The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) provides grants to nongovernmental and private sector organizations to help protect biodiversity hotspots, Earth's most biologically rich yet threatened areas. Grant recipients range from small farming cooperatives and community associations to international organizations. Every grant helps implement an investment strategy found in the ecosystem profile for each region where we invest.

Proposals that target direct global environmental benefits and meet the following eligibility criteria are welcome:

• Project is located in an approved biodiversity hotspot
• Project is located in a country that is not excluded by U.S. law
• Project supports a strategic direction outlined in the relevant CEPF ecosystem profile and investment strategy
• Grant applicant is authorized under relevant national laws to receive charitable contributions
• Government-owned enterprises or institutions are eligible only if they can establish i) that the enterprise or institution has a legal personality independent of any government agency or actor, ii) that the enterprise or institution has the authority to apply for and receive private funds and iii) that the enterprise or institution may not assert a claim of sovereign immunity
• Grant will not be used for the purchase of land, involuntary resettlement of people or activities that negatively affect physical cultural resources, including those important to local communities
• Grant will not be used for activities adversely affecting Indigenous Peoples or where these communities have not provided their broad support to the project activities
• Grant will not be used to remove or alter any physical cultural property (includes sites having archaeological, paleontological, historical, religious or unique natural values)
• Proposed activities observe all other relevant safeguard and social policies

In addition, CEPF encourages proposals that demonstrate the following characteristics:

• Existence of co-financing or the ability to leverage additional funds
• Demonstration of coordination with other organizations to reduce duplication of efforts
• Existence of partnerships or alliances with one or more other organizations
• Endorsements from other recognized agencies or authorities
• Transnational or regional projects
• Clear plans for continuation and/or replication after initial CEPF funding
• Support Indigenous and local communities in community-based or co-management activities for biodiversity conservation and actions that enhance local communities ' tenure and resource use rights