[Download the pdf file of the Request for Proposals by clicking this link.]

I. Background and Objectives

Forest Foundation Philippines (doing business as Philippine Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation (PTFCF), Inc.) is a non-stock, non-profit, non-governmental organization that provides grants and technical assistance to organizations and individuals that empower the people to protect and conserve the forests. The Foundation was established in 2002 to manage conservation funds by virtue of two bilateral agreements between the governments of the Philippines and the United States of America.

Under the first tropical forest conservation agreement (TFCA1), US$ 8.2 M was allocated for the protection and conservation of forests from 2002 to 2016. With this, the Foundation was able to support 472 projects, resulting in the restoration of 4,200 hectares of forestlands, improvement of 1.5 million hectares of forestlands, improvement of 40 community-conserved areas, and empowerment of 60 community-level enterprises.

Under the second tropical forest conservation agreement (TFCA2), US$ 32M was allocated for the Foundation’s grantmaking activities from 2017 to 2027. Through its Results Framework 2017-2021, the Foundation was able to support 326 projects, resulting in the restoration of 1,243 hectares of forestlands, improvement of 1 million hectares of forestlands, improvement of 211 community-based organizations, and empowerment of 108 community-level enterprises.

For the coming years, the Foundation continues its mission with a new direction for its strategy. Under the new medium-term strategy, the Results Framework 2023-2027, the Foundation will continue employing a sustainable forest landscape approach  to protect and sustainably manage the forests for water, land productivity, and biodiversity — with the overarching goal of sustaining ecosystem services and forest-related climate action.

II. Geographic Scope and Objectives

This 2024 Request for Proposals will prioritize the forested landscapes geographically located in Mindanao. Specifically, Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Sur, and the  Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor (EMBC):

Table 1. Priority sites for Mindanao.

Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental		Lanao del Sur	EMBC
Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park Mt. Kalatungan Range Natural Park Mt. Balatukan Range Natural Park Mt. Kimangkil Kalanawan Sumagaya Pamalihi Range Mt.Malindawag/Talabaan Watershed Mt. Tago-Pantaron Range Coastal forests of Misamis Oriental		Lake Lanao Watershed	Mt Hilong-Hilong Range

In the past five years, the Foundation has supported land cover mapping, science-based resource assessments, increasing forest protection and restoration activities, capacity strengthening for both IPs and non-IP communities and stakeholders, development of community- and forest-based livelihoods and enterprises, and strengthening participation of women and youth in conservation activities in the forested landscapes of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental. These aimed to contribute to a sustainable landscape approach to maintain the ecosystem services from the forests.

The forested landscape of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental are known for their lush forests, rich soils, and booming agricultural industry. Aside from being home to the Cagayan de Oro River Basin, the mountain ranges within these provinces host several watersheds that are vital to the ecological and economic balance of Mindanao. The landscape is also home to a number of indigenous peoples (IPs) groups, habitat to critically endangered and economically important species of plants and animals. On another note, the coasts of Misamis Oriental provide marine resources that are ecologically and economically important for its communities. Given the continuing population increase, forests within this landscape are threatened by farming activities, destroying wide swathes of forestlands, displacing wildlife, and disrupting natural waterways. Worsening floods have also severely affected indigenous and urban communities, as well as the landscape’s biodiversity. Under the Results Framework 2023-2027, the Foundation will continue providing grants and technical assistance to support expansion, scaling-up, and replication of good practices for forest conservation in the forested landscapes of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental. 

The Foundation will likewise expand its geographical coverage in the adjacent forested landscapes of Lanao del Sur, and select forested landscapes within the EMBC to achieve the sustainable landscape approach to natural resource management. Lanao del Sur lies west of Bukidnon, with a total forest cover of 150,151 ha, critical for the reliability of hydropower plants as renewable energy sources in Mindanao. The EMBC on one hand, which lies east of the Bukidnon, is a long stretch of lowland and mid- to high elevation forests along the east coast of Mindanao. The EMBC hosts a large proportion of the country’s unique floral and faunal species, and home to a number of IP groups. Both of these remaining large forest blocks are threatened by illegal activities, land conversion, encroachment, increasing population pressure, and climate change. Priority projects in these sites include watershed management for sustained ecosystem service, critical habitat management, and strengthening landscape governance.

