Community-based organisations and small businesses in Antigua and Barbuda are invited to apply for grants under a new funding programme aimed at tackling plastic pollution across the Eastern Caribbean.
The Sustainable Small Grants Programme (SSGP), launched under the regional "Closing the Caribbean Plastic Tap" initiative, will provide financial and technical support to organisations working to reduce plastic waste and advance circular economy solutions. The programme is open to participants in five countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Eligible applicants include micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), community-based organisations, NGOs, cooperatives, associations, schools, and informal groups with demonstrated community engagement. Funded projects are expected to implement practical, scalable interventions that reduce plastic leakage into the environment through upstream prevention and midstream circularity approaches.
The programme is implemented by the IUCN Regional Office for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean (ORMACC), with support from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI). The total programme envelope stands at EUR 400,000, with each of the five participating countries allocated up to EUR 80,000. Individual grants range from EUR 30,000 to EUR 80,000.
Funded projects will be expected to demonstrate measurable environmental and socio-economic impact, contributing to national priorities and global commitments including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
Applications are now open. The deadline for submissions is 11:59 PM (AST) on 31 May 2026. Full guidelines and application details are available at https://engage.iucn.org/topic/sustainable-small-grants-programme-closing-caribbean-plastic-tap
