Deadline: November 3, 2025
The Biodiversity Information for Development (BID) 2025 Africa Call for Proposals is now open, offering funding opportunities to strengthen biodiversity data mobilisation and capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Managed by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and funded by the European Union through DG INTPA, this initiative aims to ensure biodiversity information is openly accessible, widely used, and directly applied to decision-making processes that address critical regional and national needs.
About the Biodiversity Information for Development (BID) Programme
The BID programme supports institutions and organisations in Sub-Saharan Africa to:
- Mobilise biodiversity data and make it openly available through GBIF.
- Build institutional, national, and regional capacity for biodiversity information management.
- Apply biodiversity data to research, conservation planning, and policy decisions.
- Strengthen partnerships and communities of practice to ensure sustainability.
Through BID 2025, organisations have the chance to access up to €60,000 in funding to develop projects that fill biodiversity knowledge gaps and contribute to sustainable development.
Funding Details
BID 2025 Africa offers two types of grants:
- Institutional-level Grants: Up to €30,000 for projects that strengthen a single institution’s capacity and mobilise biodiversity data.
- Multi-institutional Grants: Up to €60,000 for collaborative projects involving multiple institutions to address national or regional priorities.
The total grant pool for BID 2025 Africa is €90,000.
Key Dates
- Deadline for concept notes: 3 November 2025 at 15:59 CET (UTC+1).
- Full proposals: Shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit detailed proposals in the first quarter of 2026.
- Project start date: Expected 3 July 2026.
- Project duration: Up to 24 months.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for the BID 2025 Africa call:
- Applicants must be legal entities registered in an eligible Sub-Saharan African country.
- If headquartered elsewhere, the organisation must operate a local office or branch in the target country.
- Projects must be non-profit in nature.
- All biodiversity data generated or mobilised must be published under an open licence – either CC0 1.0 waiver or CC BY 4.0 licence.
Proposal Objectives and Scope
Applicants should ensure that their proposals align with the following BID 2025 Africa objectives:
- Data Mobilisation: Unlock existing biodiversity data and make it accessible through GBIF to address knowledge gaps.
- Capacity Building: Strengthen institutional, national, and regional ability to manage and use biodiversity information.
- Data Use: Apply biodiversity information in decision-making processes, conservation planning, and scientific research.
- Sustainability and Partnerships: Foster collaborations and networks that will ensure long-term benefits and continuation of project results.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be assessed based on:
- Relevance to BID objectives and alignment with national/regional priorities.
- Impact, demonstrating clear benefits to biodiversity data mobilisation and use.
- Sustainability, ensuring long-term continuation of outputs.
- Cost-effectiveness, with preference for projects demonstrating at least 25% co-funding.
- Collaboration, including multi-institutional involvement and knowledge sharing.
- Responsiveness to reviewer feedback at the full proposal stage.
Tips for a Strong Application
- Clearly show how your project addresses specific biodiversity data gaps.
- Plan for open data licensing from the start.
- Build a strong, cost-effective budget that demonstrates co-funding or in-kind contributions.
- In collaborative projects, clearly define roles, responsibilities, and coordination mechanisms.
- Demonstrate sustainability beyond the 24-month funding period.
How to Apply
Interested organisations are encouraged to prepare their concept notes and submit before the deadline.
👉 Click here to apply
👉 Read more about the programme
For professional support with proposal drafting, refining, and review, contact us today and improve your chances of success.
