Kunming Biodiversity Fund 2026 Call for Proposals: Up to US$800,000 for Biodiversity Projects

The Kunming Biodiversity Fund 2026 Call for Proposals is inviting ambitious biodiversity projects designed to help developing countries protect ecosystems, integrate biodiversity into public policy, mobilize financial resources for conservation, and ensure the fair sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources.

Through this international funding opportunity, eligible country-level projects can request up to US$500,000, while regional projects involving multiple countries can receive up to US$800,000. Projects must run for a period of between 12 and 24 months and directly support implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and relevant National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans.

The call is particularly relevant to governments, participating United Nations organizations and their implementing partners working to reverse biodiversity loss through practical, country-owned and scalable interventions. The engagement of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, women and young people is strongly encouraged throughout project design and implementation.

The first submission deadline is 15 September 2026, while the second submission deadline is 15 November 2026. Full details are available through the official UNEP announcement.

Kunming Biodiversity Fund 2026 Call for Proposals at a Glance

Key information	Details
Fund	Kunming Biodiversity Fund
Main purpose	Accelerate implementation of national biodiversity priorities and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
Maximum amount for a single-country project	US$500,000
Maximum amount for a multi-country project	US$800,000
Project duration	12 to 24 months
Geographic scope	Country-level, subnational or regional multi-country implementation
Stage 1 deadline	15 September 2026
Stage 2 deadline	15 November 2026
Submission time	No later than 23:59 on the relevant deadline date
Submission method	Email submission to the Kunming Biodiversity Fund Secretariat
Submission email	kbf@un.org
Expected Stage 2 results	By 31 December 2026
Programme support-cost ceiling	No more than 7% for the participating UN organization

The announcement does not specify the applicable time zone for the 23:59 deadline. Applicants should therefore submit well before the closing day and request confirmation that the email and all attachments have been received.

What Is the Kunming Biodiversity Fund?

The Kunming Biodiversity Fund, commonly known as the KBF, is an international biodiversity financing and cooperation mechanism initiated and financially supported by the Government of China in strategic partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme.

The Fund was formally launched in Beijing in May 2024 to assist developing countries in accelerating and expanding the implementation of their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans. It is intended to connect the global commitments made under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework with practical conservation delivery at country and community levels.

The Fund mobilizes resources for biodiversity initiatives that are expected to be high-impact, inclusive and equitable. It also aims to complement existing biodiversity financing instruments, including the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, while working closely with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and other United Nations organizations.

More information about the Fund’s background and institutional arrangements is available on the official Kunming Biodiversity Fund overview page.

Why Has the 2026 Call for Proposals Been Launched?

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was adopted by the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2022. Since then, countries and other stakeholders have taken steps to translate its global goals and targets into national action.

Governments have established national targets and expanded their efforts in areas such as biodiversity finance, institutional capacity, technology transfer, monitoring and scientific cooperation. Nevertheless, the global review of implementation indicates that progress is still not occurring at the scale or speed required to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.

Important implementation gaps remain, including:

• Weak environmental governance and insufficient policy coordination;
• Limited integration of biodiversity across government departments and economic sectors;
• Inadequate whole-of-government and whole-of-society participation;
• Shortages of biodiversity information, monitoring systems and technical capacity;
• Insufficient financial resources for implementing national biodiversity plans;
• Implementation bottlenecks affecting the delivery of national targets;
• Limited participation and ownership among communities and other affected groups; and
• A lack of scalable and replicable biodiversity interventions.

The 2026 call seeks proposals that address the root causes of these gaps and finance practical interventions capable of accelerating National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans.

Projects should be based on national circumstances and priorities rather than presenting generic conservation ideas without a clear connection to the beneficiary country’s biodiversity strategy.

Four Priority Thematic Areas

Every proposed project must contribute to at least one of the following four thematic areas. Projects that make a credible contribution to more than one area will be viewed favourably.

