Rapid Response Facility(RRF)

Protecting natural World
Heritage sites in times of crisis
Budget Proposed

US$ 180,000
Duration

3 years
Beneficiary

Natural World Heritage
sites
CategoryConservation ●Emergency response

Natural World Heritage sites face many challenges that threaten
their existence. They represent a global heritage recognized as
being of outstanding universal value, unique and irreplaceable.
As the rate of global development accelerates, theseoutstanding sites become ever more valuable to society,providing refuges for highly endangered species andsafeguarding the world’s most precious natural treasures.
Since 2006, the Rapid Response Facility (RRF) has been providing
emergency support to natural World Heritage sites indeveloping countries at times of crisis. With the target of deciding
on application in eight days only, the RRF ensures that resources
get to where they are needed in time to avert the mostdevastating damages to these unique sites.

Context
The Rapid Response Facility (RRF) provides
emergency support to natural World Heritage sites– sites of ‘Outstanding Universal Value’ – indeveloping countries. Launched in 2006, the RRF isa partnership between Fauna & Flora International(FFI) and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, withpast and present donor support provided by theUnited Nations Foundation and the Fondation
Franz Weber.
Natural World Heritage sites face many challenges thatthreaten their existence. These include:o Natural disasters including earthquakes and wildfires
causing sudden and unpredictable damage toecosystems and rural livelihoods;
o Man-made crises having knock-on effects on wildlife
including armed conflicts and oil spills;
o Dramatic increases in the over-exploitation of wildlife
such as poaching events decimating wildlife
populations;o Uncontrolled and unregulated fast-paced development
projects such as illegal road construction and dam
prospecting within outstanding natural habitats.
The most acute challenges are often extremely time
sensitive and require an immediate response. To meetsuch situations, the RRF is a grant-making facility offering
rapid support where there is a clear argument for
immediate action to avoid or mitigate significant
negative impact to high conservation value sites facing
an acute threat to their biodiversity. The RRF provides
individual grants of up to US$30,000 and makes funding
decisions within a target of 8 days, making it the world’s
fastest conservation funding body.

Page 2Objectives
The RRF provides support for a range ofemergency activities to enable:⇒ Rapid threat assessment; elimination and/or impact
mitigation;⇒ Support to vulnerable sites deemed essential to avoid areturn to emergency status;⇒ Response to time sensitive opportunities that will
significantly strengthen the biodiversity status of athreatened natural World Heritage property.

The RRF aims to be responsive and reactive tomaximize the impact of the small grants of up to
US$30,000 whose approval is subject to the receipt
of an application, which:⇒ Clearly demonstrates the severity and time sensitive
nature of the emergency;⇒ Proposes an appropriate response to the emergency;⇒ Is submitted by a reputable organization, with theappropriate capacity to deliver against the projectobjectives.

Outcomes &Beneﬁciaries
Targeted support for a lasting legacy.
By focusing on World Heritage sites, the RRF prioritizes
support for natural heritage sites of outstanding universal
value that are the planet’s lasting legacy for futuregenerations.

Record of achievements
Over its 12 years of existence, the RRF has provided over
US$1,000,000 of emergency support to 34 World Heritage
properties and 8 sites inscribed on Tentative Lists in 26
States Parties, contributing to the protection of over 25
million hectares of the world’s most valuable naturalheritage. Irreplaceable populations of at least 141 flagshipspecies at these sites, including some of the world’s mostthreatened and iconic species (e.g. tiger, African elephant,
mountain gorilla, giant panda, hammerhead shark, whaleshark) have benefitted, along with the thousands of otherspecies that make up these precious ecosystems.

Relevance
The RRF provides an ideal mechanism to commit
to saving some of the best-known and iconic sites
worldwide by an immediate and cost-effectiveaction.
To achieve maximum results with minimum overheads,
the RRF provides:
o Granting decisions in just 8 days – getting funds on theground when they are needed;o Administration and technical knowledge – with accessto a global network of experts the RRF operates aneffective review process for grant selection and contractallocation;o Monitoring and evaluation – ensuring timely reportingon both activities and conservation impact, to ensurethat investors can see the conservation return for theirinputs.

Strong partnership to guide an effective grantgiving model.
To make the best possible funding decisions that can havethe largest possible impact and make efficient use ofresources, it is essential to make use of the best
information available. The World Heritage Centre, with its
global reach of 193 States Parties, has the global network
needed to provide insight to the social, political andenvironmental context of unfolding emergencies. Its
technical knowledge and communications networks areinvaluable. Fauna & Flora International’s innovative and‘on-the-ground’ approach to conservation provides
practical knowledge and experience of the challenges andmeans of bringing about effective solutions. Through thiscollaboration, the RRF operates a rigorous review andmonitoring process that ensures the highest possible
impact of investment. Since 2013, the Fondation Franz
Weber has been the third core partner of the RRF. As wellas providing vital financial resources, the Fondation Franz
Weber has contributed valuable insights and experiences
to the grant decision-making process and the strategic
direction of the fund

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A communication & visibility plan will be developed in consultation with thedonor(s), including (but not limited to) the options below:

Visibility
Visibility material
Article on theLogo

Homepage

Placement / Event

Outreach

Audience

WHC website:

Public9.735.000

whc.unesco.org

Statistics for 2016:13.340.000 visits

Article on the RRF
WebsiteLogo

RRF website:
http://www.rapid-response.org/

Public and Generalmedias

Article in the WorldLogo“World Heritage Review”

PublicHeritage Review

Magazine and “World Heritage
Information”

unique visitors
41.650.000 pageviews

Approx. 20.000 targeted
subscribers

BudgetTimeline

The Fondation Franz Weber is currently funding
RRF. An estimated overall extra-budgetary fundingof US$ 180,000 for 3 years is needed to strengthen
the mechanism.

The mechanism of the RRF works as follows whena request for grant is received:

These funds will cover 2 to 3 grants allocations per year,
monitoring RRF conservation impact (including travel
costs at one beneficiary site every 2 years),communication (design and printing of the appropriate
information material), production of an annual report,translation of RRF requests (as they can be submitted inA Project Coordination Group (PCG) formed by theUNESCO World Heritage Centre, FFI and Fondation Franz
Weber draw on the strengths and technical capacities ofeach organization to provide rapid funding decisions tosites in need. FFI has the lead in managing applications,liaising with applicants, arranging small grant contracts
and fund transfers for approved grants andcommunicating news about the RRF.

English, French or Spanish) as well as running costs.

Contact
Leila Maziz
Project Officer
World Heritage Centre
Africa Unitl.maziz@unesco.org
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