SDM Framework and Procedures 2024

Satoyama Development Mechanism
Framework and Procedures 2024

June 2024
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)
United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Studies of Sustainability (UNU-IAS)
Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan

Contents
1.

About

2

2.

Scope

3

3.

Project number, duration and payments

44.

Overall process

45.

Application

5

6.

Selection

6

7.

Project implementation

7

8.

Project closing

8

Annex

10

Annex I. Proposal submission procedure11

Annex II. How to prepare application documents

13

Annex III. Report submission procedurez

15

Annex IV. How to prepare reporting documents

16

1

SDM Framework and Procedures 2024

1. About“Satoyama” is a Japanese term representing “socio-ecological production landscapes andseascapes” or SEPLS, which are dynamic mosaics of habitats and land/sea uses providing
the goods and services needed for human life while being managed to maintain biodiversity.
The Satoyama Initiative, advocated by the Government of Japan and United Nations University
Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS), and endorsed at the 10th meetingof the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP10) in2010 in Aichi, Japan, is a global effort to realise "societies in harmony with nature" throughlandscape approaches to biodiversity conservation and human well-being, particularly in
SEPLS. The International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI) facilitates a broad
range of activities to implement the concepts of the Satoyama Initiative by diverse stakeholders.
The Satoyama Development Mechanism (SDM) is a financing mechanism to promoteactions under IPSI towards the vision of the Satoyama Initiative: societies in harmony
with nature.
Through seed funding, the SDM encourages IPSI members to: i) create innovations andbest practices; ii) integrate governance and knowledge particularly indigenous andlocal knowledge; and/or iii) mobilise people, partnerships and resources.
The SDM was established and is operated jointly by the Institute for Global Environmental
Strategies (IGES), UNU-IAS and the Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ).
Createinnovations
and best
practices

Societies inharmony
with nature
Mobilisepeople,partnerships
andresources

VISION

Integrate
governanceandknowledge

MISSION

Figure 1. Vision and mission of the SDM

2

SDM Framework and Procedures 2024

2. Scope
The SDM provides funding for convincing projects that enhance actions towards the IPSIStrategic Objectives, and thereby the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework(KMGBF). IPSI Steering Committee established five strategic objectives: i) knowledge coproduction, management and uptake; ii) institutional frameworks and capacity development;iii) area-based conservation measures; iv) ecosystem restoration; and v) sustainable value
chain development. Relating to these objectives, the SDM focuses specifically on supporting
the development of other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs); landscapeor seascape restoration; conservation and collaboration with indigenous peoples and local
communities; resilience enhancement; and sustainable food or material production.
Further, the SDM facilitates collective contributions of the funded projects to IPSI and the global
goals (e.g. KMGBF, Sustainable Development Goals) by sharing experience among projects
and generating meta-knowledge on SEPLS.

Figure 2. Scope of the SDM

3

SDM Framework and Procedures 2024

The SDM invites project proposals of different types including:• On-site actions: e.g. community-based conservation; sustainable practices; alternative
livelihoods; technology application; and tree planting• Partnership building: e.g., institutionalisation; scaling-up or out; multi-stakeholder
platforms; community of practitioners; and experience sharing• Research: e.g. Satoyama Initiative Thematic Review (SITR); baseline or evidence base forproject appraisal; peer-reviewed papers; and books• Education: e.g. textbooks; picturebooks; e-learning; field schooling; alternative education
programmes; and youth-elderly knowledge exchange

3. Project number, duration and payments
In 2024, the SDM will select five projects proposed by IPSI members and will award each ofthem with up to USD 20,000. The length of the project period is no more than two years.
The grant recipient shall receive the first instalment (50%) of the total requested amount at
the start of project; and the second instalment (remaining 50%) upon completion of the
project.
Grant recipients, if failing to complete all the planned activities, shall cancel all or part of thesecond instalment, or even return all or part of the first installment, based on an assessmentof the project outputs.

4. Overall process
Interested and eligible IPSI members (see section 6.1 Eligibility criteria) are invited to submit
project proposals in accordance with the application guidelines (see section 6). The SDM
Executive Board evaluates all eligible applications and will finally select five projects basedon the screening and prioritisation criteria (see sections 6.2 and 6.3). Successful applicants
will be announced and contacted by the SDM secretariat around September 2024 for project
administration procedures (see section 7). At the end of the project, grantees are mandated
to submit project final evaluation report (see section 8. Project closing).

