IPAF Grants

IPAF Graants :In line with its overall mandate and strategic objectives, and within the framework of its Policy on Engagement with Indigenous Peoples , IFAD aims to ensure that indigenous peoples’ communities in rural areas are empowered to improve their well-being, income and food security through self-driven development that builds on their identity and culture.

The objective of the Indigenous Peoples Assistance Facility (IPAF Grants) is to strengthen indigenous peoples’ communities and their organizations by financing small projects which foster their self-driven development in the framework of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and generate lessons learned and approaches for replication and up-scaling.

The Indigenous Peoples Assistance Facility supports indigenous peoples to determine and develop priorities and strategies to fulfil development needs of their communities. Through small grants ranging from USD 20,000 to USD 50,000 and lasting up to two years, the IPAF Grants supports the demand-driven initiatives of indigenous peoples’ communities by funding small projects that are designed and implemented by indigenous peoples’ communities and their organizations, and that build on their culture, identity, knowledge and natural resources.The IPAF finances projects that improve indigenous peoples’ access to key decision-making processes, empower them to find solutions to the challenges they face and promote collaboration in the public and private spheres.

The Facility is governed by a Board responsible for operations and directions. The Board, with a majority of indigenous and tribal peoples’ representatives, reviews and makes final recommendations on grant awards. Current Members of the IPAF Board are Mirna Cunningham, Miskito from Nicaragua; Rukka Sombolinggi, Toraya, Indonesia; Devashish Roy, Chakma, Bangladesh; Wolde Gossa Tadesse, Gamo from Ethiopia; Jean-Philippe Audinet, Lead Technical Specialist, Policy and Technical Advisory Division, IFAD. The Board works closely with the IPAF Secretariat, responsible for the administrative and financial aspects of the Facility.

The Facility is managed at regional level by three indigenous peoples’ organizations who are responsible for supporting and advising the IPAF Board on the selection of proposals; channelling resources to organizations awarded by the IPAF Board; and monitoring and providing implementation support to the small projects financed through the IPAF. IPAF regional partners are: The International Indigenous Women’s Forum/Foro Internacional de Mujeres Indígenas (IIWF/FIMI) in Latin America and the Caribbean; Kivulini Trust in Africa; and Tebtebba Foundation in Asia and the Pacific.

In response to IFAD’s three calls for proposals, in 2007, 2008 and 2011, indigenous communities and organizations submitted proposals from about 90 countries around the world. Since 2007, 100 small projects were financed in some 40 countries by the IPAF for a total amount of about USD 2.6 million.

The Facility has been so far co-financed by IFAD, the World Bank, Norway, Canada, Finland and Italy.

IPAF 2015 cycle is being entirely financed by IFAD. The resources available for grant financing under this call for proposals amount to US$1 050 000. It is therefore expected that the IPAF 2015 cycle will finance around 30 projects in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

Grant Criteria

What are the priority areas for funding?

The 2015 IPAF will finance indigenous peoples’ demand-driven initiatives which will improve the livelihoods of indigenous peoples’ communities with a specific focus on indigenous women under the following thematic areas:

Food Security and Nutrition
Access to Markets
Land, Territories and Resources
Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation

What are examples of projects that could be funded?

Increasing indigenous peoples communities’ food security and nutrition
Preservation and promotion of local varieties of traditional crops
Support and training on sustainable agricultural techniques
Contribute to the rehabilitation of local plantations
Support production of indigenous and traditional food
Support the implementation of community-based forestry systems
Preserving wild species and seeds
Inter-generational transfer of indigenous peoples’ knowledge
Promoting sustainable agriculture and access to market
Creation and strengthening of income generating groups/cooperatives
Capacity building for, and creation of income-generating activities
Culturally appropriate ethno-tourism models
Market traditional handicrafts
Management of natural resources
Build and strengthen the capacity and raise awareness on indigenous peoples’ rights to land territories
Mapping of indigenous and tribal peoples’ land territories and resources
Adaptation and mitigation to climate change
Biodiversity conservation
Policy engagement with governments on indigenous peoples rights and development with culture resources and identity
Documentation and integration of indigenous peoples’ knowledge and practices in disaster risk reduction.