Commonwealth opens call for proposals for the Blue Charter Incubator Round II to accelerate ocean action

A woman maps coral reefs around Mahe Island in Seychelles

The Commonwealth Secretariat, in partnership with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and CAF - Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, has launched the second round of the Commonwealth Blue Charter Incubator.

This launch of the Commonwealth Blue Charter Incubator: Round II opens the call for proposals to access multiple grants of up to £50,000 to support 10 to 15 innovative, country-led projects that will help Commonwealth countries tackle pressing ocean challenges while advancing national priorities.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Hon Shirley Botchwey, welcomed the Incubator’s expanding partnerships. She said:

“The Commonwealth Blue Charter Incubator has shown what is possible when governments have the opportunity and resources to turn bold ocean ideas into action.
“With new partners joining us to advance sustainable ocean development and blue finance, Round II will support even more projects and strengthen the pipeline of initiatives needed to build a resilient and sustainable blue economy.”

The Commonwealth Secretariat and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation launched a major ocean protection alliance in March. Romain Ciarlet, Vice President and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, welcomed the next step in this partnership:

“The transition towards a healthier and more sustainable ocean requires not only ambitious ideas, but the capacity to turn them into practical action. Through the Commonwealth Blue Charter Incubator, promising initiatives can be developed and strengthened, creating pathways for innovation to respond to concrete challenges facing the ocean and coastal communities.
“As this second round opens, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation is pleased to continue supporting this approach, which brings together expertise, local knowledge and innovation to help promising projects move forward.”

CAF Executive President Sergio Díaz-Granados said the Incubator partnership builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2024 to advance sustainable development and climate resilience in Caribbean SIDS.

“For Caribbean small island states, the ocean is essential to development. It supports jobs and livelihoods, bolsters economies and is central to the response to climate change.
“The Commonwealth Blue Charter Incubator gives governments the resources to test practical ideas and subsequently, scale successful projects. CAF is pleased to join forces with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation to expand the participation of Caribbean countries in the Blue Charter Incubator as we all work to protect and ensure sustainable use of the ocean.”

The Commonwealth Blue Charter Incubator

The Incubator focuses on five critical areas: marine pollution, ecosystem restoration, sustainable fisheries, the blue economy, and the ocean-climate nexus, directly supporting implementation of the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration.

A success story from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2022, the Incubator supports ambitious projects that bring together governmental and non-governmental partners to deliver lasting ocean impact.

Ahead of CHOGM 2026 in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, in November, Round II will support Commonwealth member countries to surpass the achievements from Round I, which supported eight projects across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Americas and the Pacific.