1. Restoring and Protecting Ecosystems to Improve Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

The first thematic area supports projects that restore degraded ecosystems, strengthen ecosystem protection and improve the services that healthy ecosystems provide to people and nature.

Potential interventions may include:

• Assessing the condition, extent, integrity and threats facing inland water, coastal and marine ecosystems;
• Improving the protection and effective management of inland waters, coastal areas and marine environments;
• Developing pilot projects for restoring degraded terrestrial, freshwater, coastal or marine ecosystems;
• Recovering important ecosystem functions and services;
• Strengthening biodiversity monitoring and ecosystem assessment systems;
• Improving biodiversity information and data-management capabilities;
• Evaluating the environmental and socioeconomic effectiveness of previous restoration initiatives;
• Comparing the costs, adaptability and sustainability of different restoration approaches; and
• Producing models that can be replicated or scaled in other locations.

Projects under this theme should demonstrate how restoration or protection activities will contribute to measurable biodiversity outcomes rather than concentrating only on infrastructure, awareness or short-term activities.

2. Mainstreaming Biodiversity into Policies, Regulations, Planning and Strategies

The second thematic area focuses on integrating biodiversity considerations into public policy, legislation, planning systems, development processes and economic decision-making.

Relevant activities may include:

• Integrating biodiversity values into national and subnational policies;
• Strengthening biodiversity provisions within laws, regulations and sectoral strategies;
• Incorporating biodiversity into spatial and land-use planning;
• Integrating biodiversity into poverty-reduction and development strategies;
• Improving strategic environmental assessments and environmental impact assessments;
• Reflecting biodiversity and ecosystem values in national accounting systems;
• Mainstreaming biodiversity across agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, forestry, energy, chemicals, mining, health, medicine and tourism;
• Supporting fishing moratoriums, coastal wetland protection or sustainable fishing quotas;
• Monitoring and reducing the excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides;
• Promoting the efficient and responsible use of agricultural inputs;
• Expanding biodiversity-friendly farming, agroecological approaches and agroforestry;
• Monitoring soil health and pollinator populations; and
• Improving coordination between public institutions whose decisions affect biodiversity.

Strong proposals should clearly identify the relevant policies, departments, sectors and decision-making processes that the project intends to influence.

3. Strengthening Resource Mobilization for Biodiversity Conservation

The third thematic area addresses the financial gap affecting the implementation of national biodiversity strategies.

Projects may focus on:

• Identifying incentives and subsidies that are harmful to biodiversity;
• Designing fair approaches for eliminating, reforming or phasing out harmful incentives;
• Developing policies that encourage businesses to assess and disclose their biodiversity-related impacts, risks and dependencies;
• Supporting companies in reducing the negative biodiversity effects of their operations, supply chains and production systems;
• Developing or implementing national biodiversity finance plans;
• Establishing payments for ecosystem services;
• Developing green bonds and other nature-related financial instruments;
• Designing biodiversity compensation, credit or benefit-sharing mechanisms;
• Mobilizing domestic public-sector finance;
• Attracting private-sector investment into biodiversity;
• Using blended finance or impact-investment approaches;
• Improving the transparency and effectiveness of biodiversity expenditure; and
• Mobilizing international and domestic resources for National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans.

Projects should demonstrate how proposed financing mechanisms will become operational and sustainable. A proposal limited to conducting studies without a credible route to implementation may be less competitive.

4. Sharing Benefits from Genetic Resources and Digital Sequence Information

The fourth thematic area supports fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources, digital sequence information associated with genetic resources, and related traditional knowledge.

Relevant interventions may include:

• Developing legal and policy measures for access and benefit-sharing;
• Strengthening national, subnational and local administrative systems;
• Building institutional and technical capacity;
• Improving procedures governing access to genetic resources;
• Protecting traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources;
• Developing fair mechanisms for distributing monetary and non-monetary benefits;
• Supporting compliance with relevant international access and benefit-sharing instruments; and
• Piloting practical arrangements for access to and benefit-sharing from genetic resources, digital sequence information and traditional knowledge.

