GEF Full Sized Project
‘Strengthening the institutional and financial sustainability of the national protected area
system’
The project context
• June 2012: the project concept is summarised in a Project Information Form (PIF), approved into the pipeline of the fifth funding cycle of GEF (‘GEF 5’)
• December 2013: the project is cleared by the GEF and endorsed for an amount of US$4,953,000 grant to Croatia
The project context
• GEF has provided funding, through a Project Preparation Grant, to develop the project documentation.
• A team of consultants (3 national and one international) have been contracted to support UNDP and the Ministry in the drafting of the project documentation
• The full project will be implemented over a period of four years 2014-2017
Submission file: prodoc of 100 pages, 15 additional files...
The project is activity-focused around two key areas of support to national protected areas:
Key area 1: increase efficiency of management- Reform the institutional framework and strengthen systemic and institutional management capacities
Key area 2: increase financial efficiency- Improve the financial sustainablity of the network of national protected areas
Strategic approach to project design
The project is spatially focused on the network of ‘national protected areas’ (National Parks and Nature Parks)
Strategic approach to project design
Component 1:
• improve the current institutional framework• address it’s key weaknesses• build on the strong sides of the system
[19 public institutions, weak coordination; limited performance accountability; duplication of functions]
Project structure - two components
Component 1 - outputsOutput 1.1: National planning framework for PA system
Output 1.2: Financial management capacity of PA institutions
Output 1.3: Shared Service Centre (SSC) for national PAs
Output 1.4: Feasibility assessment – CBA and ranking of different options for establishing a ‘park agency’
Component 2:
• improve the financial sustainability of the national protected areas• ensure that they have adequate financial resources to cover the full costs of their management
[cost-inefficiencies; inequitable distribution of funds; funding gap for optimal management]
Project structure - two components
Component 2 - outputs
Output 2.1: Reduce transaction costs of user-pay systems in national protected areas
Output 2.2: Develop integrated tourism services in national protected areas
Output 2.3: Improve the productive efficiency of national protected areas
Full project budgetGEF funding GEF (USD)
Component 1 (including M&E) 1,762,000
Component 2 2,842,000
Project management 349,000
TOTAL (GEF) 4,953,000
Co-financing GEF (USD)
UNDP (project management) 500,000
National PIs (Vransko jazero; Papuk; Ucka; Telascica; Risnjak)
811,116
MENP 16,700,000
TOTAL (Co-financing) 18,011,116
Implementation arrangementsUNDPResponsible to GEF for monitoring of project implementation
- Provide administrative and financial support services to project (procurement, accounting services, contracting services, etc.)
Ministry of Environment and Nature ProtectionResponsible to UNDP for national implementation of project- Appoint a National Project Director (NPD) to
provide strategic oversight and guidance to project implementation
Implementation arrangementsProject Board (PB)Responsible for project co-ordination and decision-making.
Representation may include:- MENP (Chair)- UNDP- SINP- MRD&EU Funds- MF- National PIs
Implementation arrangementsProject management staffDay-to-day administration of project- Project Manager- Project Associate (administrative and
technical support)
Protected area institutions (SINP + PIs)Responsible for implementing pre-designated project outputs and activities