Enabling Activities

Enabling activity projects provide financing for the preparation of:

• A plan, strategy, or program to fulfill commitments under a global environmental convention
• A national communication or report to a relevant convention.

The GEF currently finances enabling activities related to the conventions on biodiversity, climate change, and persistent organic pollutants.

View the Operational guidance for Enabling Activities.

Preparation Guidelines and Templates

Most enabling activities are processed under expedited procedures and approved by the CEO on a rolling basis throughout the year. Enabling activities that go beyond the ceiling are considered non-expedited, and follow the procedures for processing full-sized projects. Links to various preparation guidelines and templates are provided below:

Biodiversity Templates and Guidelines

• Project Proposal
• Add-On Project Proposal
• Biosafety Project Proposal

Climate Change Templates and Guidelines

• Initial National Communications Project Proposal
• Add-On Project Proposal
• National Adaptation Programs for Action

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Template and Guidelines

• National Implementation Plan (NIP)

Multi-Focal Areas Templates and Guidelines

For the latest updated templates please use this link to the Templates and Guidelines page]

• PDF A Proposal
• National Capacity Self-Assessment (NCSA) Proposal
• All approved enabling activities can be accessed by going to the Project Database and selecting 'Enabling Activities' under 'Project Type'.

Implementing Agency Procedures

Project proponents can submit their enabling activity proposal to the appropriate Implementing Agency or Executing Agency (per agreed scope of participation). Based on the GEF review criteria, proposals will be developed following the IA or ExA's internal project cycle and subsequently submitted to the GEF Secretariat for approval. The procedures within the IAs can be found on their respective websites below:

• UNDP
• UNEP
• World Bank