Project Application Guidelines

APFNet supports projects to pilot and demonstrate forest restoration approaches, SFM and multifunctional forestry practices, to conduct research in relevant forestry-related areas, to support forestry policy development and improvement, and to build capacity for forest officials to on-the-ground practitioners. These focus areas can be combined with each other to build synergies within one project.


Project Priorities
1)The multifunctional restoration of degraded forests through assisted natural regeneration and natural regeneration.
2)The multifunctional restoration of deforested lands through forest planting.
3)The improved management of remaining non-degraded forests using best practices in SFM to minimize further forest loss and degradation.

Project types and duration

Small Project A project that seeks funds from APFNet not exceeding USD 100,000 and is to be completed within 24 months. The funding allocated to those projects mainly responds to urgent needs of the members or supports research that is directly related to APFNet priorities. Small project identification adopts a one-step approval process, and the Concept Note shall be submitted to the APFNet Executive Director for approval.

Regular Project Normally the project requesting APFNet grants above USD 100,000 falls in this category. Regular projects are identified through the APFNet Project Appraisal Panel’s (PAP’s) technical review and ranking and finally approved by the APFNet Executive Director and reported to APFNet Councils and Board of Directors. The maximum APFNet grant for a three-year project is USD 500,000 and USD 1,000,000 for a five-year project.

Eligibility

Government Agencies, organizations, NGOs, academic institutes, and social groups from APFNet member and/or observer economies and organizations, which are committed to sustainable forest management in APFNet's geographic focus areas and recommended by the APFNet Council Representatives (CR) can apply for APFNet project grant. The APFNet CR coordinates all APFNet-related activities within an economy, they review project ideas, check against eligibility criteria and ensure the recommended project is consistent with the priorities in their economy. Any project to be submitted for approval requires a Letter of Endorsement signed by the CR of project target economy.

Project Application

APFNet Call for Projects is published regularly on its website and circulated to all members. There are two stages to each project appraisal and approval process:

1)Concept Note stage. The proponent is required to submit a project Concept Note and an Endorsement Letter before the deadline indicated in each Call for Project. The APFNet Project Appraisal Panel (PAP) shall review and rank the Concept Notes. Only those commended by the PAP proceed to the next stage and shall be invited to develop a Project Proposal.
Template: Project Concept Note 2022

2)Project Proposal stage. The invited proponent needs to draft and submit a Project Proposal within two months upon receipt of the notice. The PAP shall review and score the Project Proposals and commend a ranking list for final approval. APFNet will consider the time to initiate the project based on its annual available budget.
Template: Project Proposal 2022

For more details, please refer to

The APFNet Manual for Project Identification, Implementation and Management (PIIM)

Contact information and mailing address

Ms. Mei Xuerong (projectsubmission@apfnet.cn)
Planning Division
APFNet Secretariat
6th Floor, Building A, Baoneng Center, 12 Futong Dongdajie, Chaoyang, Beijing 100102, P.R. China
Tel: +86-10-8421 5616 or +86-10-6600 7866 ext. 8006
Fax: +86-10-8421 6958