The questions asked in this section of the full application allow us to understand the detail of your tree-growing project and its environmental impact. We compare the metrics outlined in this section with your historical work to see if the proposed project is attainable, but we also look at the proposed project's impact.
Projects will only be selected if they fall within our three target states: Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, or Maharashtra.
In this article, we highlight each of the questions we ask in this section of the full application, why we ask them, address any common concerns around each question and (where relevant) provide you with resources/examples to help answer the question.
There are multiple questions that applicants already answered in the Expression of Interest (EOI) stage. You will not be required to answer these again but you are encouraged to update your responses based on feedback that you received on your EOI. All of the questions from the EOI will be written in green below, in case you wish to review the guidance again.
If you have any further questions, you add them below as a comment or submit them here, and our support team will try to address them.
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- What are the objectives of your proposed project?
- In what state(s) will your project operate?
- In which district(s) and block(s) do you intend to operate?*
- Which land use systems will you restore?
- Which restoration practices will you use to restore land?
- Which detailed interventions will you use to restore land?
- What is your financing ask for this opportunity in INR?
- Indicate how would you use the funds if you are financed
- If you selected other, please explain
- Upload a detailed budget for this loan application
- Start date for active restoration work
- End date for active restoration work
- Key stages of project implementation
- Describe the theory of change
- Description of partner organizations
- Select Land tenure arrangement for project area
- Describe Land tenure system for project area
- Upload documentation for project area’s land tenure
- Will your project incorporate any government schemes, programs, or departments
- Describe any potential risks for your operations and any techniques to mitigate the effects
- How will you report on, monitor, and verify your project impact
- Indicate location of proposed project
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) incorporated in project
Q: What are the objectives of your proposed project?*
Why we ask this question:
We want to know how your project will impact the local community and ecosystem.
How do I describe my project's objectives? You are expected to describe the objective of your proposed restoration project in as clear detail as possible. Please provide details about your project's goals, how you intend to work with communities, how you intend to maintain and monitor your trees, and what your expected impact will be. The more detailed you are, using precise figures, the more accurately our team can review your application. If possible, also add envisaged challenges for your project along with mitigation strategies for these challenges.
Q: In what state(s) will your project operate?*
Why we ask this question:
For Harit Bharat Fund, we are only funding projects in the following states: Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, or Maharashtra.
What if my country is not part of Harit Bharat Fund target states? While this round of Harit Bharat Fund is focused on certain landscapes, we intend to open multiple funding opportunities and will inform the general public as they launch.
How do I know if I am working in an eligible location? Please review the following article to determine in you are eligible for this opportunity: Which States are Eligible for Investment?
Q: In which district(s) and block(s) do you intend to operate?*
What do we expect? Indicate the district(s) and block(s) where you intend to restore land. Be specific and comprehensive. This helps us determine the precise locations of your interventions, which we will use to build a comprehensive portfolio of projects across the three states.
Q: Which land use systems will you restore through this project?*
Why we ask this question:
In order to assess your financials, hectares and trees restored goals, we need to know the type of restoration you are planning to use to restore the land. We will use this information to understand the overall impact of your proposed project.
How do we define the eligible land use systems? To learn more about our definitions for land use systems, please review this article: A Guide to Target Land Use Systems & Restoration Practices
Detailed definitions of each land use can be found below:
- Agroforest: An agroforest is productive, managed land containing a mix of woody perennial species (trees, shrubs, bamboos) and agricultural crops in a way that improves the agricultural productivity and ecological function of a site. This category includes agroforestry for shade grown crops (cacao, coffee), as well as planting trees at a low density to allow for continued full-sun agriculture, also known as intercropping or row cropping. Please note that silvopasture is its own separate land use system.
- Open Natural Ecosystem: Open Natural Ecosystems mainly comprise naturally open and often treeless habitats, ranging from savannas and scrublands to grasslands, ravines and dunes. Grasslands are generally open and continuous, fairly flat areas of grass. They are often located between temperate forests at high latitudes and deserts at subtropical latitudes.
- Natural Forest: A natural forest ecosystem is a rural landscape where the majority of trees are native species and features biologically integrated communities of plants, animals and microbes, together with the local soils (substrates) and atmospheres (climates) with which they interact.