Projects in this area should give careful attention to community rights, informed participation, transparency and the ownership of traditional knowledge.

The detailed scope of all four areas is explained in the 2026 Full Size Project Application Guidelines.

Alignment with the Global Biodiversity Framework

Proposals should demonstrate a direct relationship between the selected activities and the gaps identified through the global review of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The four thematic areas are particularly connected to the following framework goals and targets:

• Ecosystem restoration and protection: Goal A and Targets 2, 3 and 11;
• Biodiversity mainstreaming: Targets 14 and 15;
• Biodiversity finance and resource mobilization: Goal D and Targets 18, 19, 20 and 23; and
• Genetic resources and digital sequence information: Goal C and Target 13.

Applicants should not merely mention these targets. A strong proposal will explain how project activities, outputs, outcomes and indicators will contribute to the selected framework targets and the beneficiary country’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.

The official alignment between the global review gaps and KBF priorities is provided in the KMGBF collective review mapping document.

Project Funding and Duration

The funding ceiling depends on the project’s geographical coverage.

Single-Country Projects

A country-level or subnational project may request no more than US$500,000.

Such projects should concentrate on the implementation of national biodiversity priorities within one beneficiary country. Activities may cover the entire country or selected provinces, districts, landscapes, watersheds, ecosystems or coastal areas.

Multi-Country Projects

A regional project involving more than one country may request up to US$800,000.

A regional proposal should demonstrate genuine cross-border or regional value. Listing several countries without explaining their shared biodiversity problem, coordination arrangements and collective results is unlikely to be sufficient.

Each participating country in a multi-country proposal must provide its own government endorsement letter.

Project Duration

Projects must have an implementation period of at least 12 months and no more than 24 months.

The implementation timetable should be realistic, with sufficient time for:

1. Project inception and stakeholder consultation;
2. Baseline assessments;
3. Technical or policy interventions;
4. Capacity-building and community participation;
5. Monitoring of results;
6. Documentation and communication;
7. Evaluation and learning; and
8. Sustainability, replication or handover arrangements.

The official start date will be connected to the transfer of funds by the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office.

Programme Support Costs and Co-Funding

Programme support costs charged by the participating UN organization must not exceed 7%.

The project template contains space to report other sources of finance and co-funding. However, the KBF Operations Manual explains that projects may receive co-funding from UN entities, governments or development partners but does not make co-funding compulsory.

Applicants should distinguish clearly between:

• The amount requested from the KBF;
• Confirmed co-financing;
• In-kind government or partner contributions; and
• Any parallel financing that supports, but is not managed through, the proposed project.

Institutional Submission Arrangements

Each proposal must be jointly developed by the beneficiary country and a participating United Nations organization selected by the country.

For the 2026 call, KBF resources will be transferred directly only to UN agencies. The beneficiary country accesses the approved resources through the participating UN organization.

National and local government bodies, civil-society organizations, community-based organizations, academic institutions, private-sector organizations and other non-UN entities may be included as implementing partners or sub-partners where appropriate. They cannot independently submit a proposal directly to the Fund under this call.

The proposal template allows up to three participating organizations, although one or two are preferred. When more than one UN organization is involved, the proposal must identify the lead or coordinating organization and clearly explain the responsibilities of each participating organization.

Required Government Endorsement

Every proposal must include an endorsement letter signed by either:

• The country’s national focal point for the Convention on Biological Diversity; or
• A designated official in the lead government ministry responsible for the proposal.

Endorsement letters from more than one relevant ministry will be considered an advantage, particularly for projects involving several sectors.

For example, a biodiversity-mainstreaming project involving agriculture, forestry, finance and local government may benefit from demonstrating formal support across the relevant ministries rather than relying on one institution alone.

For a multi-country project, a separate endorsement letter is required from every participating country.

A proposal that does not include the required endorsement will not be evaluated.

