About the Organization
SwedBio is a development programme, that works to advance sustainable and equitable governance of biodiversity knowledge and policy. We engage in key global biodiversity processes in close collaboration with our network of partners.
SwedBio works to target biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. Biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation undermine people ́s rights to sustainable and equitable development, and those living in poverty are especially vulnerable. This is reinforced by inequalities, conflicts, unsustainable production and consumption, and climate change. Responses to such challenges often give insufficient consideration to human-and-nature relationships, resulting in knowledge gaps and leading to unsuitable policy and implementation.
Pathways for change:
SwedBio focuses its effort on two impact pathways for engaging with biodiversity and equitable development:
Dialogue for knowledge and policy pathway – In this pathway, SwedBio will advance policy agendas related to biodiversity, by enabling dialogue and co-production of knowledge across knowledge systems, including actors from indigenous peoples, local communities, policymakers, practitioners and scientists.
Collaborative partner implementation pathway – SwedBio will continue to work with strategically selected partner organisations to support the implementation of locally-driven sustainable and equitable solutions.
Through these two pathways for change, SwedBio works across a number of different areas, which fall under five themes:
- Climate Change
- Agroecology
- Small-Scale Fisheries
- Urban Nature
- Biocultural Diversity
About the Grant
In SwedBio’s Theory of Change, the collaborative partner implementation pathway works to enable strategically selected partner organisations to implement locally-driven sustainable and equitable solutions.
SwedBio strategically supports a limited number of initiatives in low income and least developed countries. SwedBio contributes to organisations with strategic initiatives of relevance for our objectives. Through collaboration with those partner organisations, joint learning is generated that can contribute to the policy work that SwedBio does in its knowledge interface role.
SwedBio supports a limited number of strategic initiatives through our ‘Collaborative Partner Implementation Pathway’. To collaborate with SwedBio and receive support, an application must align with SwedBio’s themes, approaches and principles.
Applications must also meet our criteria listed below:
- SwedBio can only fund initiatives that are relevant to the vision of SwedBio as outlined in our Theory of Change:
Vision: SwedBio envisions a world that is sustainably managed and where rights are equitably fulfilled, with people being able to make sustainable choices for biodiversity rich and resilient futures while thriving in harmony with nature.
- The application must be for activities related to SwedBio’s themes, approaches and principles and that aligns with the overall Theory of Change.
- SwedBio supports:
- Civil society organisations, including Indigenous peoples and local communities’ organisations
- International organisations
- Institutes
- Universities
- In particular, regional and global networks with projects of regional and global relevance. These projects are primarily implementing activities and based in OECD DAC list developing countries. Priority is given to least developed and other low-income countries. Middle-income countries are also considered, in particular as part of regional and global networks, and south-south collaborations.
- Support is mainly given to initiatives that involve learning and co-creation of knowledge, including practice, policy, research and education. SwedBio cannot fund scientific research or scientific education, but collaborations between policymakers, practitioners and scientists.
- SwedBio can contribute to organisations’ participation in meetings and workshops, but mainly if the organisation is coordinating participation from several southern-based groups and countries.
- SwedBio does not sponsor individuals. For example, research grants or to participate in meetings/workshops.
- SwedBio does not support organisations or projects that are only of national character, all supported work must have regional and global relevance and links.
- Organisations must have an adequate organisational structure and management capacity (transparent, accountable, legitimate and democratic, led or coordinated by a balanced representation of relevant parties, actors, or organisations (in case applicant is a network) including a balanced gender representation).
- Priority for support is given to initiatives that do not receive substantial support from other Swedish sources and especially not for the same purpose.
- SwedBio usually does not contribute to organisations/applications/long-term projects if there are no other donors. SwedBio can consider be the only donor for shorter projects or for contributions to actors from developing countries to participate in international negotiations or other relevant meetings.
How to Apply
SwedBio welcomes submissions of concept notes continuously and also looks for organisations and project ideas ourselves. Short concept notes (not more than 3 pages) with a description of the project and requested amount can be submitted to swedbio@su.se or your SwedBio contact person.
SwedBio does not have a template for concept notes or proposals, and welcomes different formats to allow for synergies with other contributing donor’s requirements. All the same, the concept note should preferably describe the following:
Brief description of the applicant/your organisation (such as mandate, organisational structure, vision, mission, main achievements)
- Brief background description and problem analysis.
- A clear overall aim.
- Clearly specified objectives, expected outcomes and project activities.
- Target groups and countries/regions.
- Participating partners.
- Project period.
- Requested amount over the project period.
- How the proposed programme/project respond to emerging risks such as COVID-19.
Please consider the project’s relevance to SwedBio’s objectives and support criteria. We cannot consider projects that do not meet these criteria.
SwedBio contributes to shorter projects through our small-grants support (total support corresponding to maximum SEK 500,000) and to longer, multi-year projects. For multi-year projects we encourage to seek co-funding also from other donors.