4

SDM Framework and Procedures 2024

Submission of project proposal
Selection of applications
Announcement of the SDMfund receipients
Only selected applicants

Project implementation
Project reporting
Figure 3. Overall project application, administration and reporting procedures

5. Application
All interested and eligible IPSI members are invited to submit project applications from 24
June 2024 to 15 August 2024 (Please see section 6.1 for the eligibility criteria. The dates are
subject to change in cases of unexpected events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic situation).
Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered for selection. Applicants are
required to prepare an application form and supporting documents as specified below. A
competent application fully addresses the screening and prioritization criteria (please see
sections 6.2 and 6.3).
• Completed application form (Available from the application page);• Up to five photographs of project site (e.g. landscape or seascapes, wildlife, local people,
activities) saved in a zip folder; and• Project site map (location and size) preferably with the project site boundaries
demarcated on Google My Maps (https://mymaps.google.com/) or using GIS pasted in aword file. If you have not used Google My Maps, you may refer to “Draw lines & shapes in
My Maps”.
Applicants submit these documents from the SDM application page. The application pagenavigates you to submit your application (Please see Annex I for a detailed step-by-stepguidance for the proposal submission procedure and Annex II for how to prepare application
documents).

5

SDM Framework and Procedures 2024

If you have troubles with the online application, you have an option to submit your application
to the SDM Secretariat (sdm@iges.or.jp) by email, enclosing all the necessary documents, by
the deadline.

6. Selection
The SDM follows a three-step process for project selection, eligibility check, screening andprioritisation based on the respective three criteria sets (see Figure 4 and sections 6.1, 6.2
and 6.3).

Figure 4. A three-step selection process

6.1. Eligibility criteria
1

The applicant is an approved member of the IPSI at the date of submission of the
project proposal.

2

The applicant has agreed to act as focal point of the proposed project to becontacted by the SDM Secretariat, if the proposed project is to be jointly
implemented by more than one IPSI members.

3

The applicant has demonstrated sufficient institutional capability to implement the
proposed project.

4

The applicant has demonstrated sufficient English proficiency to deliver a goodproject report.

5

The applicant is not a member of either the Advisory Group or the Executive Boardof SDM.

6

Any applicant that makes an unequivocally false presentation of him/herself or
his/her organisation will be excluded from the SDM.

7

The applicant does NOT have an ongoing SDM project as of the application date.

6.2. Screening criteria
A

Relevance

1

Addresses critical local needs.

2

Contributes to the IPSI Strategic Objectives and the Kunming-Montreal Global

6

SDM Framework and Procedures 2024

Biodiversity Framework, particularly OECMs 1 , landscape/seascape restoration,conservation and collaboration with indigenous peoples and local communities,
resilience enhancement and sustainable food or material production.
B

Effectiveness3

Specifies concrete outputs and outcomes of the project, and logically presents the
project components and activities leading to these.

4

Engages multiple stakeholders necessary to generate intended outcomes.

C

Feasibility

5

Proposes activities that effectively utilise time and resources while fitting within thegiven timeline and budget.

6

Demonstrates appropriate implementation capacity of the proponent with clear
roles of those involved.

D

Sustainability

7

Properly identifies the measures to mitigate possible risks that may emerge during
the project implementation

8

Identifies self-reliant operating mechanisms for the continuation and/or further
development of project activities upon completion of the project.

6.3. Prioritisation criteria
1

Potential for innovations or best practices

2

Underrepresented regions, sectors and/or landscape/seascape types.

3

Implements

an

IPSI

Collaborative

Activity(https://satoyama-

initiative.org/activities/ipsi-collaborative-activities/) that has already been endorsed
by IPSI, or formulates a new IPSI Collaborative Activity.
4

Applicants not previously been selected by the SDM.

5Demonstrates a strong need of support from the SDM (e.g., limited access toother funding sources)

7. Project implementation
Selected organisations will be contacted by the SDM secretariat for project administration,
implementation and reporting procedures as outlined below:
1.

