We are often asked how we are achieving our 2030 goals and how we are funding our members. It just so happens that those answers go hand in hand.

The Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA) has officially completed our first ever call for proposals!  

This was the GMA’s first opportunity to directly fund and support member projects in key geographies while moving the needle towards our 2030 Goals. Our Goal under this umbrella project is to improve the management and protection of 200,000 ha and these grants get us 1/3 of the way there! The grants will also provide training opportunities for 9,000 coastal zone managers on mangrove conservation.

The Process

The application was launched on October 28, 2024. Members and Chapters who completed the Impact Stock Take were eligible to apply. We received highly competitive proposals from 9 National Chapters and 15 members that focused on three pillars: 

• New and improved management of mangrove ecosystems.

• Guidance and training to increase in-country capacity.

• The use of GMW Mangrove Disturbance Alerts to enhance management activities.

The applications were reviewed by experts in mangrove finance and conservation who paid particular attention to the feasibility and effectiveness of proposal activities, ensuring they adhered to the GMA Guiding Principles. 

After an in-depth panel review, we are thrilled to announce the 2025 winners who will receive USD 1.5M over the next two years!

Meet the Winners

Both grantee finalists follow best practice guidelines and engage with local communities from start to finish. Their work is science-based and high–impact, with the potential to model best practices for future projects.  

Winner of National Chapter Grant: GMA Ecuador National Chapter

Ecuador is home to the largest mangrove forest in the South Pacific. Mangroves line 61% of Ecuador’s coastline where they protect against storm surges, provide habitat for biodiversity and sustain the livelihoods of local communities. However, only 46% of Ecuador’s 153,543 ha of mangroves are protected. The region faces increasing threats to its mangroves from urbanization, deforestation and commercial shrimp farming.  

The selected project in Ecuador strengthens the GMA network in the region while simultaneously amplifying conservation efforts across sectors. They have curated a comprehensive communication strategy to foster citizen engagement, contribute to regulatory discussions with the government and establish observatories and knowledge-sharing platforms.   

Through partnerships with the local government, communities and local universities, this project will strengthen the protection, restoration and sustainable management of 38,040 hectares of mangroves in Ecuador by:   

• Directly restoring 40 ha of mangroves. 

• Recognizing 20,000 ha of mangroves as OECMs. 

• Placing 18,000 ha of mangroves under improved management in AUSCEMs. 

• Training 700 community members and institutional actors in ecosystem management and sustainable production activities.  

• Introducing sustainable livelihood initiatives to balance ecological protection with economic development. 

• Developing and implementing a community early warning system using advanced tools like Global Mangrove Watch to monitor and detect impacts on the mangrove ecosystem.  

Winner of Member Grant: WWF Myanmar, in collaboration with their partners Myanmar Environment Rehabilitation-conservation Network (MERN) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

Myanmar has some of the highest rates of mangrove loss in the world, particularly in regions like the Ayeyarwady Delta, which is home to their most productive mangrove forests. The region’s mangroves face mounting threats from deforestation, agricultural expansion and the impacts of climate change. The continued degradation of these forests endangers not only critical wildlife habitats but also the well-being of the communities that rely on them. 

Aligned with the Global Mangrove Alliance 2030 Goals, the WWF Myanmar project will significantly scale up mangrove conservation efforts in the delta. Through a comprehensive, community-based approach, the initiative will strengthen local governance, promote sustainable livelihoods, empower women and youth and foster long-term resilience for both people and nature. This project aims to: 

• Reduce disaster risk by expanding the area under effective protection from 4,500 ha to 30,000 ha. 

• Sequester an estimated 3.3 million MtCO₂e. 

• Strengthen the livelihood activities of 12,500 people from 50 communities. 

• Support 50 Federating Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) federated into 3 Community Forestry Associations to lead integrated management of three mangrove areas at the township level. 

• Support up to 300 (CFUG) members with guidance, training materials and tools to improve their livelihoods and local mangrove restoration work. 

Mangrove conservation and restoration is a long-term action plan, built on the hard work and dedication of our global network of members and chapters. Our network benefits directly from the services mangroves provide and are negatively impacted when these ecosystems are depleted and destroyed. These two grantee winners demonstrate comprehensive examples of how community-based approaches paired with informed local governance can scale mangrove efforts around the world.