ASFN Strategic Response Fund: Second Call for Proposal is ON

  • 9 October 2014

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is pleased to announce the Second Call for Proposals for the ASEAN Social Forestry Network Strategic Response Fund or ASRF.  The ASRF is the flexible funding mechanism for the ASEAN Social Forestry Network (ASFN) launched on 27 May 27 2014 during the 8th ASFN Meeting in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.  It is being managed by SEARCA under the auspices of the ASEAN-Swiss Partnership on Social Forestry and Climate Change (ASFCC) with funding support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

The ASRF aims to support in-country initiatives that will enable the ASEAN Member States (AMS) Focal Points to quickly respond to emerging issues and challenges, and increase their ability to articulate policy recommendations and directions on social forestry as it relates to climate change, food security, and poverty alleviation.  The first Call for Proposals was successfully administered from May 2014 to September 2014 with the approval of the first set of grantees from the following AMS: Cambodia, Philippines, Peninsular Malaysia, and Vietnam.

There are currently three (3) types of grants as well as Project Development Assistance that may be availed of within the ASRF. For proposals under the Second Call, the ASRF will be awarding six (6) grants and the deadline for submission of proposals is on 15 December 2014. The ASRF also accepts proposals outside the Call and has provisions for four (4) grants. Proposals for this reserve grant may be submitted until June 15, 2015. Also available under the ASRF are eight (8) scholarships to participate in strategic training programs. The ASRF may also provide Project Development Assistance to a maximum of two AMS Focal Points upon request.

Click here for more information on the Guidelines for Proposal Application.