I. Background:

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP) provides non-governmental and community-based organizations (NGOs/CBOs) in developing countries with grants to enable them to tackle climate change, conserve biodiversity, protect international waters, reduce the impact of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and other critical chemicals (i.e. mercury), and prevent land degradation. SGP Malaysia was opened in 2000 and started financing projects in year 2001. Since then, it has succeeded in funding and providing technical support for more than 160 grantee projects. The Programme is a GEF corporate programme, implemented by UNDP and executed by UNOPS.

The Best Practice and Knowledge Fair is an important modality which aims to meet the capacity building objective of the programme, i.e. enhancing and strengthening capacities of NGOs/CBOs to understand and implement convention guidelines, engage in consultative processes, apply knowledge management to ensure information flows, and monitor and evaluate environmental impacts and trends. It is a key activity designed to support networking and knowledge exchange among SGP grantees as well as other CSOs and the public to promote replication and scaling up of projects and best practices. It is also expected to strengthen the capacity of civil society to influence policy development processes through participation in events that draw in influential individuals and institutions. To maximize its impact and promote mainstreaming of SGP results, the Best Practice and Knowledge Fair can be held in conjunction with other national conferences and events.

II. Objectives:

The purpose of the Best Practice and Knowledge Fair is to enable SGP grantees and other CSO stakeholders to network, share and showcase best practices, innovative technologies and lessons learned developed by the civil society to promote the replication and scaling up of results for greater policy influence and transformational change; as well as to promote sustainability and the mobilization of additional resources for community-based sustainable development initiatives.

Specific objectives:

• Knowledge exchange between NGOs/CBOs working to address global environment issues in order to raise awareness and facilitate replication and scaling up of best practices and innovation.
• Improve awareness and understanding about the GEF focal areas and the GEF SGP country programme, its strategy and results.
• Promote and strengthen partnerships among all concerned stakeholders such as local communities, NGOs/CBOs/CSOs, government and local authorities, academic and research institutions, the private sector, international donors and development agencies.
• Influence the public policy agenda with the experience of SGP and other relevant CSO work.
• Promote the replication and scaling up of successful projects and best practices, including community based methodologies and technology, of SGP and other community-based and non-governmental entities.
• Create a wide and broad-based network of communities and CSOs -including their supporters- that can serve as an active constituency for positive dialogue with the government on sustainable development planning and policy making at the national level.

III. Possible Activities and Features in the Best Practice and Knowledge Fair:

• Provide hands-on training using short seminars on certain practical and innovative processes, methodologies, and technologies.
• Include Lecture Series on relevant topics by practitioners and experts including the media.
• Have exhibit booths that show successful projects through models, presentations, photos, videos, and sample and/or sale of products, among others.
• Create and/or strengthen a network or platform to continue the knowledge exchange after the fair and allow for the organization of similar fairs and campaigns in the future. Start with those participating in the exhibits, workshops, and lectures, as well as interested visitors.
• Use Award Ceremonies to honor those that have done excellent work for the environment and sustainable development, including those that have provided outstanding support from government, the academia, private sector, and development agencies.
• Highlight the link between environmental conservation and culture through concerts, movies, or dance performances.
• Engage the public through contests such us on-spot ecological painting by children; best nature photos and/or videos, etc.
• Sign partnership agreements, i.e. further development of learning materials with Universities.

IV. Outputs:

The expected outputs of the Knowledge Fair, to be developed in consultation with the SGP National Coordinator and National Steering Committee are as follows:

Preparations before Best Practice and KM Fair:

1. Through a participatory process involving all key stakeholders, identify the knowledge needs of the target participants and visitors and define the country specific goals and outcomes of the Knowledge Fair(s).
2. Prepare a list of SGP grant recipients and other CBOs/NGOs/CSOs that can show, exhibit, and share successful practices and innovations from projects. Prepare a list of practitioners and experts that will be asked to make presentations and be trainers or facilitators in workshops. Look for supporters from the entertainment industry that can participate in concerts and shows to raise public awareness. Prepare media list and engage the media for national wide coverage.
3. To support scaling up and mainstreaming of SGP results as well as that of other CBOs/NGOs/CSOs, invite relevant top government officials (not just from environment but also from finance, economic or national development, industry and infrastructure as relevant), heads of donor agencies, business leaders and media personalities as appropriate. Plan ahead who will participate in which activities (i.e. opening and closing ceremonies, award ceremonies, signing of key agreements, etc.).
4. Present a proposal for the execution of the activities, including appropriate venue (main location, workshop and meeting rooms, etc.), basic infrastructure and their design (i.e. exhibit booths, stage, etc.), development of supporting material, including but not limited to: guidance notes, toolkits, posters, brochures, and videos
5. In joint effort with the SGP National Coordinator, identify (5-10) SGP mature and successful projects that could be featured in terms of high replicability, potential for scaling up, or for drawing lessons for policy change. It is ideal to select projects that can show SGP’s approach in gender empowerment, youth engagement and work with indigenous peoples-where appropriate. Develop case study materials for these projects following the SGP case study template.
6. Work with the National Coordinator and National Steering Committee Members to secure other sponsors for the fair (i.e. the government, private sector, similar organizations, etc.). This is a key pre-Fair task that will determine the size and quality of the event and ultimately, its overall impact. If there are other non-SGP NGOs/CSOs able to cover their participation by setting up exhibit booths or organizing presentations, the fair can create an alliance and open the possibility to have a wider network. Private sector organizations -such as Rotary, Jaycees, and Lions Clubs, also professional associations, even companies that produce green products or are considered “green”- can also be invited to sponsor their participation to the fair.
7. Ensure Visibility of SGP, GEF and UNDP (as per branding guidelines) as well as that of other major partners and sponsors throughout the fair and in all materials.
8. Prepare and implement a media strategy to advertize the fair and take other measures to assure high public attendance (i.e. inviting certain school groups on certain days). Prepare media kit for distribution.
9. Prepare operational strategy for crowd management, safety, and security, including measures to assure their comfort (e.g. convenient places for environmentally friendly food and drinks, first aid clinic, toilets, waste management and daily clean-up of the venue, etc.).

During the Best Practice and Knowledge Fair:

1. Successful organization, facilitation and outreach of the Knowledge Fair by well-oriented teams.
2. Promote the GEF SGP vision, objectives and understanding of its focal areas throughout the duration of the fair and all its event including side events, high level breakfast or lunch, SGP grantee exhibitions, peer to peer exchanges, on-site training, media outreach, among others.
3. Ensure all exhibit booths are well organized, staffed and cared for during the entire duration of the fair.
4. Ensure correct branding, public attendance to all events, and positive media coverage at the national level including the capture of key messages made by government officials, heads of development agencies and leaders in the academic and private sector.
5. Promote rich exchange among participants leading to a network, or the strengthening of an existing network, to sustain the momentum for scaling up and policy change provided by the fair.

After the Best Practice and Knowledge Fair:

1. Prepare a substantive report capturing and documenting in text, photos, voice, and video, the best practices, knowledge and lessons exchanged and presented during the Fair, including a plan -developed with participant inputs- of key follow up actions to expand on the gains achieved with the Fair. A short video of the fair developed for posting in website using YouTube, would be ideal.
2. Provide a final financial report on the use of SGP funding as well as that from other partners and sponsors of the Fair.

Note: Given the comprehensiveness of the activities to be supported by the Fair and the expected outcomes, a proponent NGO/CSO is not required to be capable of preparing for and implementing all the activities and achieving the outcomes on its own. A proponent NGO/CSO can be the “organizer” and various activities can be prepared and implemented by partner NGOs/CSOs or persons most capable to do the tasks required and in such case these partner organizations and persons should be identified in the proposal.

V. Timing:

The Best Practice and Knowledge Fair must take place in December 2017.

The duration of the Best Practice and Knowledge Fair(s) shall be of 2-3 days. Please note that the fair should be a number of days enough to meet the objectives of the Fair.

Final Report of Best Practice and Knowledge Fair activities and outputs, as well as financial report on the use of funds should be submitted no longer than 1 month after the end of the fair.

VI. Location

Klang Valley or Kuala Lumpur

VII. Budget:

The ceiling will be as set by the SGP Country Programme (not to exceed US $32,000 as the maximum SGP grant amount). Detailed budget breakdown should be provided by proponent including all estimated costs of organizing the Best Practice and Knowledge Fair, including travel of selected SGP grantees as well as others that have to be sponsored (especially those who will make presentations, venue, materials, expert support, supplies and equipment etc.). It is estimated 20 participants from Sabah and Sarawak should be sponsored. Target total number of participants is 100 – 150 persons.

Notes:
Organizing the Fair in conjunction with other relevant national conferences and events can be a way to: (a) secure co-financing, and (b) to benefit from cost saving, for example in reducing the cost of travel of participants).

The Full Proposal template and the Proposal Writing Guideline documents can be downloaded from the following link.

• Full Proposal Template
• Budget in Excel File

To obtain more details on SGP and guidelines for application please contact:
Lee Shin Shin
National Coordinator
GEF Small Grants Programme
Malaysia

Wisma UN, Block C
Kompleks Pejabat Damansara
Jalan Dungun, Damansara Heights
50490 Kuala Lumpur
Phone (Dir.): (603) 2107 6055 or
Phone: (603) 2107 6000 extn 6055
Fax: (603) 2094 1309
E-mail: shin.shin.lee@undp.org

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