Information Required in the Project Proposal

Applicants must use the official KBF proposal template and provide complete information. The required basic information includes:

• Project title;
• Primary and secondary thematic areas;
• A project description of no more than 50 words;
• Anticipated start date and project duration;
• Participating UN organizations and their respective roles;
• Primary and secondary project focal points;
• Geographic scope;
• Beneficiary countries and national focal points;
• Gender Equality Marker;
• Relevant Sustainable Development Goal targets;
• Total amount requested;
• Budget allocation for each participating organization;
• Sources and value of co-financing, where applicable; and
• Required institutional signatures.

The official KBF Project Proposal Template requires the following principal sections.

1. Situation Analysis

The situation analysis has a limit of 500 words.

It should provide an evidence-based explanation of the biodiversity problem, its causes, affected ecosystems and communities, current policy or institutional gaps, and opportunities for reversing biodiversity loss.

The analysis should connect the identified problem with the 2050 vision, the four long-term goals of the Global Biodiversity Framework, the 23 targets for 2030 and relevant national biodiversity priorities.

References may be provided through footnotes, which are not counted within the stated word limit.

2. Project Objectives

The objectives section has a limit of 200 words.

Objectives should identify the specific changes the project will produce and explain how those changes will accelerate or expand implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Objectives should be measurable and achievable within the proposed 12-to-24-month period.

3. Theory of Change

The theory-of-change section has a limit of 500 words.

It should present a logical connection between:

• Project inputs;
• Planned activities;
• Immediate outputs;
• Medium-term outcomes;
• Long-term impact;
• Critical assumptions; and
• External risks or enabling conditions.

The theory of change should show why the proposed activities are expected to address the identified root causes rather than simply describing a list of activities.

4. Coordination, Complementarity and Added Value

This section has a limit of 400 words.

Applicants should explain how the proposed project will complement previous, ongoing and planned projects in the beneficiary country. The proposal should identify relevant government programmes, UN initiatives, Global Environment Facility projects and other biodiversity investments.

It should also explain how the project team will coordinate with government bodies, UN agencies, development partners, civil society and other stakeholders.

5. Lessons Learned and Innovation

This section has a limit of 200 words.

Applicants should summarize the lessons drawn from comparable initiatives and explain how those lessons have shaped the proposed design.

Innovation may involve new technology, financing arrangements, institutional models, community approaches, policy mechanisms, data systems or scalable conservation techniques. Innovation should solve an identified problem and not be included merely as a promotional claim.

6. Sustainability, Exit Strategy and Replication

This section has a limit of 200 words.

The proposal should explain how results will continue after KBF financing ends. Applicants should address:

• Environmental sustainability;
• Institutional ownership;
• Long-term financial requirements;
• Government responsibilities;
• Continued community participation;
• Handover arrangements;
• Maintenance of infrastructure or information systems; and
• Opportunities for replication or expansion.

7. Social Impact

The social-impact section has a limit of 400 words.

It should address gender equality and women’s empowerment, youth participation, vulnerable and marginalized groups, persons with disabilities, and the participation of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.

Where Indigenous Peoples or local communities may be affected, the proposal should explain how they participated in project design, how their ownership will be supported and whether free, prior and informed consent procedures are required.

Where relevant social or environmental risks exist, a comprehensive safeguard strategy should be attached.

8. Communications, Outreach and Learning

This section has a limit of 200 words.

Every project is expected to include communication, outreach and learning activities that make results accessible and promote replication.

Applicants should identify:

• Target audiences;
• Communication products;
• Outreach methods;
• Languages to be used;
• Knowledge-sharing arrangements; and
• How project lessons will influence policy or future programming.

9. Detailed Budget

Applicants must use the official budget template. Budgets prepared in a different format may not be considered.

The budget must be organized by outcome, output and activity. Each activity must also be allocated to the appropriate United Nations expenditure category. Activities involving several types of expenditure should be divided accordingly.

The standard categories cover:

• Staff and other personnel;
• Supplies, commodities and materials;
• Equipment, vehicles and furniture;
• Contractual services;
• Travel;
• Transfers to implementing counterparts;
• General operating and other direct costs; and
• Indirect programme support costs.