- Mangrove: A mangrove is a group of salt-tolerant trees and shrubs that live in a coastal intertidal zone.
- Peatland: Peatlands are terrestrial wetland ecosystems in which waterlogged conditions prevent plant material from fully decomposing.
- Riparian Area / Wetland: Wetlands are areas where the soil is covered with water or can be present near the ground throughout the year, including marshes, swamps, bogs, and fens. They support both terrestrial and aquatic species. Riparian ecosystems encompass a suite of ecosystem types, including river banks, floodplains, and wetlands, that are characterized primarily by being transitional zones between terrestrial and aquatic realms.
- Silvopasture: A silvopasture system is productive, managed land containing a mix of woody perennial species (trees, shrubs, bamboos) and animal forage or pasture land to improve the agricultural productivity and ecological function of a site for continued use as pasture.
- Urban Forest: An urban forest encompasses the trees and shrubs in an urban area, including trees in yards, along streets and utility corridors, in protected areas, and in watersheds. This includes individual trees, street trees, green spaces with trees, and even the associated vegetation and the soil beneath the trees.
- Woodlot / Plantation: A plantation is a forest predominantly composed of intensively managed trees that are established through planting and/or deliberate seeding, with the explicit goal of harvesting and processing those trees for wood once they reach maturity. A woodlot is a type of plantation, predominantly managed by a single landholder or a community, to supply wood for construction and fuel to the landholder or community.
- Other: Any land use system that is not included in the above typology.
Q: Which restoration practices will you use to restore land through this project?*
Why we ask this question:
In order to assess your financials, hectares and trees restored goals, we need to know the type of restoration you are planning to use to restore the land. We will use this information to understand the overall impact of your proposed project. Please indicate which core technique(s) you will use in this project.
How do we define the eligible restoration practices? Landscape restoration projects use a variety of techniques to restore land. Please indicate which core technique(s) you have used. To learn more about our definitions for restoration practices, please review this article: A Guide to Target Land Use Systems & Restoration Practices.
Detailed definitions can be found below:
- Tree Planting: Tree planting is defined as the planting of seedlings or saplings over an area to meet specific goals. This includes all planting, including areas with no forest canopy and in areas with partial canopy coverage.
- Assisted Natural Regeneration: Assisted natural regeneration is the exclusion of threats (i.e. grazing, fire, invasive plants) that prevent natural regrowth from seeds and roots already present in the soil or from natural seed dispersal from nearby trees. This does not include any tree planting.
- Direct Seeding: Direct seeding is the active dispersal of seeds (preferably ecologically diverse, native seed mixes) that accelerate natural regrowth, provided the area is protected from disturbances. It includes only active collection and dispersal of seeds and excludes any natural dispersal that would occur without human intervention. This does not include any tree planting.
Q: Please select which of the more detailed interventions your organization will use to restore land in this project*
Why we ask this question:
In order to assess your financials, hectares and trees restored goals, we need to know the type of restoration you are planning to use to restore the land. We will use this information to understand the overall impact of your proposed project.
How do I select the most relevant intervention types? Organizations that restore land understand their work in a variety of ways. Select all of the following categories that describe your past work. Please select the most relevant types from the list below:
- Farm Forestry
- Intercropping
- Agri-Horti-Forestry (Wadi)
- Mixed Species Plantation
- Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration
- Pastureland Development
- Grassland Restoration
- Trees on Bunds and Boundaries
- Bamboo Plantation
- Protection and Sustainable Harvesting of Forest Produce
- Value Chain Development for Non-Timber Forest Produce and Indigenous Crops
- Sustainable Agriculture/Food Forest Model
- Watershed Management
- Soil and Moisture Conservation
- Soil Carbon and Microbiome Management
- Removal/management of invasive species
Q: What is your financing ask for this opportunity?*
Why we ask this question:
We want to know how much funding you are seeking in order to assess if you are eligible for this opportunity. We will use the information you have provided about your historic financials in order to assess the viability of this potential partnership.
