Eighteen civil society organisations on Monday received a combined total of $85 million to implement climate change adaptation and resilience-building projects in communities across the island.

The grant funds were provided under the Special Climate Change Adaptation Fund (SCCAF), which is supported by the Adaptation Programme and Financing Mechanisms project of the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience. They are administered by the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ).

The beneficiary groups — the first under the SCCAF grant facility — each received up to $5 million and will undertake projects focusing on soil conservation, climate smart agriculture and tourism, water management, disaster preparedness and climate smart construction.

“The first call for project proposals took place between October 3 and November 11, 2016,” the EFJ said. “A total of 83 proposals were received, and from this number 46 were shortlisted. All the shortlisted proposals were then reviewed and 18 were recommended for approval. Another 12 proposals have been provided with the opportunity for further development and the resubmitted documents are being reviewed.”

The decision on the 12 is expected this month. Also expected this month is a second call for proposals.

“The EFJ will again be providing guidance in proposal writing through a series of workshops and all documents related to the call will be posted on the organisation’s website. NGOs non-governmental organisations), CBOs (community-based organisations), other civil society groups and government agencies working with these groups are all eligible to submit proposals,” the EFJ said.

The SCCAF is a financing mechanism to build climate resilience and support livelihoods and income generation. The project is being implemented by the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation and is financed by the Inter-American Development Bank through the PPCR.