Plastic waste poses a significant environmental challenge, particularly for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), where limited land space and fragile marine ecosystems increase vulnerability to pollution. In response, and in line with IUCN global mission to address plastic pollution, the Sustainable Small Grants Community-Based Action Programme has been established under the Closing the Caribbean Plastic Tap initiative. The programme is implemented by the IUCN Regional Office for Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean (ORMACC), with support from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI).
The Closing the Caribbean Plastic Tap initiative is a three-year regional programme that builds on the earlier Plastic Waste Free Islands (PWFI) project. It is being implemented across five Caribbean SIDS, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with a focus on reducing plastic waste leakage through practical, inclusive, and locally driven solutions that advance the transition toward a circular economy.
Within this broader framework, the Sustainable Small Grants Programme (SSGP) is designed to directly support local communities and entrepreneurs by funding innovative, practical, and scalable initiatives. The programme targets efforts that reduce plastic waste at the source while strengthening circular economy approaches across the same five Caribbean SIDS, with a strong emphasis on inclusivity and community-led action. Eligible applicants include micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, with particular attention to women- and youth-led initiatives.
