SANTIAGO NETWORK - CFP/SN/24039/2026/BRB/034 - Strengthening climate resilience, risk management and recovery through green and blue microfinance in Caribbean Small Island Developing States

The Santiago Network Secretariat is issuing this call for proposals to catalyze technical assistance from organizations, bodies, networks and experts (OBNEs) in response to a multi-country request received from the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill in Barbados. The request is currently designed to be implemented in Barbados and Grenada, with plans for future regional scaling built into the proposal.

The objective of the technical assistance is to develop and implement a capacity-building and applied technical support programme that enables financial institutions to design, adapt, and deliver climate-responsive financial products that contribute to averting, minimizing, and addressing loss and damage. These products will target both micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and individual clients/households, with a focus on vulnerable and climate-exposed groups. This technical assistance is aligned to growing calls from SIDS to strengthen the role of the private sector in addressing climate-related loss and damage. Recognizing that livelihoods and economic recovery are often driven by MSMEs and private enterprises, the technical assistance will promote financial sector approaches that align to loss and damage action within existing finance frameworks. By helping financial institutions integrate these features into their products and services, the programme supports a more inclusive and accessible approach to loss and damage financing that has the potential to reach businesses, households, and communities directly.

All proposals must be submitted via the UNOPS grant management platform Grant+

Members of the Santiago Network are eligible to respond to this call for proposals. Interested OBNEs that are not yet Members of the Santiago Network may submit proposals, provided they submit an Expression of Interest for membership in line with the membership guidelines within the deadline of this call. Any OBNE selected to respond to the call for proposals must have also been confirmed as a Member of the Santiago Network prior to their selection. More information can be found in Section 2.10, "Applicant eligibility" of this call for proposals, and details on the membership process and criteria can be found on the Santiago Network membership page.

In order to facilitate matchmaking for consortia building around this proposal, the Secretariat invites applicants to express their interest in partnering with others by completing this form: https://forms.gle/EYvGt2Q63HXLBkD19. Please note that the information provided through this form will appear on the matchmaking interest sheet listed in the 'Documents' section accompanying this call for proposals. Therefore, it will be visible to all registered Grant+ users.

Online information session: Grant+ submission and match-making

An online information session on how to submit proposals in Grant+ and to facilitate matchmaking for consortia building around this proposal will take place on 21 October 2026, at 16:00 (GMT+2) / 16:00 AM (GMT-4) The meeting will be held via Zoom. Register in advance via this link: https://unops.zoom.us/meeting/register/_kyOSUcnRji6LYrV3isXgQ

The proposal must be submitted via UNOPS Grant+