III. Eligible Projects

The Foundation’s Results Framework 2023-2027 emphasizes collective and transformative actions among all stakeholders to protect and conserve the forests for water, land, and biodiversity – with the overarching goal of enhancing ecosystem services and forest-related climate action while addressing the climate crisis. For more information about the Results Framework, visit: https://www.forestfoundation.ph/results-framework-2023-2027/.

Project outputs should directly contribute to the four outcomes as defined in the Results Framework for 2023-2027, as guided by the sustainable forest landscape approach. The Foundation and its partners will seek to achieve four immediate outcomes:

1. Grow Forests: Enhanced forested landscapes that provide multiple ecosystem goods and services;
2. Grow Opportunities: Improved multi-stakeholder engagement through sustainable livelihoods and incentives;
3. Grow Partners: Strengthened cross-sectoral partnerships for sustainable forest management; and
4. Grow Advocates: Enhanced knowledge management and strategic communications.

The following activities are eligible for fund support:

1. GROW FORESTS. Enhanced forested landscapes that provide multiple ecosystem goods and services

Table 2. Eligible activities for fund support under Grow Forest.

OUTPUTS	ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
Participatory, threat-based, and multisectoral forest protection and management	Protection and improved management of the remaining expanse of natural forest ecosystems, which may include, but not limited to: 1. Participatory identification of threats to forests, as well as planning and implementation of appropriate actions to deal with such threats 2. Establishment of appropriate boundary markers to prevent further encroachment of natural forest blocks 3. Development and implementation of forest patrolling, monitoring, and capacity building of Bantay Gubat 4. Improving forest fire managementImproving forest law enforcement
Science-based and participatory reforestation, restoration, and enhancement of appropriate management zone	Approaches to forest restoration, which may include, but not limited to: 1. Using native species to restore protection zones and watershed headwaters and improve forest ecosystem services 2. Employing agroforestry approaches to restore production zones 3. Encouraging the use of native species, fruit-bearing trees, non-timber forest products, and high-value crops to boost community livelihoods 4. Using appropriate site-species matching to restore degraded mangroves, beach forests, and abandoned fishponds
OECMs identified and recognized	Identification and recognition of other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) for biodiversity conservation outside protected areas. This can include characterization and assessment, development and/or updating of management plans, adoption and/or declaration of local government units, and reporting of OECMs.
Sustainability measures	Monitoring of sustainability plans and key results as projects progress. This will also include an evaluation of limiting factors that could affect the delivery of outcomes. Endlines studies will be conducted to assess each project’s impact on the biophysical character of the focal landscapes.

2. GROW OPPORTUNITIES. Improved multi-stakeholder engagement through sustainable livelihoods and incentives

Table 3. Eligible activities for fund support under Grow Opportunities.

OUTPUTS	ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
Enhanced community livelihoods and enterprises	Identification of sustainable commodities, product development, and diversification of livelihoods to improve the quantity, quality, and value of forest assets, while also managing and protecting forest lands. This will include, but not limited to: 1. Resources inventory for business planning 2. Helping communities to link with mandated government agencies, comply with regulations and standards, develop benefit-sharing mechanisms, and facilitate access to other funds and safety nets 3. Enhancing stakeholders’ capacities for budgeting, planning, financial management, and resource base enhancement 4. Training, mentoring, and peer-to-peer learning to build communities’ entrepreneurial capacities and nurture a culture of innovation
Livelihood interventions sustained	Market-linkage and private sector partnerships to ensure that buyers get access to a wide range of product options, including the following, but not limited to: 1. Facilitating joint learning opportunities and social capital building among partners, government, academe, and other stakeholders. This will help inform policy and practice on sustainable livelihood strategies for protecting forests. 2. Implementing and monitoring business plans 3. Capacity building and enhancement to ensure business continuity 4. Endline studies to assess changes in stakeholders’ income, well-being, resource use, and attitudes and practices toward sustainable forest management
Nature-based solutions on forests are piloted and operationalized	Nature-based solutions to build climate resilience and mitigate the climate change crisis, including, but not limited to: 1. Strengthening the capacities and readiness of stakeholders to enter into NbS engagements 2. Increasing the adaptive capacities of communities and stakeholders 3. Facilitating discussions among the government, communities, civil society organizations (CSOs), and the private sector to further policy recommendations and best practices that will advance NbS in the landscapes