Grant Agreement (GA) and Project Implementation Plan (PIP): GA constitutes acontractual agreement between IGES, on behalf of the SDM Secretariat, and each grant

Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures. See its guiding principles, common
characteristics and criteria for identification in CBD/COP/DEC/14/8 Annex III(https://www.cbd.int/doc/decisions/cop-14/cop-14-dec-08-en.pdf)
1

7

SDM Framework and Procedures 2024

recipient. The Grant recipients have full responsibility to conduct activities in accordancewith GA and the PIP therein once both parties sign the GA. PIP specifies the contents of
the work under the GA, which is basically identical to the project application but subject toamendment(s) as necessary in consultation with the SDM Secretariat.
2.

First installment: Upon signing the GA, grant recipients submit an invoice to request thefirst installment (50% of the total fund amount).

3.

An inception workshop: The SDM Secretariat invites all grant recipients for the year toan online inception workshop. The workshop provides guidance on project implementationfrom the SDM Secretariat and an opportunity for introduction, knowledge sharing andnetworking among the grant recipients. Each organisation is requested to make a shortpresentation on its project.

4.

Project implementation: Grant recipients implement the activities stipulated in the PIP.
In case of delay of activities or difficulty to complete the project within the contract period,
the recipient shall duly inform and seek guidance from the SDM secretariat in advance.

8. Project closing
Nearing the completion of all projects for the 2024 batch, the SDM Secretariat will invite grantrecipients to an online project closing workshop for guidance on project closing procedures by
the Secretariat and for experience sharing among projects. Thereafter, in accordance with theguidance, grant recipients must submit a final evaluation report for their respective projects
within the contract period. With this submission, grant recipients request the SDM Secretariat
for the second installment. Step-by-step guidance is provided below on the project completion
procedures:
1.

Project closing workshop: Nearing the end of all projects for the 2024 batch, the SDM
Secretariat will invite them to a project closing workshop. The Secretariat provides
guidance on procedures to finalise the project, and also invites grant recipients to present
their project results, experiences and lessons. This may come after the final evaluation
report submission and second installment depending on the completion date of individual
projects.

2.

Project final evaluation report: Upon completion of all project activities stipulated in PIP
and within the contract period, grant recipients must submit a project final evaluation reportto the SDM Secretariat through the designated online form on the SDM Website. The
following documents and files are required for the submission:-

Final evaluation form (Available in the personal page. See Annex III, at the bottom

8

SDM Framework and Procedures 2024of this document)-

Financial Statement-

Relevant materials or documentations, e.g. outreach or education materials, format
of questionnaire survey, project brochure or PR materials, policy documents, reports
or publications produced by the project-

Photographs of project activities and results, landscapes or seascapes, species, etc.
(up to 10 photos saved in a zip folder)-

Completed IPSI Case Study Summary Sheet-

Project site map (location and size), the same as the time of application, preferablywith the project site boundary demarcated on a google map or using GIS pasted in a
Word file (if there is a change or revision from the map(s) submitted for application).

Please see Annex III and IV for the detailed guidance for the report submission.
3.

Second installment: Upon the receipt and confirmation of the final evaluation report forthe project and all other necessary documents for project completion, the SDM Secretariat
will issue a notice of acceptance to the grant recipients. Grant recipients then submit an
invoice to the Secretariat for the second installment (50% of the total fund amount). If a
grant recipient fails to complete all the project activities stipulated in PIP by the contract
end, all or part of the second instalment may be cancelled. Further refunding of all or partof the first instalment may be requested by the SDM Secretariat based on assessment of
the project outputs.

If you have any questions in any of these procedures, please feel free to contact the SDM
secretariat (sdm@iges.or.jp).

9SDM Framework and Procedures 2024

Annex


Annex I. Proposal submission procedureAnnex II. How to prepare application documents

Annex III. Report submission procedureAnnex IV. How to prepare reporting documents

10

SDM Framework and Procedures 2024
Annex I. Proposal submission procedure• Step 1. Go to “Call for proposals” at the top page of the SDM website and move to“Application” section.

Step1. Click• Step 2. Download the “Application Form”, “SDM Framework and Procedures 2024 (thisdocument)” and “Application example”.

