St. Maarten nature groups can seek EU-backed grants up to €100,000
IUCN NL says eligible St. Maarten organisations can submit conservation project concept notes by 8 December 2026.
Eligible locally registered organisations in St. Maarten can apply for conservation grants of up to €100,000 through the third BESTLIFE2030 Call for Proposals, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Netherlands, IUCN NL. IUCN NL announced the call on Thursday 8 October.
Initial concept notes must be submitted through the IUCN Grant Management System by Tuesday 8 December at 9am AST. Applicants must provide at least 5% co-financing, IUCN NL said.
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The European Union co-funded programme is open to environmental foundations, non-profit organisations, community groups, small and medium-sized enterprises and research institutions carrying out practical conservation work. Government bodies can participate under conditions in the guidelines, including through partnerships with local organisations. Individuals and sole traders cannot receive grants directly.
IUCN NL said projects must show measurable conservation benefits and address an identified environmental problem. It listed activities such as coral reef restoration, protection of mangroves and seagrass, coastal erosion prevention, invasive-species management, wildlife protection and management of protected areas.
Projects selected for funding are expected to run between 18 and 36 months, with implementation generally beginning between July and September 2027. Applicants that pass the initial evaluation will be invited to submit a full proposal.
IUCN NL said 18 projects across the six Dutch Caribbean islands received support in the programme’s first two calls. Previous activities in St. Maarten included work on soil erosion and protection of sharks and rays.
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