How should I calculate my financing ask? We recommend that companies do not request more than 60% of the previous year's revenue, and we encourage a lower percentage. This is because we want to ensure that Harit Bharat Fund enterprises can pay back their loans while maintaining sustainable growth. If your organization passes to the second application round, we will ask you to submit a detailed budget.
What currency should my financing ask be in? Please submit your request in INR.
Q: How would you use the funds listed above if you are financed?*
Why we ask this question:
It is important for our team to understand how the funds will be utilized and the overall scope of work in order to properly assess your financing ask.
What categories can I select from? You many select as many as apply from the following categories Working Capital, Team and New Hires, Marketing, Capital Investment, and Other.
If you selected other, please explain. Please explain what expenses outside of the above categories that you would expect in this investment..
Q: Please upload a detailed budget for this loan application*
Why we ask this question:
We require a detailed budget from organizations to ensure that they have a solid financial plan for executing their loan. The budget should clearly outline how the funding will be utilized to complete the proposed scope of work. By requesting this information, we can evaluate the feasibility and sustainability of the project, and ensure that the funding is being used efficiently.
What do we expect? To complete your loan application, you need to provide a detailed budget that outlines how you intend to use the funding. The budget should include all expenses associated with the project, broken down into tree growing expenses, working capital, team and new hires, marketing, capital investment, and other costs. Download the budget template provided, complete it with the required information, and upload it in the designated field. We only accept budgets submitted in the correct format, so please ensure you follow the template's instructions carefully.
Please thoroughly read our budget guidance article here. This is the most important section of your application. Please submit your budget in INR.
Q: When do you expect this project to begin actively restoring land in the intended states?*
Why we ask this question:
We ask this question to have a clear understanding of when the project will begin its on-the-ground work. This information is crucial for monitoring the project's progress, evaluating its success, and ensuring that it aligns with our funding goals and timelines.
What do we expect? To help us understand the timeline of your project, please indicate the date when you expect the first preparation activity to occur on one of the project’s restoration sites. This should include the first time that the land is actively improved by the project’s employees or volunteers.
We recommend selecting a date during the site preparation phase, after communities are mobilized and sites are selected but before planting or natural regeneration begins. For this opportunity, we expect this to be no earlier than April 2024.
Q: When do you expect the final restoration activity to occur in the context of this funding?*
Why we ask this question:
We ask for the date of the final restoration activity to understand the timeline of the project and to ensure that the proposed activities align with the project's goals. It's important for us to know when the last tree will be planted or the last natural regeneration area will be treated or the last restoration intervention will be undertaken, as this helps us track progress and measure the success of the project.
What do we expect? Please indicate the expected date of the final active restoration work on the site. For most projects, this is the day that the last tree will be planted. This date should not include the years in which only monitoring, maintenance, and evaluation are conducted. Note that all active restoration work must be completed by December 2025.
Q: What are the key stages of the project’s implementation?*
Why we ask this question:
We ask this question to help understand the timeline and milestones of your project. This information is important to ensure that the project is feasible, well-planned, and has a clear path to success. It also helps us understand how the project will be implemented and how resources will be allocated over time.
What do we expect? We would like you to describe in detail each of the stages of your project and when they will occur. These stages can include community mobilization, site preparation, planting, maintenance, and monitoring. Please provide the months and years in which each stage is expected to take place and describe, in detail, what you will do during each time period. It's important to note that we will not consider proposals that suggest additional land be brought under restoration or trees planted after December 2025. Providing this information will help us to evaluate your project and ensure it has a clear and achievable plan for implementation.
Q: Describe the theory of change of your project.
Why we ask this question:
A theory of change is a method that explains how a given intervention, or set of interventions, are expected to lead to a specific development change, drawing on a causal analysis based on available evidence. By asking this question, we wish to understand your organization is approaching the project design and implementation based on theory of change principles.
What do we expect? In outlining your theory of change, you can:
- Focus on the high-level change your project intends to catalyze.
- Identify what is needed for the desired development change to happen.
- Establish and make explicit the related key assumptions underpinning the theory of how change happens, and the major risks that may affect it.
- Identify partners and actors who will be most relevant for achieving each result, taking into account the related risks and assumptions.
