Call for proposals: CCAC Food & Nutrition Challenge 2025 (Open Globally)

In a change from past CCAC calls for proposals targeting action in sectors, this year the CCAC is seeking to fund innovative, cross-sector projects that respond to a specific “challenge” — especially those that unite the super pollutant community around a common goal.

Through the Food & Nutrition Challenge, the CCAC is seeking innovative cross-sector proposals that advance multiple focus areas outlined below:

1. Strengthen the natural cycles, improving at scale nutrient and material flows between rural and urban systems or within the rural or urban circular/bio economies diverting organic waste for better uses (e.g., landscaping, gardening/farming, bio-based products, or others) and boosting resilience through (urban/rural) planning, development, infrastructure, logistics, financial mechanisms, including certification and trade, while taking local circumstances and traditions into account;
2. Advanced agroecological practices and measures to preserve soils, the environment, and livelihoods improved food security, resilience to climate change/desertification, and nutrition outcomes, such as the application of the soil conditioner compost/digestate at scale and soil management, crop diversification, intercropping, agroforestry, and integrating crops and livestock.
3. Expand along the entire value chain energy-efficient, sustainable, and inclusive cold-chain services based on low- and ultra-low GWP refrigerants, HFC alternatives, or other services that lead to a substantial reduction of food loss, including farmer access to post-harvest product storage and “first mile” infrastructure to transport produce.
4. Support the prevention of wastage of edible food or the redistribution of food waste, which is appropriate for consumption, including through infrastructure and greater investment at the sub-national level. Proposals responding to this focus area should support the objectives of the COP29 Declaration on Reducing Methane from Organic Waste.
5. Shape and strengthen financial systems to document GHG emission reductions in a transparent, accountable manner and to create/use clear, subject-related indicators for all GHG/super pollutant emission sources to demonstrate a wider impact related to framework conditions or replicability or alike, with a clear methodology outlined in the project proposal.

Summary

1. Sponsor: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
2. Deadline: August 06, 2025
3. Category: Contest, Grants
4. Funding Amount: Up to $2,000,000

Eligibility Criteria for Call for proposals: CCAC Food & Nutrition Challenge 2025 (Open Globally)

1. Proposals should target at least 2 of the focus areas outlined above and show cross-sector approaches to reducing food loss & waste
2. Proposals should target innovative approaches that are collaborative, scalable, and address more than one of the above-mentioned challenges
3. Proposals should show GHG/super pollutant reductions and impacts of all non-GHG/super pollutant-related areas by indicators
4. Proposals should clearly outline their proposed approach/methodology
5. Engagement with sub-national, private sector, and other stakeholders is encouraged.
6. Proposals from consortia are encouraged, including from local NGOs, government entities, and international organizations
7. Proposals with co-funding or in-kind contributions are encouraged, including from private sector stakeholders or other donor schemes than those of CCAC
8. Proposals must target activities in ODA-eligible countries.
9. To be eligible for consideration, project proposals must be:
10. Complete
11. Relevant
12. Submitted on time
13. Within the budget range set in the call for proposals
14. Less than 24 months in duration
15. Compliant with CCAC gender criteria
16. The CCAC can only fund non-profit entities, which include non-governmental organizations (NGOs), intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), and government entities.
17. For-profit entities are not eligible to receive CCAC funding, though they may participate in projects as stakeholders, collaborators, or co-funders. Applicants are encouraged to include for-profit entities in the development of the project proposal and during project implementation when their ownership of the proposed solution is key to the project’s success.

Benefits of Call for proposals: CCAC Food & Nutrition Challenge 2025 (Open Globally)

1. Estimated project cost: $2,000,000

How to Apply

Step 1:

1. Complete the Challenge Programme Concept Note (available here)
2. Complete the Challenge Programme Google Form with applicant information (available here)
3. Upload the Concept Note to the Google Form (in word format) along with any additional documents
4. Submit the Google Form with the attached Concept Note to the CCAC Secretariat for review. Please note submission of your application via the Google Form is required for your proposal to be considered.

Step 2:

1. Upon submission of your Concept Note, the CCAC Secretariat may contact you requesting additional information or clarifying questions.
2. Should your Concept Note be successful, you will be invited to submit a detailed project proposal and budget. Full proposals will then undergo in-depth review by the CCAC Secretariat and relevant technical experts, with the final selection of proposals for funding to be made by the CCAC Board.

If your concept note is not successful, you will be notified by the Secretariat.

View details of Call for proposals: CCAC Food & Nutrition Challenge 2025

Apply for Call for proposals: CCAC Food & Nutrition Challenge 2025

Application Deadline

06 August, 2025

Application Link(s)

• Apply for Call for proposals: CCAC Food & Nutrition Challenge 2025 (Open Globally)