Narrative Description of the Project:

The primary objectives of the Project are to protect globally significant biodiversity by supporting local livelihoods in communities located inside or in buffer zones adjacent to the protected areas, and to reduce pressure on biological resources.

Specific objectives of the project are:

• Identify alternative and sustainable income-generating activities for local communities and other stakeholders to reduce pressure on the pastures, hay meadows and forests
• Strengthen local and national capacity through education and training
• Raise public awareness of biodiversity values and increase participation in biodiversity conservation
• Provide technical assistance to local communities for development and implementation of micro-projects aimed at recourse sustainable management, biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction
• Create feeling of ownership of the project goals among the local population
• Disseminate knowledge about innovative skills and technologies, as well as traditional methods of natural resource use aimed to improve living standards of the local communities in the project areas

Description of Actual Services Provided by Your Staff:

• The specific tasks of VISTAA, contracted to implement the Small Grant Program are:
• Develop, translate and finalize the draft SBCGS Operational Manual prepared by NRMPR PIU
• Prepare, publish and disseminate a SBCGS operational manual, booklet, including description, scoring and selection criteria, and call for proposals
• Prepare a proposal format for submitting proposal concept notes and full proposals for grant funding and ensure its availability for the potential applicants
• Introduce the program goals to the local communities, using different methods of public awareness campaign; particularly field visits, meetings, community collective meetings, etc
• Hold workshops with NRMPR Project communities’ RUAs and community members to build understanding of the objectives of SBCGS and criteria for selection and administration
• Hold meetings with local communities population to introduce the SBCGS goals, selection criteria and administrative issues
• Help the grant application participants to prepare concept paper and application package
• Prepare Grant Agreement and Report Forms, which should be included in the SBCGS Operational manual
• Collect and register the Applications, checking that all the proposals are in the required format (are stamped and/or signed, if the Grant applicant does not have a stamp)
• Numerate all the proposals and prepare a summary sheet, putting in groups the proposals from the same community
• Submit the Small Grant Proposals to NRMPR PIU Small Grant Proposals Evaluation Committee secretary; prepare a document (receipt) regarding the proposals submitted and not damaged; the document should be signed by two parties: PIU and Supporting Organization