The call Strengthening Food Security and Territorial Governance of Communities in the Cerrado and Caatinga Biomes do 47th Notice (No. 1/2026) The call for proposals for the Ecos Fund, a financial mechanism of the Institute for Society, Population and Nature (ISPN), is open for project submissions until April 27, 2026, at 6:00 PM Brasília time (DF).
The call for proposals is aimed at organizations operating within the context of ICTs – Territories of LifeTraditional, indigenous, or local peoples and communities are an international concept defined as territories and areas managed, conserved, and managed by traditional, indigenous, or local peoples and communities. They must encompass three characteristics:
- A deep connection with the territory, linked to identity, culture, spirituality, and well-being;
- autonomy to make decisions and manage the territory;
- Lifestyles that contribute to the conservation of biodiversity and associated social values.
The projects submitted to this call must fall under at least one of the following thematic areas: (i) sustainable production, food security and social technologies; or (ii) territorial management, organizational strengthening and political advocacy, with the leading role of women and/or young people.
The budget allocated for this call for proposals is R$1,3 million and will exclusively support the small projects category, with a maximum value of R$130 per initiative. These projects are primarily intended for organizations in the initial stages of development, with little or no experience in project management, aiming to encourage and strengthen their actions. Each organization may submit only one proposal.
Access the notice herePlease read the items carefully before submitting your project, which must be done via the online form with the link available on the call for proposals page. The submission must strictly follow all the questions on the form that guide the preparation of proposals.
But attention: The form cannot be partially saved; it must be completed in one go. Make a draft of your project. The "offline roadmap" (.docx format) is available in the attachments on the call for proposals page for your organization to use as a draft when submitting the proposal.
To help community organizations and others interested in developing initiatives with environmental and social impact, ISPN has a series of videos that assist in proposal preparation. Watch the videos. here.
Also, to better understand ICTs, ISPN has prepared a publication that systematizes strategies for protecting territories conserved by traditional communities in the Cerrado, based on the experiences of the Ecos Fund (formerly PPP-ECOS), and can be accessed [here/at this link]. here.
Resources and scope of the call for proposals
The resources to support the projects come from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and the International Climate Initiative (IKI), and are implemented by ISPN in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The call is part of the Eighth Operational Phase of Small Grants Programme (SGP) in Brazil, which has financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), implemented by ISPN in partnership with UNDP.
Eligible proposals are those included in the Priority Landscapes of the Cerrado and Caatinga biomes, supported by the Eighth Operational Phase of the program. SGP in Brazil. See below the municipalities covered by the priority landscapes of the call for proposals, which were agreed upon in the Consultation Workshops previously held with local partners in the territories:
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- Upper Poti River, Piauí (PI) – municipalities of Pedro II, Milton Brandão, Juazeiro do Piauí;
- Southern Cerrado of Maranhão, Maranhão (MA) – municipalities of Balsas, Carolina, Riachão, São Raimundo das Mangabeiras, Sambaíba, Loreto, São Domingos do Azeitão, São Félix de Balsas, Benedito Leite, Tasso Fragoso and Alto Parnaíba.
- Kaiowá and Guarani, Mato Grosso do Sul (MS) – municipalities of Antônio João, Bela Vista, Aral Moreira, Coronel Sapucaia, Rio Brilhante, Dourados, Douradina, Caarapó, Amambaí and Itaporã.
- Western Bahia:
– Corrente River Basin (BA) – municipalities of Correntina, Santa Maria da Vitória and Coribe;
– Western Bahia, Rio Grande Hydrographic Basin (BA) – municipalities of Formosa do Rio Preto, Barreiras, São Desidério.
According to ISPN's technical advisor, forestry engineer Jessica Pedreira, defining the areas covered by the call for proposals aims to enhance initiatives in priority landscapes, strengthening territories and expanding the impact of ongoing actions in the Eighth Operational Phase of the program. SGP in Brazil.
“We agreed with local partners in the territories on the scope of the priority landscapes of the Eighth Operational Phase, and by directing the support from the call for proposals to these territories, we were able to strengthen processes that are already underway and promote more consistent and lasting results with the communities,” he emphasizes.
About the Ecos Fund
The Ecos Fund, ISPN's financial mechanism, is part of the institution's strategy aimed at promoting Productive Eco-social Landscapes, acting as an instrument to expand access to resources for community initiatives.
With over 30 years of experience, the Ecos Fund supports projects that strengthen community leadership, encouraging sustainable livelihoods, environmental conservation, and climate change adaptation efforts. Throughout this journey, the Fund has allocated over $31 million to more than a thousand initiatives, directly supporting community-based organizations.
Learn more about the Ecos Fund on the website: fundoecos.org.br