TOFT PROJECT FUNDING & PARTNERSHIP

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This season (2007/8) Travel Operators for Tigers (TOFT) is seeking to take the campaign further with the aim of seeking specific projects or initiatives that can both enhance conservation efforts in buffer or corridor regions of protected areas and help community integration and enterprise within the tourism sector.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF LODGE PARTNERSHIPS?

TOFT does NOT aim to be a conventional NGO funder.

All project proposals put forward must have the support of, and be sustainable through, collective or individual lodge partnership and where necessary purchasing support. (I.e. There is a mutual benefit, financial or otherwise, to these partnership)

Furthermore each project can be started by initial TOFT funding, specific advice or help from TOFT members or TOFT marketing and membership support.

All lodge partners involved in such projects will gain the benefits of such relationships in terms of useful services or new experiences to offer their clients, but also count towards enhanced PUG rankings.

WHAT ARE THE PROJECT REQUIREMENTS?
All proposals must prove to have one or more of the following criteria:

a) Long term chance of being sustained through ongoing lodge or private enterprise use, support or product purchase (not through continued TOFT or other NGO funding)
b) Have an inherent ‘value’ in terms of local employment, training and enterprise opportunity to the village or greater community
c) Can directly or indirectly benefit long term conservation of the park through active park support, awareness and education
d) Offers tangible benefits or services to parks, TOFT members and tourism services, or communities without compromising the environment.

AMOUNT OF STARTER FUNDING?
Funding support can be considered from as small an amount as US$100 to larger amounts of up to US$5000 in the first year of funding from December 2007.

A total of US$10000 of TOFT funding has been set aside for projects starting in early 2008, and some consideration will be given to project from all six Tiger reserves within which TOFT works.

Funding is generally given as one off payments to project applicants at the start of the project and overseen and accountable to the TOFT representatives in each park and the new TOFT India Committee in Delhi.

WHO CAN APPLY?
Applications can be received from Park officials, TOFT representatives, individual TOFT lodge operators, or a collective of TOFT lodge operators where a real benefit to the lodge community can be realised from such a collective project or initiative.

Project proposals must be shown to have been considered carefully in terms of their:

a) effective benefit,
b) their ecological and social impact,
c) the ability and ways to sustain itself after initial funding,
d) their leadership responsibilities,
e) their legality
f) the agreement of all members to the proposal (i.e. the park officials, village head or….. or individuals proposing) as to its implementation and success.

WHO APPROVES THEM?
The process aims to be as simple and straight forward as possible and in two stages:

a) Initial short A4 emailed proposal. This is looked at by TOFT committee members and if cleared a fuller costed proposal needs to be sent. (on attached application form)
b) Second Round. The full proposal will be looked at by the members of the TOFT India committee and if agreed a date set for receiving the payment and starting the project.

EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS LIKELY TO BE CONSIDERED:

These are some examples of project proposals BUT are not an exhaustive list:

PARK SUPPORT PROPOSALS
• Park guide training and support programme
• Set up of a ‘Sponsor a Guard Post’ or ‘Chowkies’ programme.
• A park wildlife monitoring programme through Park Guides
• An improved livestock compensation scheme (that compliments or enhances local ones)

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP PROPOSALS
• Setting up of community vegetable garden to supply fresh fruit and vegetables to lodges
• Set up of local handicrafts and cooperatives to sell handicrafts to lodges/visitors
• Setting up of nature trails for visitors with training of local guides
• Building of suitable ‘Machan’s’ for visitors to watch wildlife or birdlife
• Refurbishment and upgrade of village homes for homestay visitors
• A reforestation projects with indigenous tree species
• Local environmental education programme

LODGE SUPPORT PROPOSALS
• Set up of a non compostable waste disposal service for lodges
• Local staff training programmes

LOCAL ENTERPRISE PROPOSALS
• Micro financing for locally owned small enterprises that service tourism (i.e. transport, guiding or other services)
• Purchase of bikes to start a bike rental enterprise for visitors

TOFT is always open to new ideas for project funding or support - so do send short introductory proposal to us on julian.matthews@toftigers.org

The TOFT Team

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