Restoration Returns Grant 2025 | $17,000 for Land Restoration
The fight against land degradation has never been more urgent. Across the globe, millions of hectares of land are being lost every year due to unsustainable practices, deforestation, and climate change. Yet, grassroots communities are rising to the challenge by developing innovative and sustainable ways to restore ecosystems, protect biodiversity, and create livelihoods.
In recognition of these efforts, the G20 Global Land Initiative has launched the Restoration Returns Grant 2025. This small grants program is designed to empower grassroots organizations working to restore degraded lands and strengthen community resilience.
With grants of up to USD 17,000, this funding opportunity provides not only financial support but also international visibility for impactful restoration projects. Applications are now open, with a deadline of September 15, 2025.
Why Land Restoration Matters
Land degradation is one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time. According to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), nearly 40% of the world’s land is degraded, directly affecting half of humanity. This crisis undermines food security, increases poverty, and accelerates biodiversity loss.
However, land restoration offers hope. Restoring degraded ecosystems leads to multiple benefits:
- Environmental Benefits: Improved soil health, increased biodiversity, and stronger ecosystems that can withstand climate shocks.
- Social Benefits: Communities gain access to better livelihoods, sustainable farming practices, and improved health outcomes.
- Economic Benefits: Restored land enhances productivity, creates jobs, and unlocks long-term economic growth.
The Restoration Returns Grant 2025 is built on the principle that small-scale community projects can deliver large-scale change when given the right resources and recognition.
What the Restoration Returns Grant 2025 Offers
The grant program provides funding of USD 17,000 per project to grassroots organizations around the world. This support is intended to fuel activities that make tangible differences in land restoration and sustainable development.
Eligible Project Areas
Applicants are encouraged to design projects that align with one or more of the following priorities:
1. Revitalizing Degraded Ecosystems
Projects that restore forests, wetlands, grasslands, or farmlands to improve biodiversity and ecological balance.
2. Strengthening Community Resilience
Initiatives that help communities adapt to environmental challenges such as droughts, floods, and soil erosion.
3. Sustainable Livelihoods Creation
Community-driven enterprises that generate economic opportunities through eco-friendly and sustainable land-use practices.
4. Long-Term Economic Benefits
Programs that demonstrate how responsible land management can yield financial returns for future generations.
Who Can Apply?
The Restoration Returns Grant 2025 is open to organizations of all sizes and from any country. Applicants can include:
- Community-Based Organizations (CBOs)
- Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
- Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)
- Youth and Women’s Groups
- Academic and Research Institutions
While applications are welcome from a global pool, special consideration will be given to civil society organizations accredited by the UNCCD. This accreditation ensures that organizations are recognized partners in the international fight against desertification and land degradation.
Why This Grant Is Unique
Unlike many funding opportunities, the Restoration Returns Grant goes beyond providing financial support. It offers:
- Global Recognition: Selected projects will be highlighted on international platforms, showcasing grassroots impact on a worldwide stage.
- Networking Opportunities: Grantees will gain access to a global network of practitioners, researchers, and policymakers.
- Visibility at COP17: The program will lead up to the UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (August 2026), where grantees may have the chance to present their work to global leaders.
This means that the Restoration Returns Grant is not just about funding—it’s about giving grassroots voices a platform at the highest levels of global decision-making.
Key Dates to Remember
- Application Deadline: September 15, 2025, at 23:59 GMT
- Announcement of Selected Grantees: Early 2026
- Showcasing at COP17 (Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia): August 2026
How to Apply
Applying for the Restoration Returns Grant 2025 is simple. Interested organizations should carefully review the eligibility criteria and prepare their proposals.
- Apply Online Here: Grant Application Form
- Full Accreditation Guidelines: UNCCD Accreditation Guidelines
Applicants are encouraged to clearly outline:
- The problem their project seeks to address
- The proposed solution and activities
- The expected environmental, social, and economic impacts
- How USD 17,000 will be utilized effectively
Why Grassroots Action Matters
Grassroots organizations are often the first responders to land degradation. They understand the realities on the ground, the challenges communities face, and the solutions that can work in their local contexts. By empowering these actors, the Restoration Returns Grant ensures that funding reaches those who can drive real, lasting change.
Examples of grassroots initiatives that could benefit from this funding include:
- Farmers restoring degraded farmland with agroforestry techniques.
- Women’s cooperatives planting drought-resistant crops to ensure food security.
- Youth-led projects turning abandoned lands into community gardens.
- Villages managing water resources to combat desertification.
Each small project contributes to the global movement for land restoration, helping to achieve the G20’s and UNCCD’s shared vision of a land degradation–neutral world.
Looking Ahead to COP17
One of the most exciting aspects of the Restoration Returns Grant 2025 is its connection to the upcoming COP17 of the UNCCD in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (August 2026).
Grantees will have the opportunity to present their work at this high-level conference, attended by world leaders, policymakers, and international organizations. This not only raises the profile of grassroots work but also ensures that local voices shape global policies on land and climate.
Conclusion
The Restoration Returns Grant 2025 is more than just funding—it’s a call to action for grassroots organizations across the globe to scale up their impact on land restoration. With grants of USD 17,000, international recognition, and opportunities to connect with global stakeholders, this program is a gateway to creating sustainable change.
If your organization is working to restore degraded land, build community resilience, and create sustainable livelihoods, this is your chance to secure support and showcase your efforts to the world.
🌍 Application Deadline: September 15, 2025, at 23:59 GMT
👉 Apply Now: https://grih.info/grant-application-form/
Together, through grassroots action and global collaboration, we can restore the world’s lands and secure a sustainable future.
