If you have a query regarding the REDAA programme, please review the frequently asked questions listed below and refer to the REDAA Strategy. If you are unable to resolve your query after reading these resources, please contact enquiries@redaa.org.
This page will be regularly updated as new enquiries are received.
- What is the REDAA programme?
- What work will REDAA fund?
- When will applications open?
- What size grants will be available?
- Who is eligible for REDAA funding?
- How can I apply for a grant?
- Where can REDAA initiatives take place?
- How does REDAA define locally led?
- How does REDAA define research-to-action?
- Is there a matched funding requirement for REDAA grants?
- Within a project budget, what is the allowed overhead / indirect cost rate?
- Can an applicant submit multiple applications to the same REDAA grant call?
- Can an applicant apply to more than one REDAA grant call?
- Is it possible to submit applications in a language other than English?
What is the REDAA programme?
Reversing Environmental Degradation in Africa and Asia (REDAA) is a programme that catalyses research, innovation and action in sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia, by offering grants and technical support. Running until 2028, REDAA funds work that is locally led and helps both people and nature to thrive.
REDAA is funded by UK International Development from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and managed by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).
There will be several grant calls over the course of the programme, aiming to fund research that fills gaps identified through consultations in each region. Each grant call will make clear what kind of grants are available and what kind of projects the call is seeking to fund.
What work will REDAA fund?
REDAA funds work that is locally led and helps both people and nature to thrive together. This work could be focused on improving evidence, using new tools or strengthening governance systems to support actions that are nature-positive, strengthen local livelihoods and tackle the impacts of climate change.
Applicants to competitive grant calls must demonstrate how their initiatives positively address integrated action for nature and climate, and gender equality and social inclusion. They should also address one or more of the following thematic priorities:
- Local research and capability for research
- Resource and land use assessments
- Business models
- Financing mechanisms, or
- Inclusive governance systems
Please refer to the REDAA strategy for more information on thematic priorities.
When will applications open?
Grant Call 1 was open from June - to September 2023. This call offered 'Project Grants' of ÂŁ200,000 - ÂŁ500,000 for initiatives lasting two to four years.
Grant Call 2 will open in May 2024. This call introduces larger-sized 'Programme Grants' of ÂŁ1,000,000 - ÂŁ1,500,000.
There will be several additional grant calls over the course of the programme.
What size grants will be available?
There will be several grant calls over the course of the programme, aiming to fund research that fills gaps identified through consultations in each region. Each grant call will make clear what kind of grants are available and what kind of projects the call is seeking to fund.
REDAA may offer three types of grants:
• Catalytic Grants: these relatively small-scale grants will help organisations take up opportunities arising from existing evidence, tools or resources. Catalytic Grants last for 6 to 12 months, and their budget is between £50,000 and £100,000. Catalytic Grants might lead to improved decision-making using a tool, or further design and development of an innovation, or they might develop more effective organisational power. They could also build new partnerships or capabilities to prepare for future REDAA Project or Programme Grants. These grants will be awarded through dedicated grant rounds. REDAA currently plans to issue the first call for Catalytic Grants in 2024, with another one or two rounds likely between 2025-2028. Each grant round will fund between 6 and 12 proposals. The application process will require a single-stage proposal.
• Project Grants: these are medium-scale grants in REDAA terms, for running a research-to-action project over two to four years with a budget of between £200,000 and £500,000. The first round of Project Grants was open from 14 June - 31 July 2023 and funding was awarded via a two-stage proposal process: stage one will require concept notes, followed by stage two, requiring full proposals. At least one further round of Project Grants will likely be issued in subsequent years of REDAA.
• Programme Grants: these are large-scale grants in REDAA terms, for running a programme of research-to-action over two to three years with a budget of between £1,000,000 and £1,500,000. REDAA plans to launch a call for the first round of Programme Grants in May 2024. One further round of Programme Grants might be issued in subsequent years of REDAA.
Who is eligible for REDAA funding?
REDAA aims to support organisations that have proven effective systems for supporting the actions of local communities and Indigenous Peoples.
Lead Organisations
Lead Organisations must be able to demonstrate that they are:
• A non-profit organisation, which may be a non-governmental organisation, research institution or community-based organisation that is legally registered in the country in which it operates
• Experienced in the kind of work they propose to undertake
• Financially sound
• Staffed with the appropriate technical and financial capacity and expertise to manage and implement projects successfully and deliver technical and financial reporting.
Lead Organisations based within one of the three focal regions (sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia or Southeast Asia) will be prioritised for funding. A minority of projects with a Lead Organisation based outside the region or country of focus may be considered for funding if the proposals demonstrate strong partnerships with locally led organisations. Lead organisations must provide their average GBP turnover (income) over the last three years. The expected annual expenditure of the proposed project must be no more than 25% of this average annual turnover/income figure.
