Compass assessment: 2002 document 44 august 2002

E. THE SMALL GRANTS PROGRAMME

1. TR5: CBNRM Small Grant Management Services to Finance Special CBNRM Opportunities Established
The objectives of this targeted result are (Document 2, Small Grant Manual, Second Edition, April 2000):

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  to promote the sustainable use of natural resources;
  
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  to develop replicable models for promoting sustainable CBNRM initiatives; and
  
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  to provide assistance to viable natural resources management proposals that are not likely to be funded by other programmes.
  

1.1 Grant Application Criteria
The grants are given to community groups, local associations, private enterprises, national and international NGOs and Government agencies. Priority grant activities are in two categories:

1. 
   Natural Resource Management. These grants are awarded to community based groups for initiatives in natural resource management.
   
2. 
   Capacity Building Grants. These grants are given to NGOs or government departments to develop the capacity of community groups and provide technical skills and services in natural resource management. In order for an NGO to qualify for a grant, it should be well established, have official recognition by registration, have capacity for competent administration of funds, and have strong working relationship with the local community.
   

Criteria for qualification for a grant have been divided into three categories:

1. 
   Technical. The grant should comply with the following:
   

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  Demonstrate social and ecological sustainability
  
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  Not have any risk of environmental degradation
  
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  Have a concrete plan of feasible activities to be implemented
  
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  Technologies chosen for project activities must be appropriate to the needs and capabilities of the community
  
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  Not be in conflict with on-going activities or projects in the community
  

2. Social Criteria. Social criteria cover three areas:

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  Community participation. The community must be actively involved in identification, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
  
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  Gender sensitivity. Grant activities must integrate main processes of decision making, activity implementation and sharing of costs and benefits equitably with men and women.
  
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  Social equity. Benefits accruing from the project activities should benefit the community proportionately to the levels of individual input.

  3. Other General Criteria. The project should not have any negative impact on communities, must use local resources, enhance self reliance and sustainability etc.

  
  
  
  

1.2 Overall Impact
The mission first discusses the overall impact and secondly, the three sub-results of the small grants programme.
COMPASS has defined six overall impact indicators for the assessment of TR5, namely: percent of grants completed; percent of grants achieving targets; percent of female beneficiaries; percent of grants demonstrating positive environmental and socio-economic impact; percent of grant projects sustained one year after COMPASS grant period; and value of supplemental income generated by grants.
1.2.1 Percent of Grants Completed
According to COMPASS (Document 38, COMPASS Performance and Impact: 200/2001, December 2001), 36 grants have been awarded so far (see Annex 6 for details), which is 80% of the target number (45) of COMPASS Small Grants. Table 1 gives the categories of grants. The mission visited 30 of these and interviewed the grantees.

Table 1: Categories of Project Grants

Project Type		Number Of Grantees	Number Interviewed
1.	Afforestation	11	9
2.	Capacity building	5	3
3.	Beekeeping	3	3
4.	Alternative Energy	3	3
5.	Aquaculture	2	2
6.	Wildlife Management	4	3
7.	Herbal Production	1	1
8.	Mushroom Production	1	1
9.	Fruit Tree Nursery	2	2
10.	Sustainable Agricultural Organic Farming	1	1
11.	Other	3	2
Total		36	30