Eco-Solve Amplifying Grants for AI Innovation opens applications

 The grant programme is looking for projects that are focused on closing the gap between development and law enforcement adoption, overcoming institutional and political barriers to data sharing, and that employ innovative solutions. The program will fund initiatives that target all kinds of environmental crime, which includes illicit activities involving wildlife species (both flora and fauna), fisheries, and other natural resources.

Overall, the grant is identifying and supporting existing technological and cooperative initiatives that have the potential to enhance and amplify responses to transnational illegal environmental commodity flows. These projects should be implemented to strengthen cross-border data production, exchange, and collaboration.

Scope

• To support projects that promote the advance of “forensic data,” referring to methods and approaches that bring critical information to those at the forefront of investigating and prosecuting crimes. Such insights are essential for designing effective responses to disrupt criminal markets.

Funding Information

• The grant amount ranges from 50,000 to 125,000 EUR, awarded to projects lasting between 3 and 9 months.

Eligible Countries

Angola, Brazil, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible applicants include:
  • Law enforcement agencies operating in priority countries
  • Government-led laboratories conducting research relevant to responses to environmental crime.
  • Data scientists and researchers engaged in work that enhances responses to environmental crime.
  • Technological innovators developing solutions to strengthen responses to environmental crime.
  • Non-governmental institutions with a proven track record of countering environmental crime.
• To be eligible for this grant, your proposal must meet the following criteria:
  • Address key challenges: Your proposal should tackle the challenges outlined in the project brief, aiming to introduce AI-driven innovative solutions for frontline use.
  • Geographical impact: The anticipated impact of your project should be in the priority countries listed earlier. It must clearly identify which countries will be the primary focus and how the initiative will contribute to combating environmental crime in those regions.
  • Eligible entities: You must be a law enforcement agency, government laboratory, researcher, or local organization with a proven track record in countering environmental crime and be located in one of the priority countries.
  • Funding eligibility: Ensure that your organization is eligible to receive funding from a nongovernmental organization, and can demonstrate the capacity to manage and utilize the funds effectively.
  • Data sharing and sustainability: Your proposal should include a clear plan for sharing and collaborating across the project, demonstrating how you will work with other stakeholders to maximize impact and ensure sustainability in tackling environmental crime.
  • Collaboration and cooperation: Proposals should include a strategy for engaging with national and regional partners to enhance impact and sustainability. Proposals may highlight how cross-border collaboration could strengthen efforts beyond the project’s lifecycle.
  • Implementation plan: Provide a detailed plan on how the funding will be utilized and how the proposed activities will be implemented.