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.

The impacts of climate change are most acutely felt by socially, economically, and politically disadvantaged and marginalized people and groups because of their higher vulnerability and lower adaptive capacity. Recognizing the highly localized nature of climate impacts; the importance of local adaptation action; the potential and creativity of communities to develop locally appropriate and innovative solutions; the ownership benefits of community-driven action; and the strong need for accountability to poor and marginalized communities affected by climate change, the GCA is strongly committed to addressing barriers to accelerating and scaling up LLA through the Global Hub on Locally Led Adaptation. The Hub aims to promote LLA at scale, with speed, to reduce climate risks for populations and sections of society that are most vulnerable to climate change. The activities of the Hub are guided by the eight Principles for Locally Led Adaptation.

GCA’s efforts to scale up LLA are focused on integrating locally led adaptation planning with traditional development investments, particularly by international financial institutions (IFIs). GCA works with local partners to facilitate adaptation planning based on LLA best practice (documented, for instance, in this Guide). People’s Adaptation Plans are produced by vulnerable communities, based on community-led data collection and mapping efforts, and informed by scientific climate risk assessments. The planning process supports communities in understanding climate risks as a community, negotiating priorities, and designing solutions. The Plans are shared with associated IFI project teams to inform investments and used by communities to leverage local development funds. In some countries in Africa, the planning process is informing national efforts to embed adaptation in local development planning.

GCA is now piloting Women’s Adaptation Labs, to focus on women’s adaptation priorities. Women’s groups are supported by technical experts to develop locally tailored solutions to adaptation challenges prioritized by women, such as housing, food, water and livelihood security.

The Sundarbans is the world’s largest mangrove forest, spanning approximately 10,000 square kilometers across southern Bangladesh and eastern India. It plays a crucial role in protecting biodiversity, sustaining livelihoods, and serving as a natural buffer against cyclones and coastal erosion. However, heavy dependence on—and over-exploitation of—its natural resources for income and subsistence is depleting this vital ecosystem, contributing to environmental degradation, and intensifying the impacts of climate change.

Coastal communities in Bangladesh face poverty rates higher than the national average. In 2022, 23% of the population—about 9.5 million people—living in coastal districts were classified as poor, with many struggling to meet their basic nutritional needs. These communities are also disproportionately exposed to coastal hazards and are less equipped to cope with and recover from their devastating effects.

Traditional and cultural norms further limit economic opportunities for women in the region. Excluded from key sectors like fishing, women are often confined to informal, low-paying roles such as drying fish, fetching water, assisting with agricultural tasks, and selling produce in local markets. The lack of alternative livelihood options, combined with limited access to skills training and market opportunities, keeps many women trapped in poverty.

A recent assessment by the GCA, Enhancing Coastal Resilience Through Nature-based Solutions, highlights the pivotal role of nature-based solutions (NbS) in strengthening coastal resilience in Bangladesh. NbS offer a pathway to support the livelihood needs of impoverished communities while delivering biodiversity gains, enhancing ecosystem resilience, and restoring critical ecosystem services. By promoting sustainable alternatives to resourcedepleting practices, NbS can provide communities—particularly women—with more secure and sustainable sources of income.

A community-led, women-centered assessment of climate vulnerabilities, livelihood diversification needs and opportunities, and innovative approaches to harness the potential of NbS can lay the foundation for long-term resilience—both for coastal ecosystems and for the vulnerable communities that depend on them.

The Government of Bangladesh, in partnership with the World Bank, is developing a series of projects under the Bangladesh Coastal Resilience Program to strengthen the resilience of coastal communities and ecosystems, with a focus on the Sundarbans. The first project, currently under preparation, aims to bolster institutional capacity for coastal resilience and regional cooperation; rehabilitate polders; enhance coastal protection through NbS and ecological restoration; and expand livelihood opportunities for communities that depend on the Sundarbans.

GCA aims to support the project by piloting Women’s Adaptation Labs engaging women dependent on the Sundarbans in three villages – within 5 KM of the Sundarbans reserve forest – in Khulna or Barisal division (to be decided in consultation with GCA, the Government of Bangladesh, and the World Bank). Guidelines and a capacity building approach will also be developed for scaling up this approach to other Project areas.

GCA’s support to the Bangladesh Coastal Resilience Program aims to deliver a locally led methodology for vulnerable women dependent on the Sundarbans – living within 5 KM of the Sundarbans reserve forest – in three villages in Khulna or Barisal division to take the lead in identifying climate threats, particularly to their livelihoods, and in developing locally appropriate solutions to mitigate these threats with support from technical experts. The solutions should ideally include sustainable community-led natural resource management; the promotion of jobs, entrepreneurship, skills and capacity that strengthen climate resilience; and where necessary or where opportunities present, livelihood diversification.

To deliver on this objective, GCA is seeking a local delivery partner in Bangladesh with proven expertise in locally led approaches to develop Women’s Adaptation Plans in three villages in Khulna or Barisal division. The partner is expected to share a list of villages situated within 5 KM from the Sundarbans reserve forest in Khulna and Barisal region and provide a justification on their selection of villages. This will further be finalized in consultation with GCA, the Government of Bangladesh, and the World Bank.

The partner will be expected to identify and/or facilitate the creation of women’s groups in the three villages, support them to map and understand climate risks especially as they relate to local livelihoods, and facilitate needs-based technical support for the women’s groups to support them in the development of Women’s Adaptation Plans .

• Demonstrated support of GCA’s core values and commitment to climate action and adaptation.
• Active engagement in partnerships and initiatives with, inter alia, United Nations, intergovernmental, national, subnational, industry or sectoral, non-governmental and other related organizations in support of climate, environmental and/or social causes.
• Demonstrated support of the principles of sustainable development, including inclusion and social and environmental corporate responsibility.

• 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.
• The concept note and all supporting documents must be submitted as a PDF, no later than 05 June, 18:00, Central European Time (CET) to subgrants@gca.org and cc’d to shahrin.mannan@gca.org.
• The proposal must include:

• Important to note:

• 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 shahrin.mannan@gca.org. The email subject heading should be clearly marked with the following information: Women’s Adaptation Plans for Climate Resilient Livelihoods in the Sundarbans in Bangladesh.
• If an interested organization has concerns about completing the templates, please reach out.
• Proposals and all supporting documents must be drafted in English.
• All applicants will be notified in writing of the selection process outcome within three weeks after the submission deadline.
• 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.

Please download the Call for Partnerships document for more information