Fondation Franklinia

Summary: 

Organizational profile: 
Fondation Franklinia is a private foundation established in 2005 under Swiss law. It provides grants to support nature conservation projects. Its objective is to preserve threatened tree species throughout the world and improve their conservation status. Since its creation, the foundation has been supporting primarily concrete on-the-ground conservation projects but also the establishment and maintenance of botanical collections, taxonomic studies, production of floras, compilation of lists of threatened species, reintroduction programs as well as ex-situ conservation actions undertaken by botanical gardens. Today, it supports primarily in situ conservation actions of globally threatened tree species around the world, species listed as Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. To ensure that all tree species are assigned a threat category, the foundation also supports the global assessment of all 60’000+ tree species (Global Tree Assessment), an initiative led by Botanic Gardens Conservation International and the Global Tree Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission.
 
Threatened tree species conservation is at the heart of projects supported by the foundation. Fondation Franklinia adopted a species approach recognizing that species conservation is inevitably linked to habitat conservation and the protection of the interests of human population depending on them. The foundation provides financial support but is not interested in remaining just donors. The foundation wishes to engage with their beneficiaries and participate in strategic discussion about tree conservation around the world in order to increase its impact.
 
Financing Instrument: Grants
 
Project scale: N/A
 
Recipient countries regions/country groups: The Foundation can fund projects implemented all over the world but will favor areas with high biological diversity as well as areas where needs are important and funding opportunities are limited.

 
Recipient categories: Any organization with well-established expertise and efficiency in plant conservation can apply.
 
Eligibility Criteria:
Selected projects will meet the following criteria : (i) the project is scientifically sound and justified; (ii) the project is feasible; (iii) results are reachable; (iv) costs are reasonable; (v) the proponent and his organization are competent; (vi) the project is a priority; (vii) essential partners are involved; (viii) impact is measurable and sustainable.

•    Species

  • Only projects aiming at improving the conservation status of globally threatened tree species listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened species are eligible. Threatened species include those listed as Vulnerable (VU), Endangered (EN) or Critically Endangered (CR) (www.iucnredlist.org). Therefore, applicants must check the status of their target species at www.iucnredlist.org to ensure that their project is eligible. If a species is considered as threatened but the assessment is not yet published on the Red List website, detailed additional information justifying a VU, EN or CR status must be provided.
  • Priority will be given to projects targeting CR and EN species. Projects targeting VU species will be accepted when immediate investments will be necessary to stop a rapid decline.
  • Fondation Franklinia define trees as plant species presenting a single trunk at least 2 meter high.
  • Threatened tree species will be the main key performance indicators of the projects. Projects proposing a positive impact on other threatened species and associated habitats will be favored (collateral benefits). The Foundation will favor projects of global relevance (globally threatened species) versus projects protecting species locally or regionally threatened.

•    Project types
Projects must implement concrete on-the-ground conservation actions. Projects can span over a period of up to 3 years.

•    Costs
The Foundation favors conservation projects with a reasonable budget in relation to proposed activities. Costs/benefits ratio will be an important criterion during project selection. Funding for the organization's general costs will be limited and funding preferably spent where field activities are implemented. Management costs (overheads) must represent less than 10% of the budget.

•    Co-funding
A minimum of 20 to 50% of co-funding will be required. The percentage will depend on project size and regions; a diversified funding basis ensures better sustainability. Co-funding will therefore be an important criterion, but it is important to document the specific impact of the contribution of the Foundation.

•    Evaluation/Impact
A specific effort will be requested from beneficiaries to document the impact of their project on the ground. The main indicator will be the target species (increase in population size, increase in the area of occupancy, threat reductions…); it will have to be measurable and verifiable. This indicator can be complemented with secondary indicators based on other species or the habitat of the target species.
Representatives of the Foundation may travel to project sites in order to evaluate project implementation and impact.

•    Coordination with other donors
The Fondation would like to ensure that funded projects are implemented in good coordination with activities funded by others and implemented in the same area. To that effect, the Fondation will maintain direct links with other donors; proposals must indicate sources of co-funding (donors and amounts). Results of past activities must be mentioned in the proposal.

•    Partners
Beneficiaries must ensure that they have all legal authorizations to work in the proposed project area. Projects including a partnership with local or national organizations will be favored.

Application guidelines: 
The Foundation uses two methods to identify projects of interest:

  1. It can discuss specific projects of interest with organizations uniquely positioned to implement them and invite those organizations to submit a proposal,
  2. It issues a public call for proposals. Please watch its site for information on forthcoming calls for proposals. The Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.

Application guidelines:

  • Projects must be submitted using all 3 template documents available from the Fondation’s website: project proposal, budget and logical framework.
  • The forms must be downloaded and filled in entirely. Incomplete proposals will not be considered.
  • Proposals can be submitted in French or English. Forms and guidelines are available in both languages.
  • Proposals must be submitted through the Fondation’s website.
     
Publication Date
Saturday, 26 March 2022
Applicable location
Africa
Americas
Europe
Asia
Oceania
Topic/Theme
Forest conservation and management
Biodiversity conservation
Database
Financing opportunities