Step 2. Download /Step 3. Check your eligibility

Step 5. Click• Step 3. Read the “The SDM Framework and Procedures 2024 (PDF, this document)”
carefully and check your eligibility to apply for the SDM.
• Step 4. Fill in the “Application Form (Excel file)” referring to the “Application example (PDF)”
as necessary. Pleased do not forget to fill in the two sheets contained in the Excel file.
• Step 5. Click “Online Application” on the website.
• Step 6. On the online form, first identify your IPSI membership status and fill in the rest of
the form giving details of your organisation and contact person. If you are not an IPSI
member, you cannot fill in the rest of the form.

11

SDM Framework and Procedures 2024

Step 7. Upload the required files

Step 8. Check the box
Step 9. Click to submit• Step 7. Upload an application form (Excel), photographs (up to 5 photographs saved in a
zip folder) and a project site map (Word).
• Step 8. Read the disclaimer and accept it.
• Step 9. If everything is ready, click “Submit” at the bottom to complete the application. You
cannot modify an application once submitted. If you need to revise the contents of yourapplication, you can resubmit following the same steps.
If you have problems with the online application, you have the option to submit your application

to the SDM Secretariat (sdm@iges.or.jp) by email, enclosing all the necessary documents, by thedeadline.

12

SDM Framework and Procedures 2024

Annex II. How to prepare application documents
 Application form: please check the example of application form available in the theapplication page.
 Photographs of project site: Please name each image file with a short description of thesubject of the photograph (e.g. Tree planting activities by the local communities;
Indigenous people preparing the land for the next season; Mangrove forests where thelocal communities rely on for their livelihoods), which the SDM can use as the image
caption in its information materials
 Project site map (location and size): As much as possible, please include the following
information: 1. Project site name; 2. Area (hectare); 3. Latitude and longitude of the centerof the site; and 4. Maps in a community scale; regional scale and country scale (zoom out
to show the whole scale of each).
In Google My Maps, you can identify latitude and longitude by the “Add marker” function. To
make a polygon, choose the “Draw a line”. One you make a polygon, area (size) of thedemarcation is shown, as seen in the following figure.
Add marker
Draw a line

Area

13

SDM Framework and Procedures 2024

Latitude and longitude

Example 1. Community scale (how to make a polygon and find required information)

Example 2. Regional scale (left) and Country scale (right).

14

SDM Framework and Procedures 2024

Annex III. Report submission procedure
Please look at the following figure. If you click the “Final project evaluation form”, you go to thepage of the form. You can find the link to the Final Evaluation form and download there. Onceyou prepared all the required documents for reporting, come back to this page, fill in the blanks,
upload the files and submit.

2. Fill in the blanks*After all the reporting
documents are prepared.

1. Click here to go to
the evaluation report

3. Upload files

4. Click “Submit”

15

Download the form

SDM Framework and Procedures 2024

Annex IV. How to prepare reporting documents
 Final evaluation form: please fill in the form in the same way as the application form. If
there are any changes in some sections such as background, stakeholders, IPSI andglobal targets, please update them.
 Financial Statement: there is no designated format. Please include all the items
purchased from the SDM fund and co-finances, making clear which fund you spend for
each, price in both local currency and US dollar, exchange rate from the local currency to
the US dollar and the total amount.
 Photographs of project site: please submit the photos that were taken during the project
duration. Do not submit the same photos you did at the time of application. Include thephotos of each project activity and targeted landscape or seascape. In the same way as
the time of application, please name each image file with a short description of the subjectof the photograph (e.g. Tree planting activities by the local communities; Indigenous
people preparing the land for the next season; Mangrove forests where the local
communities rely on for their livelihoods), which the SDM can use as the image caption in
its information materials
 IPSI Case Study Summary Sheet: this can be a more summarised version of the final
evaluation form which will be used by the IPSI secretariat.
 Project site map (location and size): As much as possible, please include the following
information: 1. Project site name; 2. Area (hectare); 3. Latitude and longitude of the centerof the site; and 4. Maps in community scale; regional scale and country scale. If there isany change from the time of application, please state what changed and the reason why
it happened.

16