Who we are

SEI Asia, with support from the Swedish government (Sida), launched the Strategic Collaborative Fund Phase 2 (SCF2) programme in 2018 to enhance the current 2030 Agenda efforts in Asia and the Pacific.

SCF2 aims to foster regional cooperation and policy dialogue for sustainable development and environmental sustainability, through capacity building, knowledge sharing and increased collaboration.

Human rights and gender equality are central to SCF2, as it champions regional and inter-regional collaboration for transboundary environmental policy development.

SCF2 invites potential partners to submit concept notes for regional environmental policy forums, with focus on five key themes: disaster risk reduction, agri-food systems, circular economy, gender, and water resources management.

What we seek

SCF2 welcomes concept notes for regional strategic events in Asia, specifically in South and Southeast Asia, that highlight the advancement of environmental sustainability, gender equality, human rights and poverty reduction.

The proposed events should include representatives from government, private sector, civil society, research or academic institutions and development partners to ensure an inclusive and substantive dialogue.

Based on specific contexts, SCF2-supported events should benefit the Asian region, particularly marginalized groups including those living in poverty, women, youth, children, ethnic minorities and other environmentally vulnerable groups.

Themes for 2022

1. Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction in the context of COVID-19 and the climate crisis –  Deadline: 25 February 2022
2. Climate-resilient practices to promote inclusive and sustainable agricultural systems and value chains – Deadline: 20 March 2022
3. Closing the loop: circular waste management in Asia’s cities – Deadline: 20 March 2022
4. Improving water resources management and climate resilience by integrating socio-ecological systems thinking – Deadline: 20 March 2022
5. Rethinking climate adaptation and mitigation through gender transformative approaches and amplifying local agency – Deadline: 20 March 2022

Grant value 

For 2022, SEI will support five themes (disaster risk reduction, agri-food systems, circular economy, gender, and water resources management), covering one grant per theme.

A maximum of SEK 450,000 (approximately USD 45,000) will be awarded per grant. The grants can fund one or more events in their entirety or provide supplemental funding to already confirmed co-funded event(s). The delivery period of event organization and impact monitoring must be within April and December 2022, in which the latest events should be held by no later than late September 2022 to allow for final report preparation.

Who can apply 

Interested applicants must send proposal for events on any of the five themes. Proposals should also include a human rights and gender angle, to be considered. 

SEI and Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law will provide support during the preparation and/or implementation of events, as agreed with grantees, to help elaborate these perspectives. 

The following can apply for the grant: 

1. Nonprofit organizations or networks that based in Asia can apply. Organizations outside the region can be considered if the proposed event addresses issues relevant to Asia and can engage regional stakeholders. They should:
   – Have experience in hosting relevant policy dialogues that engage different groups and stakeholders. 
   – Feature key speakers and participants who are able to share knowledge and experience in environmental sustainability, while addressing cross-cutting issues of gender equality, human rights and poverty.
2. Private sector players can apply, if their proposal seeks to engage with the public sector and/or civil society organizations. Funding cannot be used for covering private sector actors’ participation in the supported event (related travel and accommodation expenses). It should, however, be used to increase participation of other stakeholders such as civil society and the public sector. A cost-sharing option for micro and small enterprises with resource constraints can be considered.
3. Government agencies that have mandates, expertise and capacities in thematic areas are encouraged to apply in partnership with other organisations.
4. Organizations that are currently Sida’s grantees are not eligible to apply as the lead organization, but can be part of the consortium. 

Selection criteria 

 The concept notes should: 

• Provide evidence of regional-level outreach and scope in the Asia region (South and Southeast Asia), as opposed to a country-level event 
• Address the thematic focus and relevance to environmentally sustainable and inclusive development 
• Demonstrate how the event leads to positive impact on gender equality, rights-based approaches and poverty reduction 
• Demonstrate how the event would target and benefit the citizens of the region, with particular attention to the poor, women and other marginalized groups 
• Ensure diverse participation including the public sector, private sector, civil society organizations, research and academic institutions and development partners 
• Use innovative methods and technologies to enhance participation and active discussion among participants 
• Show proponents’ institutional capacity for organizing regional events
• Demonstrate the linkage between the regional event’s expected outcomes and SEI’s strategic policy engagement

Guidance note on human rights and gender equality

Human rights and gender equality are central to SCF, as it champions regional and inter-regional cooperation for transboundary environmental policy development. Based on specific contexts, SCF-supported events should benefit the Asia-Pacific region, particularly marginalised groups including those living in poverty, women, youth, children, migrants, ethnic minorities and other environmentally vulnerable groups.

SEI and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI) are jointly supporting the integration of gender equality and human rights into the SCF2 programme, including through coaching and support of grantees.

This guidance note aims to support applicants to integrate human rights and gender equality in the design of their SCF2 project proposals.

Deadline

All applications must be submitted online by filling this Submittable form and attaching the Concept Note. No email submissions will be entertained, and you are required to use the concept note template as provided. Please note that all deadlines are at 23:59 Bangkok time (GMT+7), please refer to each specific thematic call due date.

SCF announces partners for 2022 regional events

SEI’s Strategic Collaborative Fund programme has selected organizations who will host regional environmental policy forums in 2022 on five key themes: disaster risk reduction, agri-food systems, circular economy, gender, and water resources management.

Each partner will receive the financial support up to SEK 450 000 (approximately $45 000) and technical guidance on the planning and implementation process of one or a series of events that will help advance solutions on environmental sustainability, gender equality, human rights, and poverty reduction.

The following regional events will be conducted (virtually or in-person depending on the location) starting April until September 2022:

Manila Observatory

Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction in the context of COVID-19 and the climate crisis (Theme: Climate Change Adaption and Disaster Risk Reduction)

Convergences

Climate-resilient practices to promote inclusive and sustainable agricultural systems and value chains (Theme: Agri-food systems)

Yunus Foundation in Thailand

Closing the loop: circular waste management in Asia’s cities (Theme: Circular economy)

National University of Laos

Improving water resources management and climate resilience by integrating socio-ecological systems thinking (Theme: Ecosystems)

Huairou Commission

Rethinking climate adaptation and mitigation through gender transformative approaches and amplifying local agency (Theme: Gender)

For more information on these upcoming events, please check out the SCF events page.

Online courses

The integration of human rights and gender equality is central to the SCF2, as it champions regional and inter-regional collaboration for transboundary environmental policy development. 

Through a collaboration with Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI) and Stockholm Environment Institute Asia gender cluster, evidence-based human rights and gender equality approaches are integrated into the programme implementation through capacity building such as direct coaching and providing open online courses.  

 This ensures that human rights and gender equality become central to regional environmental and climate change policy with the intent of achieving SDG integration. 

Course 1: Rights-based approaches to environmental sustainability

Course 2: Gender, Environment and Sustainable Development

Guidance notes

These guidance notes support grantees to integrate human rights and gender equality, and monitoring, evaluation and learning in all steps of their events.

SCF newsletters

• May 2022
• April 2022
• March 2022
• February 2022
• January 2022
• December 2021
• November 2021
• October 2021
• September 2021
• August 2021
• July 2021
• June 2021
• May 2021
• April 2021
• March 2021
• February 2021
• January 2021
• December 2020
• September 2020