- INTRODUCTION
Tanzania Forest Fund (abbreviated as TaFF), is a Government Fund established under Sections 79 – 83 of the Forest Act (Cap. 323 R.E. 2002). The Fund is a mechanism to provide long-term, reliable and sustainable financial support to forest protection, conservation, management and development in the country. The Fund came into operation in July, 2010 and started awarding grants in July 2011. The Fund is under the the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and is governed by a Board of Trustees while day to day activities is done by the Fund Secretariat.
The functions of Tanzania Forest Fund are derived from its purpose and objects stipulated in Section 80 of the Forest Act [Cap. 323 R.E. 2002] as follows:
- To promote awareness of the importance of the protection, development and sustainable use of forest resources through public education and training;
- To promote and assist in the development of community forestry directed towards the conservation and protection of the forest resources of the country through the making of grants and providing advice and assistance to groups of persons wishing to form themselves into a group;
- To promote and fund research into forestry;
- To assist in enabling Tanzania to benefit from international initiatives and international funds directed towards the conservation and protection of biological diversity and the promotion of sustainable development of forest resources;
- To assist groups of persons and individuals to participate in any public debates and discussions on forestry and in particular to participate in processes connected with the making of an environmental impact assessment provided under section 18 of the Forest Act;
- To assist groups of persons and individuals to ensure compliance with the Forest Act; and
- To promote such other activities of a like nature to those set out in this section as will advance the purposes of the Forest Act.
Tanzania Forest Fund involves various stakeholders in its efforts to attain the objects and purposes for its establishment through awarding grants. The grants award is regulated by the Forest (Manner and Criteria for Awarding Grants) Regulations, 2021, and application for grants is through submission of proposals after announcing call of proposals. Through this call of proposals, eligible stakeholders are invited to submit proposals to request grants. Deadline for submission of proposals requesting small, medium and large grants is 31st March, 2024. As such, proposals requesting small, medium and large grants submitted after 31st March, 2024 will not be considered for grants award.