You can also draw connections between activities and outcomes by outlining Inputs, Activities, Outputs, Outcomes and Impact.
Q: Which partner organizations do you intend to engage during this project.
Why we ask this question:
We ask this question to understand the network of organizations that you plan to engage with during the implementation of your project. This helps us evaluate the strength of your partnerships and the potential for collaboration and mutual support.
What do we expect? If your project is delivered in conjunction with an additional non-profit or for-profit project developer, a government agency, a technical partner, a university, or any other partner, list them all and explain each of their proposed roles. You are encouraged to submit letters of recommendation from each of these partners before submitting this application (this can be added as part of your additional documents. Please name the documents to reflect this). This will help us better understand how the proposed partnerships will contribute to the success of your project.
Q: Which of the following land tenure arrangements govern your project area?*
Why we ask this question:
Understanding the land tenure arrangements that govern the project area is crucial to ensure that the project is implemented in compliance with the relevant laws and regulations. It also helps us understand the potential risks and challenges associated with the project area.
What do we expect? Please indicate which of the following land tenure arrangements govern the proposed project area. This may include public lands, private lands, communal lands, leasehold lands, or any other applicable land tenure arrangements. If there are multiple types of land use or ownership systems in the project area, please select all that apply.
Below are the definitions of different land tenure arrangements:
- Private land is owned and managed by a private landowner or company.
- Government land (excluding lands under the control and management of the State Forest Departments) includes the land owned by the central, state, and local governments.
- Common land is typically governed by community tenure and community institutions. For example, this includes land with titles granted under Community Forest Resource Rights under Forest Rights Act 2006, village common lands, and so on.
- Forest land consists of recorded forest areas and is managed by the State Department accordingly. These lands typically have regulations on access and use and are managed for the purpose of conserving nature and natural resources.
- Other land is any land that does not fall under the categories mentioned above.
Q: How does the land tenure system operate in your project area?*
Why we ask this question:
We ask this question to understand the land tenure system in the proposed project area and how it operates. This information is crucial to ensuring that the project is implemented in a way that does not cause any harm or exacerbate any existing inequalities.
What do we expect? In this section, please provide a detailed description of the land tenure system operating in the proposed project area. The best descriptions will convey who is in charge of the land locally, how you have worked in these areas in the past, and how you plan to work in this area or in a new area. This should include any significant changes that have occurred within the past decade. Please outline who owns, leases, and uses the land, and any current disputes related to land ownership or use. It is additionally recommended that you detail how you will ensure that the project will not exacerbate any existing inequalities related to land tenure, and what measures will be put in place to mitigate any potential negative impact.
In addition, explain how you plan to select sites for restoration within the proposed project area, ensuring that there are no negative impacts on the land tenure system. Finally, describe how you will ensure that the project will not exacerbate any existing inequalities related to land tenure, and what measures will be put in place to mitigate any potential negative impact.
A critical element to consider when discussing land tenure is to mention the local history of disturbances, e.g., fires, floods. Explaining these disturbances and how your proposed project will take steps to prevent them will help your application stand out, regardless of if those expected hazards are naturally occurring or caused by human activity.
If you do not yet know where within an area you will be working, you should describe your approach to selecting project areas, establishing land tenure agreements, and limiting project risks.
Q: Please upload any documentation that explains the project area’s land tenure
Why we ask this question:
We ask this question to ensure that the proposed project area has a clear and well-defined land tenure system in place. By requesting documentation that outlines the land tenure arrangements, we can better understand the ownership, lease, and use of the land in the proposed project area. This information is crucial for ensuring that the project will not cause any conflicts or disputes related to land tenure.
What do we expect? If available, please upload any documentation that describes the land tenure arrangement in your project area and/or an example of a past agreement that you have signed. This can include information collected by your own organization, a government body, or an independent assessment. If you already have a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with any communities, the government, or traditional authorities within the proposed project area, you are highly encouraged to upload it. This is optional.
- Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): A document, signed between your organization and the local community, outlining an agreement to allocate land towards a project. This document does not have to pertain to this project. Historic documentation would be equally valuable to see.
