Background & Instructions

Application Deadline: 11th December 2026 Midnight GMT (UTC+0)

The Commonwealth Blue Charter Incubator provides catalytic grants of £20,000–£50,000 to Commonwealth member countries to develop and pilot country-led initiatives that address ocean challenges and advance sustainable, inclusive and resilient blue economies.

The Incubator provides an opportunity for governments to initiate and scale solutions aligned with national priorities, with the potential to inform policy, legal and regulatory reform as well as providing training and technical assistance as required.

Grants may support projects led by Commonwealth member countries at the regional, national or sub-national level, including through implementing partnerships with NGOs, academic or research institutions, and the private sector.

The Incubator is aligned to the goals of the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration (ACOD), adopted by Commonwealth Heads of Government at CHOGM in 2024.

Instructions

Please read the following instructions carefully before completing your application:

  • Please complete all questions in accordance with the stated word limits. Any text exceeding the word limit will not be considered.
  • By completing and submitting this form, you consent to the use of the information provided for the purposes of the Blue Charter Incubator application and assessment process.
  • The application consists of five pages:
    • Basic Information
    • Alignment with Commonwealth and Government Priorities
    • Project Details
    • Project Financing
    • Supporting Documents and Declarations
  • You must complete all required (*) questions before progressing to the next page. Please ensure that you complete all five pages and submit the application at the end of the form.
  • The online form cannot be saved and returned to later and must be completed in one session. We therefore recommend drafting and reviewing your responses in advance using the downloadable Word version of the application form, before copying your final responses into this online form.
  • All applications must be submitted through the online application form. Submitting the Word version alone will not constitute an application.
  • All eligible applications will be assessed and scored against the published marking criteria available in the Application Guidelines & Assessment Criteria document.
  • Please note, each Commonwealth member country can only submit a maximum of 2 Incubator applications, and each 'Lead Applicant' (i.e. government entity leading the project) can only submit 1 application per Incubator round.
Before you submit
Application and Selection Process

As a reminder, the Blue Charter Incubator Round II application and selection process consists of the following five stages:

1. Blue Charter Incubator Round II – Grant Application Form

This is the first and most detailed stage of the application process. Applicants are asked to provide information on the proposed project, including its alignment with Commonwealth and government priorities, implementation approach, financing, partnerships and expected results.

This is the stage of the process – the Grant Application Form – that you are about to complete.

2. Detailed Budget, Work Plan and Due Diligence

Once all applications have been received, the Secretariat will conduct an initial eligibility assessment. Applicants who have fully completed the Application Form and whose proposed projects meet the eligibility requirements will then be contacted and asked to provide a more detailed project budget, work plan and supporting documentation required for basic due diligence.

Applicants whose projects do not progress beyond this stage will be informed of the outcome.

3. Scoring and Selection

Once the detailed budgets, work plans and due diligence documentation have been received, eligible applications will be assessed and scored against the published marking criteria available in the Application Guidelines & Assessment Criteria document.

The scored applications will then be presented to the Blue Charter Incubator Steering Committee for consideration and selection. The Secretariat may contact applicants during this stage with questions or requests for clarification arising from the assessment or Steering Committee review.

It is anticipated that 10–15 projects will be selected for funding by the Steering Committee. Applicants whose projects do not progress beyond this stage will be informed of the outcome.

4. Grant Agreements

The selected projects will be invited to enter into a grant agreement with the Commonwealth Secretariat. The agreement will set out the terms and conditions of the grant, including the agreed funding amount, disbursement schedule, reporting requirements and other applicable conditions.

5. Project Commencement

Following signature of the grant agreement, funds will be disbursed in accordance with the agreed schedule and the project can commence.

At the start of the project, the Commonwealth Secretariat will collect baseline information and provide the project with the relevant project and financial reporting templates and guidance to support monitoring, reporting and financial management throughout the grant period.

We aim to sign grant agreements with successful applicants by the end of Q2 2027.

Thank you

Thank you for taking the time to develop and submit your application. We look forward to hearing about your country-led ideas and initiatives to advance ocean action across the Commonwealth.
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 20% of survey complete.
Basic Information

Question Title

1. Project Title (Required.)

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2. Project Duration
Please state in months, and note that the duration cannot exceed 18 months. (Required.)

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3. Please provide your estimated project start and end date.
An estimate is sufficient at this stage. Please note that the project start date must be after Q3 2027. This will allow sufficient time to complete the grant selection process, sign grant agreements, undertake banking and due diligence checks, onboard grantees, and facilitate the first disbursements. (Required.)

Date
Date

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4. Which of the following Commonwealth regions does your project proposal cover? (Required.)

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5. Country Name(s)

Please list the name(s) of the Commonwealth country/countries that will be directly engaged in this project. Multiple-country or regional submissions are welcome, but in such case, the majority of countries must be Commonwealth Member Countries.
(Required.)

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6. If you have listed more than one country, please explain the rationale for taking a multi-country approach.

(Maximum 100 words)

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7. Lead Government Entity

The lead can be one legally established national or sub-national government entity of a Commonwealth member country, such as a government ministry, department, agency or other public body with formal government status.

Please provide the government entity's name and address.

Please note: Only one government entity can be designated as the lead. This entity will be responsible for signing the grant contract and receiving and managing the grant. (Required.)

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8. Lead Government Entity – Focal Point

Please provide the details of the government official who will serve as the focal point for this project. (Required.)

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9. Additional Government Contact Points

If applicable, please provide the name, position/title, and contact details (email and phone number) of up to three additional government officials who will be involved in or serve as contact points for this project.

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10. Will you have partners assisting with the project?

Any non-government organisation or entity involved in supporting or delivering the project is considered a partner. Partnerships where they can bring relevant expertise, capacity or resources to support project delivery are strongly encouraged.

Please list only partners that have confirmed their interest in participating in this project. Supporting evidence of the partnership will be required, such as a letter of intent, letter of support, MOU, or other written confirmation from the partner which can be attached in Section 5, 'Supporting Documents and Declarations'. (Required.)

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11. Partner Details – Partner #1

If you answered ‘Yes’ to the previous question, please provide details of up to three project partners, listed in order of their importance to the delivery of the project.

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12. Partner Details – Partner #2

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13. Partner Details – Partner #3

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14. Partner Role and Relevance

If you have identified partners for the project, please describe the role and contribution of each partner, including their relevant expertise, experience and track record. Please explain why each partner is well placed to deliver their proposed role and how their contribution will support the successful delivery of the project.

(Maximum 500 words)

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