3. GROW PARTNERS. Strengthened cross-sectoral partnerships for sustainable forest management

Table 4. Eligible activities for fund support under Grow Partners.

OUTPUTS	ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
Appropriate forest management bodies and frameworks	Participatory planning and project implementation, through the following activities, but not limited to:  1. Partnering with the government, academic institutions, and development agencies to bridge constraints in information and knowledge management 2. Developing frameworks and tools for capacity building.Innovating hybrid platforms to ensure programs continue amidst the changing socio-political environment 3. Formulating, updating, and climate-proofing of community-based forest management frameworks and plans 4. Strengthening institutional arrangements 5. Formation of local councils and/or management boards 6. Co-development and updating of resource management plans and frameworks 7. Fostering local reforms 8. Adoption of management plans 9. Affirmation of institutional accountabilities
Institutional and multi-sectoral linkages facilitated and accelerated	Organizational partnerships to carry out sustainable forest management practices despite the challenges that may happen on the ground: 1. Sustaining initial collaborations with the academe, professional groups, and caucus of organizations that can extend technical assistance and support capacity development  2. Facilitating partnerships and promoting linkages between communities and the business sector to co-finance NbS. Projects will focus on investments in natural ecosystems and addressing the impacts of climate change

4. GROW ADVOCATES. Enhanced knowledge management and strategic communications

Table 5. Eligible activities for fund support under grow advocates.

OUTPUTS	ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
Knowledge on forests and forest ecosystems services and products co-created, shared, and managed	Knowledge co-creation through transdisciplinary research and policy co-development. Data and insights will be used to improve landscape decision-making processes. Activities and projects will include: 1. Multi-stakeholder dialogues and sharing of action-oriented research results through traditional, creative, and innovative science communication approaches (e.g. conferences and GIS-based story maps) 2. Documentation of learnings and experiences of stakeholders on sustainable forest management 3. Sharing of local ecological knowledge 4. Generation of local knowledge products 5. Providing scholarships, practicum support, and thesis or dissertation grants to students and professionals (especially women and youth) working on forestry and its associated fields 6. Enabling research and education platforms that integrate inclusive forest governance and climate action
Active involvement of the wider public in forest protection and sustainable forest management-related activities	Strategic communication initiatives and programs to engage the wider public — creatives, professional associations, business associations, and religious groups — and encourage more people to be advocates for sustainable forest management. Activities and projects will include, but not limited to: 1. IEC campaigns, public engagement programs, creative projects (e.g. games, podcasts, hackathons, theater productions, and other traditional and new media art forms), and citizen science programs 2. Measuring, evaluating, and optimizing stakeholder engagement programs to increase participation and build a stronger constituency of advocates

IV. Eligible Recipients

Entities involved in community development, forestry, education, research, livelihood, and advocacy are encouraged to apply. This includes:

1. Non-governmental, peoples, indigenous peoples, professional, socio-civic and community organizations;
2. Other appropriate local or regional entities active in the Philippines; and
3. Individuals (researchers and social entrepreneurs, among others).

Priority will be given to entities that can operate and work with the local communities in the priority geographic scope.

