About the Project Incubator 

Addressing major ocean challenges and building a sustainable blue economy pipeline requires ambitious, government-led projects that can test new ideas, demonstrate what works and attract longer-term investment. The Commonwealth Blue Charter Project Incubator provides catalytic grant funding and programme support to help Commonwealth countries move promising ocean initiatives from concept to implementation. 

Launched at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in June 2022, the Incubator supports nationally owned action while encouraging partnerships between governments and NGOs, academic institutions, community organisations and the private sector. 

Building on Round I 

Round I selected eight projects from Barbados, Canada, Fiji, Kiribati, Nigeria, Seychelles and Sri Lanka. These projects demonstrated how relatively small catalytic grants can help governments and delivery partners test solutions, strengthen evidence and capacity, and lay the groundwork for future investment.  

Explore the published Round I case studies:

• Canada - GEM-in-a-Box (Global Eutrophication Monitoring)
• Barbados - How Barbados is turning the tide on plastic pollution
• Nigeria - Sustainable mangrove management in Nigeria: Challenges and future directions
• Seychelles - Rivers as a source of plastic pollution and marine litter in Seychelles

Round II at a glance 

What Round II will support 

Round II will identify, select and support practical ocean projects, particularly pilots and proof-of-concept initiatives, that can generate evidence, strengthen institutional capacity and create opportunities for replication or scale-up. 

Government-led and aligned with national ocean priorities 

• Early-stage, innovative and practical 
• Designed to deliver clear policy, institutional, environmental or community benefits 
• Supported by credible partnerships and realistic delivery arrangements 
• Evidence-based, inclusive, gender-responsive and attentive to youth and Indigenous Peoples 
• Capable of attracting co-funding, follow-on finance or wider adoption 

Priority areas 

Projects should contribute to the implementation of the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration. Proposals may address one or more of the following areas: 

• Reduce marine pollution 
  Prevent and reduce pollution from land- and sea-based sources. 
• Restore marine ecosystems 
  Protect and restore mangroves, coral reefs, seagrasses and other coastal and marine ecosystems. 
• Advance a sustainable blue economy 
  Develop inclusive, climate-resilient and investable blue economy approaches. 
• Strengthen sustainable fisheries 
  Improve fisheries governance, management, value chains and livelihoods. 
• Address the ocean–climate nexus 
  Support adaptation, mitigation, resilience, blue carbon and ocean-climate action. 

Key principles 

Projects supported through Round II should be: 

• Government-led and nationally owned 
• Aligned with national ocean priorities 
• Inclusive, gender-responsive and attentive to youth and Indigenous Peoples 
• Environmentally sustainable 
• Evidence-based and results-oriented 
• Capable of leveraging co-funding, follow-on finance or wider adoption 

Who can apply? 

• Applications must be submitted by a Commonwealth member government. A lead ministry, department or public agency should be responsible for the proposal, project oversight and the grant agreement. 
• Government applicants are encouraged to work with suitable implementing partners, including NGOs, academic or research institutions, community organisations and private-sector organisations. Multi-country proposals are welcome where there is a clear shared rationale and delivery model. 

Geographic funding windows 

All 56 Commonwealth member countries will be eligible to apply and assessed through a common process. Round II will also include dedicated funding aligned with partner priorities for: 

• Commonwealth countries in South Asia and Pacific Small Island Developing States 
• Commonwealth Caribbean countries 

How applications will be assessed 

Detailed assessment criteria will be published with the Round II call. The selection process is expected to include eligibility screening, technical assessment, due diligence and review by the Incubator’s governance bodies. Proposals with credible co-funding will be prioritised. 

• Strategic relevance and national ownership 
• Clarity of the problem and proposed solution 
• Technical feasibility and value for money 
• Strength of partnerships and delivery capacity 
• Expected results, learning and potential for scale 
• Inclusion (youth, gender and/or indigenous people) environmental sustainability and risk management 

Round II partners 

Round II is supported by the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation, with additional funding partnerships that expand the programme and provide dedicated regional funding. The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation is a key strategic partner, with its contribution supporting projects in South Asia and the Pacific. Additional partner support is expected to create a dedicated funding window for the Commonwealth Caribbean. 

 Application process 

1. Prepare 
   Define the government-led project concept, intended results and delivery partnership. 
2. Secure government leadership 
   Confirm the lead ministry, department or agency and appropriate internal approvals. 
3. Complete the templates 
   Use the proposal and budget templates that will be published when the call opens. 
4. Submit 
   Follow the official submission instructions and deadline set out in the Round II call. 
5. Assessment and onboarding 
   Shortlisted applications will proceed through assessment and due diligence before grant agreements are finalised. 

Resources 

The following materials will be added when the Round II call launches: 

• Round II application 
• Applicant guidelines and frequently asked questions 
• Project proposal template 
• Budget template 
• Assessment criteria