Small Grants for Big Impact
How can youth and women access GEF financing to advance global environmental benefits through agrifood systems?
Hybrid Event, 16/10/2026
A panel of experts from the GEF Secretariat, the Mastercard Foundation and various FAO offices, including the FAO GEF Small Grants Program (SGP) team and the Office of Youth and Women, will explore opportunities for youth to receive funding for environmental action through the GEF Small Grants Program. Young leaders will make their pitches trough a shark-tank to the experts, and receive their feedback and advise.
The panel will explain all you need to know on GEF eligibility, application modalities and selection processes, as well as training and support available from the World Food Forum (WFF) Global Youth Action Initiative.
Session Objective- Recognize young people as environmental leaders and connect youth-led initiatives with the GEF Secretariat, FAO and partners.
- Present how GEF's whole-of-society approach engages young people as key stakeholders, and what this means for the participation and financing of youth-led organizations in GEF programming.
- Increase awareness about the GEF Small Grants Program, showcasing the financial opportunities to youth organizations.
- Provide a platform for young leaders to present project concepts, connecting them with expert feedback and the support needed to move each idea forward.
Event details
📅 16 October | 09:00–10:30 CEST
đź“Ť Philippines Room, FAO HQ, Rome | Join in person or virtually
Agenda
- Opening remarks by Suze Percy Filippini, FAO Representative, FAO Zambia
- FAO and GEF overview by Jeffrey Griffin, GEF Coordinator, FAO
- GEF-9 and its empowerment of youth and women by Peter Umunay, Thematic Lead, Food Systems and Land Use - GEF Secretariat
- Expert panel: Investing in youth- and women-led environmental solutions with Peter Umunay, GEF Secretariat, Segenet Kelemu, Mastercard Foundation and Mohamed Fouad Bergigui, GEF SGP Programming Specialist, FAO
- Shark-tank style pitching session with young leaders
- Support to face the sharks by Valentina Poveda Perez, Youth Education Specialist, FAO
- Interactive Q and A between the audience, the sharks, and the keynote speakers