Scaling-Up Locally Led Climate Action (SCALE) Program
Introduction to this Call for Partnership (CFP)
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is seeking a partner to provide support to the World Bank and United Republic of Tanzania’s five-year Scaling Up Locally Led Climate Action (SCALE) project to prepare the ground for developing and implementing Local Climate Action Plans.
GCA’s support will focus on capacity and institutional strengthening for implementation of Tanzania’s Opportunities and Obstacles to Development (O&OD) guidelines, which are currently being revised to integrate climate approaches; technical backstopping to pilot the training in select areas in Zanzibar, and to support scale up through the project; and knowledge management and peer learning.
Introduction to the Global Center of Adaptation
GCA is an international organization that works as a solutions broker to catalyze action and support for climate adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sector. This is to ensure that we learn from each other and work together for a climate resilient future. Adapting to the impacts of climate change provides a “win-win” for livelihoods, food security, water supply, health, security, and economic growth. GCA’s work elevates the visibility and political importance of climate adaptation and facilitates solutions, such as smarter investments, new technologies and better planning for more resilience to climate related threats. GCA is a rapidly growing organization with offices in Abidjan, Beijing, Dhaka, Groningen, and Rotterdam and a planned new office in Nairobi in 2025.
GCA’s 2020-2025 business plan and strategy have three pillars:
- Programs: Food Security; Using Nature for more resilient infrastructure; Water for Urban Growth and Resilience; Climate Finance; Youth Leadership.
- Knowledge: Building adaptation knowledge globally through cutting edge products such as the State and Trends in Adaptation Report and the Adaptation Knowledge Portal.
- Advocacy and Awareness: Formulating policy messages to move the global, regional, and local adaptation agendas forward.
Project Context
The United Republic of Tanzania will implement a five-year Scaling Up Locally Led Climate Action (SCALE) project with support from the World Bank. The project aims to strengthen national and local government systems to implement national climate strategies and deliver locally led climate resilience actions in selected districts. It will be implemented using the Government’s improved Opportunities and Obstacles to Development (O&OD) approach, which has guided community empowerment programs in Tanzania since 2001. The SCALE program consists of two result areas:
- Results Area 1: Strengthen local government systems. This Result Area will be implemented at the district level in 65 selected Local Government Authorities (LGAs) to support: Designation of operational District Climate Action Teams (DCATs) with representatives from relevant district-level Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and including the strengthened Opportunities and Obstacles to Development (O&OD) Council Task Force, to guide, facilitate, and implement climate action planning and implementation using climate-integrated O&OD guidelines based on locally identified priorities. Collection, storage, analysis, and application of climate change data with linkages to national level climate data. Awareness raising programs for councillors, LGA staff, and community leaders and members on local climate risks and adaptation options. o Participatory climate risk assessments (PCRAs) at the ward level using the climate-integrated O&OD guidelines. Ward-level locally led Local Climate Adaption Plans (LCAPs) that address the identified climate vulnerabilities.
- Results Area 2: Invest in locally led climate resilience actions. RA2 will support the implementation of the LCAPs through investments selected by the communities. These investments will be supported by three cycles of performance-based Investment Grants to the 65 LGAs in years 2-4 (FY26/27-FY29/30) that will incentivize the implementation of the LCAPs, the mainstreaming of climate action into LGAs’ operations, and an increase in LGAs’ financing for climate action.
Submission Guidelines
How to apply
- Only registered non-profit organizations (INGO, NGO, CBO, Company Limited by Guarantee) are eligible to receive a sub-grant from GCA.
- The organizations responding to this call must meet the minimum eligibility criteria and demonstrate their capacity to implement all the technical criteria.
- Proposals and all supporting documents must be submitted as a PDF, no than 3rd September 2025; 18:00 CET., Central European Time (CET) to subgrants@gca.org and cc’d to Victor.orindi@gca.org
- The proposal must include:
- Annex 1: Sub-Grant Project Document (proposal template) addressing the details outlined in this call.
- Annex 2: Completed Partner Information Document & minimum required documents.
- Annex 2a: Budget and Financial Report Template.
- An information session with all organizations interested in applying and learn more about the application process and project requirements will take place on 25th August 2025, 14:00 –1500 CET. The meeting can be accessed on that day and time at the following link.
- Important to note:
- All registered non-profit organizations are encouraged to respond to this call and complete the templates in as much detail as possible.
- Responses to Annex 1 will be considered even if there is a lack of detail or if the form is incomplete.
- Responses to Annex 2 will be considered even if some details are lacking, if justified.
- The template serves as a tool for interested organizations to showcase their technical expertise and experience in response to the call.
- Organizations need only meet the minimum eligibility criteria to be considered.
- Proposals received after the closing date and time will not be considered. Organizations will be notified once a decision about the Sub-Grant is made.
- For all questions or requests for additional information contact victor.orindi@gca.org. The email subject heading should be clearly marked with the following information: CFP-0030 Tanzania SCALE.
- If an interested organization has concerns about completing the template, please reach out to subgrants@gca.org.
- Proposals and all supporting documents must be drafted in English.
- GCA reserves the right to decline disclosure of the specificity of decision derived by GCA mission due to reasons related to confidentiality.
- GCA reserves the right to accept or reject any submissions, and to annul the selection process and reject all submissions at any time, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected implementing partners.