.

Three funding categories are offered:

Regular Grants are designed to support larger-scale conservation, climate resilience, fisheries sustainability, and blue innovation projects aligned with the Belize Fund’s priorities.

Community Grants

Community Grants support smaller, community-based groups that may not meet all regular grant eligibility requirements but are directly connected to Belize’s marine and coastal resources.

community-based organizations, micro and small enterprises, associations, youth groups, women’s and indigenous groups, and other grassroots organizations.<

Funding ranges fromBZ$20,000 to BZ$75,000, with project durations of up to 18 months. The Belize Fund provides additional support such as proposal writing assistance and capacity-building in areas like financial management and reporting to help build long-term sustainability.

Emergency Response Grants

The Emergency Response Grants provide rapid funding to support urgent response and recovery efforts when national emergencies affect Belize’s marine and coastal environment. This special funding window enables the Belize Fund to respond quickly to disasters and help reduce impacts on ecosystems, communities, and the blue economy.

National emergencies include, but are not limited to:

Eligible activities include clean-up efforts, damage assessments, ecological surveys, infrastructure repairs, equipment, and essential field logistics. Up to BZ$250,000 is allocated annually, with grants typically ranging from BZ$20,000 to BZ$125,000 and designed for short-term implementation.

Projects may be fast-tracked and, where necessary, existing Belize Fund projects can be reprogrammed to support emergency response.

Strategic Partnerships

A Strategic Partnership is a direct collaboration between the Belize Fund and a non-government entity to advance high-impact conservation or blue economy initiatives, aligned with the Belize Blue Bonds conservation commitments or the Belize Fund’s strategic plan.

Strategic Partnerships may focus on areas such as:

Strategic Partnerships are initiated collaboratively rather than through a Call for Proposalsand may receive multi-year funding (up to three years) from the Grants Award Program. Funding levels depend on available allocations.

vision, mission, strategic plan, and relevant national conservation priorities.