- Government Easement: A document or documents, signed by a local government official, granting the right to work on public or protected lands. This document does not have to pertain to this project. Historic documentation would be equally valuable to see.
- Deed/Land Title: A document that lists your organization as the owners or managers of this land. If provided, this document should pertain to this project.
Q: Will your project work with any government schemes, programs, or departments to foster convergence with public funding?*
Why we ask this question:
Working on nature-based solutions within the broad domain of landscape restoration calls for roles played by multiple stakeholders including government departments. We ask this question to better understand the convergent areas of work between your organization and the government departments and scope of converging funds from specific schemes that may directly or indirectly be contributing to the organization’s work.
What do we expect? If relevant, please describe how you will work on fostering convergence with public schemes and funds in your landscape. Be specific about the schemes, programs and departments you will work with, in what capacity, and to what end. If possible, provide an estimate of how much convergence with public funding you will achieve in the next two years.
Q: What risks could your operations face, and how do you intend to reduce their likelihood and mitigate their effects?*
Why we ask this question:
We ask this question to understand the potential risks that could affect the success of your proposed project. This is important to ensure that your project is viable and can be implemented in a sustainable and responsible manner. By identifying the risks and mitigation strategies, we can work together to minimize the negative impacts on the environment and local communities.
What do we expect? We understand that restoration projects can face various environmental, social, and economic risks, and it's crucial to identify them and develop mitigation strategies. In your proposal, please describe the specific risks that your project could face, such as natural disasters, social unrest, or financial challenges.
Additionally, explain the measures you will take to reduce the likelihood of these risks, such as developing early warning systems, community engagement, or creating contingency plans. Lastly, describe any specific risk mitigation policies that your organization has in place.
Q: How would you report on, monitor, and verify the impact of your project?*
Why we ask this question:
It is important to have a clear plan to monitor and evaluate the impact of a project to ensure that it is achieving its intended goals and to make adjustments if necessary. Monitoring and reporting on project impact also allows us to understand the progress being made and can inform your own decision-making.
What do we expect? The purpose of this question is to understand how the applicant plans to report on, monitor, and verify the impact of their project. We ask for a detailed description of the monitoring and evaluation plan that outlines the specific metrics used to denote success, as well as the methods for gathering and assuring the quality of relevant data. This information is essential to ensuring that the proposed project achieves its intended impact and has long-term sustainability. Additionally, by identifying any necessary assistance needed to carry out the plan, we can better understand how to support the applicant in successfully implementing their project.
For more information about how Harit Bharat Fund monitors, reports on, and verifies the success of its projects, read this article.
Q: Indicate the location of your proposed project.*
Why we ask this question:
We require applicants to submit a geospatial polygon of their proposed restoration area to ensure that the location of the project is appropriate and complies with TerraMatch's eligibility criteria. Providing a geospatial polygon of the project area helps us to accurately evaluate the feasibility of the project, its location and assess the environmental impact.
What do we expect? TerraMatch requires applicants to indicate where they will restore the land. At this stage, you must submit the approximate location of your proposed project area. If your project is selected for funding, you would be required to precisely identify the locations of each of your restoration sites with a geospatial polygon. Do not submit the location of one of your past projects.
TerraMatch has several built-in ways for you to geospatially define your project area:
1. Create points representing the project location(s) using TerraMatch (Recommended)
2. Draw a boundary representing your project location(s) using TerraMatch (Recommended)
3. Upload a boundary file (shapefile) to TerraMatch (Advanced)
Please thoroughly read and review this article to understand how to submit accurate location data on TerraMatch.
Q: Which Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) would your project support?*
Why we ask this question:
We ask this question to determine how your proposed project aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a set of 17 global goals designed to be a "blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all." By identifying which SDGs your project will support, we can better understand the potential positive impact of your project.
Which SDG applies to my project? Please select the SDGs that your project will support from the list provided on the application form. It is important to carefully review each goal and its associated targets to determine which goals are relevant to your proposed project. We encourage applicants to consider how their project aligns with the overarching goals of the SDGs, including poverty reduction, environmental sustainability, and social equity. You can find more on the definition of each goal at https://sdgs.un.org/goals.
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