Partner Organisations
The Lead Organisation may partner with one or more other organisations, including forming a research consortium where applicable. In projects where Partner Organisations are involved, the project should be co-designed with those partners. While government agencies and inter-governmental and UN agencies may be vital project partners, and we strongly encourage such partnership, they will not be eligible to receive funding from the REDAA programme.
Partner Organisations which may also be eligible sub-grantees (and receive REDAA funds through a formal sub-grant) include:
• Other non-profit organisations, which may be non-governmental organisations, research institutions or community-based organisations
• Private sector organisations, businesses or business associations, which may be subgranted (or contracted via a Consultancy agreement) to undertake specific planned actions for the project, provided this partnership can demonstrate value for money in its costs and benefits to the project.
How can I apply for a grant?
Applications will be made through IIED’s Flexigrant system. The main contact point for support with applications will be enquiries@redaa.org.
Where can REDAA initiatives take place?
Research-to-action initiatives supported by REDAA grants must take place within one or more eligible countries in a REDAA focal region (either sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, or Southeast Asia). A list of eligible countries is detailed in the REDAA Strategy.
REDAA encourages action to protect, conserve, restore, and/or manage sustainably terrestrial, freshwater, and coastal ecosystems, but it does not prescribe a list of specific ecologies or landscapes in which it aims to support initiatives. Rather, it encourages potential grantees to demonstrate in their proposals the rationale for their choice of location and scale of operation. In making their choices, potential grantees may wish to consider, but should not be limited to, the ecologies and landscapes identified in work undertaken to prepare the REDAA Strategy.
How does REDAA define locally led?
"Locally led" refers to initiatives that engage residents in their design and implementation, and their leadership has strong local involvement. These initiatives will likely employ and empower women and youth, and show concrete benefits for local communities. Lead Applicants should have proven effective systems for supporting Indigenous Peoples’ and local communities’ efforts to improve their evidence, tools, civic space and governance powers.
How does REDAA define research-to-action?
“Research” in the context of REDAA will improve the evidence base on key ecosystems and livelihoods, and on how to move from degraded to restored ecosystems. It will pay attention not only to ecological concerns, but also to social, political and economic issues. Research approaches should be scientific, involving clear research questions and/or hypotheses and systematic observation. They should also be rigorous, involving design, methods and conclusions that are explicit, public, replicable, open to critique, and free of bias. Methods may be quantitative, qualitative or participatory. They often need to be diverse to explore different stakeholders’ perspectives and issues of gender equality and social inclusion, and potentially to uncover challenging structural features of power and politics.
“Action” will be a vital part of every REDAA-supported project. Action involves uptake of research findings in order to bring about a change. It is likely to include the use of research findings in training or improving the capability of people to make positive changes and the use of research findings in developing tools and approaches to improve or influence policy and institutional decision-making. Full proposal applicants will thus need to provide detail about their approach to communications, investment in capability and engagement with stakeholders to ensure that research findings and knowledge can reach the right people at the right time to influence decisions.
“Research-to-action” thus goes beyond simply carrying out a research project. It aims to conduct rigorous scientific research; AND improve the demand for the resulting knowledge (for example by improving incentives, capacity, processes and approaches for using the new evidence); AND better connect the demand for, and supply of, evidence from research used to influence key decisions (for example by fostering better interactions and collaborations between research providers and users).
Is there a matched funding requirement for REDAA grants?
Matched/co-funding is not a requirement of REDAA grants, however it is strongly encouraged.
What is the allowed overhead/indirect cost rate within a project budget?
The maximum proportion of indirect costs permitted is no more than 20% of the total project costs. To be considered reasonable and justifiable, the costs claimed must be less than or equal to the organisation’s actual overheads for the project and appropriately apportioned between all the organisation’s activities/projects. The amount claimed for indirect costs must be supported by evidence, audited financial statements and/or internal cost recovery policies.
Can an applicant submit multiple applications to the same REDAA grant call?
An organisation may lead on more than one proposal, but an individual person may only be named as Lead Applicant (see below) on one proposal in any one call.
Can an applicant apply to more than one REDAA grant call?
Lead Organisations can apply for and be awarded multiple grants from within and across different grant calls simultaneously. Lead Applicants who are successful during competitive grant calls are not precluded from applying for later grant calls. However, it is only possible for a Lead Applicant to hold a Catalytic Grant and a Project or Programme Grant simultaneously. Lead Applicants would not be eligible to hold a Project Grant and a Programme Grant simultaneously.
Is it possible to submit applications in a language other than English?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to submit concept notes or full proposals in languages other than English. However, it is REDAA's ambition to be able to accept applications in other languages, and we are exploring ways to do this in future grant calls.