Proponents who had prior grants from the Foundation may apply for another funding under the new Results Framework for projects that will be scaled-up, expanded, and/or replicated. 

Project implementation can also be done through integrated projects by one Civil Society Organization (CSO) or several CSOs in a consortium agreeing to perform or achieve particular outputs in support of common project outcomes. 

V. Funding Allocation and Grant Categories

For 2023-2027, the Foundation will allocate approximately PhP 70M of total Forest Landscape Grants from the Second Tropical Forest Conservation Fund (TFCF II) for projects in the targeted forested landscape in Mindanao.

The grant will support eligible activities that can be implemented up to year 2027, depending on the project components and activities necessary to achieve the expected outcomes as stated in the Forest Foundation Results Framework. Projects should be at levels commensurate with achieving measurable impact on large landscapes while maintaining accountability and efficacy.

The categories of the grants are listed below:

• Small Grants – up to PhP 500,000 of direct project activity cost, to be immediately implemented and completed within a year. Projects may include (but not limited to) nursery establishment and management, stakeholder consultation meetings and conferences, among others. 
• Medium Grants – up to PhP 6M of total project cost, to be implemented in a minimum of one year up to a maximum of three years. Projects under this grant category shall deliver specific output or outputs that will contribute to at least two target outcomes as stated in the Foundation’s Results Framework. Medium grants may include (but not limited to) assessments, applied research (based on the results and/or recommendations of the conducted assessments), mangrove restoration/protection, sustainable enterprise development consistent with the manner of protecting the forests, establishment and management of critical habitats and/or community conservation areas, among others.
• Large Grants – up to PhP 24 M of total project cost, and shall deliver multiple project outputs that will contribute to ALL of the four expected outcomes in the Foundation’s Results Framework. 

Project proposals may be linked with other past and/or existing projects and/or programs within the landscapes to establish a more participatory and coordinated strategy on forested landscapes restoration and ecosystem restoration. 

Project proposals must clearly provide information on its link with relevant management and/or development plans/frameworks (e.g. CRMF for areas with CBFMAs, Protected Area management plan, and/or ADSDPP or CDP). Proposed project interventions must clearly address identified needs and threats to the forest and the associated ecosystem services. 

Counterpart funding from the proponent, partners, and other donor institutions and projects/programs is highly encouraged. 

VI. Application

For the general requirements for submitting proposals under the Large and Medium Grants categories, see Table 6 below. Proposals under the Small Grant category may submit directly to the Forest Foundation’s grant portal (see details below).

Table 6. Requirements for submission to access Medium and Large Grant categories.

Project Proposal Elements		New proponent a		Former Grantee b
		New Concept; Replication and/or Expansion project		Replication and/or Expansion Project		New Concept/ Framework, regardless of the proposed site
		New site(s)	Former site(s)c	New site(s)	Expansion site(s)
Template	Full proposal			✓	✓
	Concept Note	✓	✓			✓
Requirements as part of the full proposal development/submission	Project baseline per target outcome  (to be included as part of Year 1 activities in the proposal)	✓ (except when baseline information are already available)		✓ (except when baseline information are already available)		✓ (except when baseline information are already available)
	Community consultation and endorsements	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
	Clear sustainability and/or phase-out plan (final year/phase of the proposed project)	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

Notes: 

Concept Note Submission

The Concept Note template can be downloaded through the links below:

• Concept Note – English/Filipino
• Concept Note – English/Bisaya

Concept Notes must clearly provide information on its link with relevant management and/or development plans/frameworks (e.g. CRMF for areas with CBFMAs, Protected Area management plan, and/or ADSDPP or CDP). Proposed project interventions must clearly address identified needs and threats to the forest and the associated ecosystem services. Please refer to the Timeline Section below for important dates and other requirements. 

Eligible entities can submit the accomplished Concept Notes on or before the deadline through the following link.