The official KBF Budget Template should be used.

10. Results Framework

The results framework must contain appropriate indicators at both outcome and output levels.

Each indicator should include:

• A defined baseline;
• A measurable target;
• A target date;
• Means of verification; and
• The organization responsible for measurement.

Indicators should follow the SMART principles: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.

11. Implementation Workplan

The workplan should organize activities by output and implementation month. It should cover the entire project period and clearly indicate the sequence and timing of major activities.

The workplan should correspond directly with the results framework and budget. An activity appearing in the budget but not in the workplan, or vice versa, may indicate an incomplete project design.

12. Risk-Management Framework

The proposal must identify risks that could prevent the project from achieving its intended results.

The risk assessment should cover:

• Contextual risks, including political instability, conflict and security;
• Institutional risks affecting government or partner participation;
• Programmatic and implementation risks;
• Environmental and social risks;
• Economic and financial risks;
• Safeguarding risks; and
• Other project-specific risks.

For every material risk, the proposal should describe its likelihood, impact, overall rating, implications, mitigation measures and responsible risk owner.

A separate risk-management plan should be attached when critical or high-level risks require more detailed treatment.

Mandatory and Optional Annexes

The proposal template identifies the following mandatory annexes:

1. Detailed implementation workplan; and
2. Results-based budget and budget classified by United Nations expenditure categories.

Depending on the project, applicants may also attach:

• A more detailed baseline and situation analysis;
• Maps of the intervention area;
• Maps for transboundary or multi-country projects;
• A full theory-of-change diagram;
• Detailed descriptions of outcomes, outputs and activities;
• Allocation of responsibilities among implementing partners;
• A comprehensive safeguard strategy;
• An Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities engagement plan;
• A monitoring and evaluation plan; and
• A stakeholder-engagement plan.

Two Submission Deadlines

The 2026 call uses two submission deadlines.

Stage 1 Deadline: 15 September 2026

Proposals submitted by 23:59 on 15 September 2026 will receive priority review.

The first group of approved projects is expected to be announced and launched during the seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Stage 2 Deadline: 15 November 2026

Eligible proposals submitted by 23:59 on 15 November 2026 will be reviewed and processed, with results expected to be announced by 31 December 2026.

The official announcement states that all eligible applications will be received and reviewed. Nevertheless, applicants capable of submitting a complete and properly endorsed proposal by the first deadline may benefit from the priority-review timetable.

How to Submit a Proposal

Applications must be emailed directly to the Kunming Biodiversity Fund Secretariat at kbf@un.org.

A complete submission should include:

1. The completed project proposal template;
2. The completed project budget template;
3. A detailed implementation workplan;
4. The required government endorsement letter or letters;
5. Any required safeguard or risk-management documents;
6. Relevant optional annexes;
7. The names and contact details of the project focal points; and
8. Any institutional signatures required by the templates.

Applicants should use a clear email subject line identifying the 2026 KBF Call for Proposals, the beneficiary country and the project title.

Files should be clearly named and checked before submission. Applicants should also ensure that attachments are not too large for email delivery.

Review and Selection Process

The KBF Secretariat will initially check whether each proposal satisfies the submission requirements. Proposals that are incomplete, submitted after the relevant deadline or missing the required endorsement may not proceed to technical assessment.

Eligible proposals will be assessed by the KBF Independent Technical Advisory Group. The group will consider the strength, feasibility, sustainability and strategic alignment of each project before recommending a shortlist to the KBF Executive Council.

The linked KBF Operations Manual indicates that technical assessment is likely to consider:

• Whether the biodiversity problem is clearly defined and urgent;
• Whether the project presents a credible pathway to transformational impact;
• The degree of innovation and use of previous lessons;
• Whether activities logically lead to the proposed results;
• Evidence that the project was co-created with the beneficiary country;
• Alignment with the country’s biodiversity implementation strategy;
• The quality of SMART indicators and the results framework;
• Communication, outreach and learning arrangements;
• Integration of gender equality and women’s empowerment;
• Meaningful engagement of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities;
• The quality of the risk-management framework;
• The practicality of the implementation workplan;
• The justification and alignment of the proposed budget;
• Synergies with earlier or ongoing projects; and
• Potential for sustainability, replication and scale-up.