Upon determination of the number and/or merit of the Concept Notes, the Foundation may organize project development activities and/or individual meetings with the proponents. See Section VII for the timeline of activities, including the conduct of project development activities in Mindanao.

Full Proposal Submission 

Upon determination of the merit of the Concept Note, the Proponent may be invited to submit a full proposal. Proponents that will be eligible for submission of full proposals under Large and/or Medium Grants shall include detailed activity and budget plan for the first year; and indicative activity and budget plan for the succeeding years. Large Landscape Grants proposals shall have a clear phase-out/sustainability plan.

• Full proposal templates can be downloaded through https://grants.forestfoundation.ph and/or requested by sending email to proposals@forestfoundation.ph.
• Eligible entities must submit their full proposals through the grant portal: https://grants.forestfoundation.ph/.

Please refer to the Timeline Section below for important dates and other requirements. Large and/or Medium Grants shall include detailed activity and budget plan for the first year; and indicative activity and budget plan for the succeeding years. Large Landscape Grants proposals shall have a clear phase-out/sustainability plan.

VII. Timeline

For project proposals that are aiming for implementation by November 2024 to March 2025, please take note of the timeline in Table 7 below. 

Table 7. Timeline of activities.

Activities	Tentative Dates
Request for Proposal (Issuance)	13 August 2024
Submission of Concept Note and Registration to the Project Development Activity	On or before 28 August 2024 1.  Concept Note Template (English/Filipino, Bisaya) 2. Registration Link
Project Development Activities, Roadshows, and Meetings  (venue and arrangements will be provided depending upon the number of Concept Notes submitted)	Target Dates: 9-20 September 2024 Target Venues: Cagayan de Oro City, Butuan City, Lanao Del Sur Check the Foundation’s website and Facebook page regularly for updates.
Deadline of submission of Full Proposal (Medium and Large Grants)	13 October 2024
Evaluation of proposals (All categories)	September to November 2024
Announcement of Results and start of Project Implementation	October 2024 (earliest) and March 2025 (latest), depending on the grant categories, completeness of the proposal, and compliance to the requirements

Note that submissions beyond the deadline shall be considered based on the availability of funds.

Project Development Activities. Project Development Activities (e.g. meetings, roadshows, workshops) serve as venues for the Forest Foundation to discuss its grant programs in detail, as well as provide technical assistance to eligible organizations and/or individuals who would like to enhance and strengthen their concept and/or ideas of a project for possible funding. 

Depending on the nature and number of Concept Notes that will be received by the Foundation, Project Development Activities may be organized in the landscapes. Please check the Foundation’s website and social media pages for regular updates.

Eligible Entities who would want to participate in the Project development activities may indicate their interests in the Concept Note template. A maximum of two representatives per Concept Note (preferably the project leader and/or community leader) may participate in the workshop. 

Due to the bulk of project proposals and inquiries received by the Foundation, registration for the Project Development Activities is required to secure a time slot and receive the final program arrangements. 

Participants are encouraged to prepare a short talk or presentation of the Concept Note during the workshop.

Entities based outside of the targeted landscapes that are interested to implement a project may request for individual consultations.

VIII. Proposal Evaluation

The selection of projects for funding is a competitive process. The proposals will be evaluated based on the criteria in Table 3 below.

Table 8. Criteria for evaluation of full proposals submitted to Forest Foundation Philippines for grant support under the Results Framework 2023-2027

CRITERIA	GUIDE QUESTIONS
1. Design	Are the objectives, methods, and outcomes coherent?
2. Capacity	Can the proponents successfully implement the project?
3. Impact	To what extent will the project contribute to forest restoration and ecosystem recovery?
4. Relevance	How relevant is the project to the target group and the community?
5. Efficiency	Will the project be implemented in a timely and cost-effective manner?
6. Sustainability	Can the project be scaled up, replicated or institutionalized after its implementation?

The process of proposal evaluation may include visit to the proposed project sites, including validation/confirmation with the project partner community/ies and selected stakeholders.