Applicants may be invited to present their proposal, answer questions or provide further information before a final decision is taken.

The Executive Council may approve a project, approve it subject to recommendations or reject it. Where conditions or recommendations are imposed, the proponent or participating organization may be required to explain within 14 days how those recommendations will be addressed.

The KBF Secretariat will not provide progress updates or feedback while proposals are under review. The nominated project focal point will receive the final decision by email.

Fund Transfer and Project Management

Approved resources will be transferred in tranches.

The first tranche will be released following Executive Council approval of the project document. The KBF Secretariat will prepare the required Fund Transfer Request, after which the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office will process the approved transfer.

The Fund indicates that the transfer should normally be completed within five working days after the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office receives the completed request.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

The participating UN organization will be responsible for complying with KBF monitoring and evaluation requirements and its own institutional policies and procedures.

The project budget should contain sufficient resources for:

• Routine monitoring;
• Biodiversity and socioeconomic data collection;
• Baseline and end-line measurement;
• Narrative progress reporting;
• Financial reporting;
• Relevant evaluations;
• Stakeholder learning; and
• Communication of project results.

The KBF Secretariat may conduct field visits and monitor progress against the approved workplan. Participating organizations may also be required to contribute to KBF learning, evaluation and knowledge-sharing exercises.

How to Develop a Strong Proposal

Prospective project teams should begin with the beneficiary country’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan rather than starting with a pre-selected activity.

A competitive preparation process should include the following steps:

1. Identify a specific implementation gap in the national biodiversity strategy.
2. Connect that gap to the findings of the global review.
3. Select the most relevant KBF thematic area or areas.
4. Secure the involvement of a participating UN organization at the beginning of project development.
5. Consult the relevant government ministry and CBD national focal point.
6. Engage affected communities, women, youth and other stakeholders during design.
7. Establish an evidence-based baseline.
8. Develop a clear theory of change.
9. Define measurable outcomes, outputs and SMART indicators.
10. Prepare a realistic 12-to-24-month workplan.
11. Align every budget item with an activity and expected result.
12. Explain how the intervention is innovative, sustainable and capable of replication.
13. Assess environmental, social, institutional and operational risks.
14. Obtain all endorsement letters and signatures before the deadline.
15. Conduct a final compliance review against the official guidelines and templates.

Applicants should avoid broad proposals that attempt to address every biodiversity challenge within one project. A focused intervention with clear evidence, ownership and measurable outcomes will generally be more credible than a large collection of loosely connected activities.

Official Application Documents

Applicants should consult and use the following official resources:

• Official 2026 Call for Proposals
• Guidelines on the 2026 Full Size Project Application
• KBF Project Proposal Template
• KBF Project Budget Template
• KBF Operations Manual
• Mapping of KMGBF Global Review Gaps and KBF Priorities

Questions concerning the call may be sent to kbf@un.org.

Conclusion

The Kunming Biodiversity Fund 2026 Call for Proposals offers an important opportunity to convert national and global biodiversity commitments into measurable action. With up to US$500,000 available for a single-country project and up to US$800,000 for a regional multi-country project, the Fund can support targeted interventions in ecosystem restoration, biodiversity mainstreaming, conservation finance and equitable benefit-sharing.

However, successful participation requires more than a promising environmental idea. Proposals must be co-developed with a participating UN organization, formally endorsed by the appropriate government authority, aligned with the beneficiary country’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, supported by a credible theory of change, and accompanied by a detailed budget, workplan and results framework.

Prospective project teams should begin institutional coordination immediately, particularly if they intend to meet the priority deadline of 15 September 2026. The final submission deadline is 15 November 2026.

For more global opportunities, click HERE.