Grant for projects in the field of plants and animals

The Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) supports projects aimed at improving food safety systems, as well as plant and animal health, in developing countries.

The goal is to increase access to international markets through compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary standards. It is implemented with the support of international organizations (WTO, FAO, WHO, the World Bank, and others).

Eligibility criteria

Eligible applicants include:

• public sector entities responsible for SPS policies and measures;
• private sector organizations (e.g. farmers’ groups, trade associations);
• non-governmental organizations with SPS-related expertise;
• STDF partners are also eligible to apply.

Collaboration between public and private sectors is encouraged to strengthen implementation and ensure sustainable impact.

Participation requirements

• Beneficiaries are required to provide an own contribution (financial or in-kind, such as staff time, facilities, vehicles, etc.).
• Projects must:

• • clearly define SPS-related problems;

  • explain their impact on access to regional or international markets;

  • provide evidence of impact on trade, including affected products and markets.

Funding is provided through two types of grants—preparatory grants (PPG) and project grants (PG)—aimed at building capacity in the area of trade-related sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements.

PPG — Project Preparation Grants

• Funding of up to USD 50,000 is available to support preparation of sound and sustainable projects.
• Supports:

  • SPS capacity evaluation,

  • feasibility studies,

  • development of project proposals.

• Resulting projects may receive further funding (including from STDF or other sources).
• Applicants are encouraged to engage additional donors during development and implementation.

PG — Project Grants

• Funding of up to USD 1,000,000 is available for project implementation.
• Aimed at improving:

  • food safety,

  • animal and plant health in line with international SPS requirements.

• Projects should address specific SPS-related trade challenges.
• Beneficiaries must provide their own contribution (financial or in-kind, e.g., staff time, facilities, equipment).
• The level of contribution depends on application criteria.

Support is provided to initiatives that:

• improve capacity in food safety;
• strengthen animal and plant health systems;
• enable compliance with international standards.

Projects are expected to:

• address barriers affecting exports or imports;
• implement practical solutions to enhance compliance;
• improve trade outcomes and expand participation in global markets.

The grant programme follows a structured roadmap:

• Submission of the project concept.
• Preparation and submission of the full application.
• Evaluation process.
• Committee decision on funding.
• Project implementation.

Key timeline milestones:

• Application deadline: 1 August 2026.
• Proposals will be reviewed by STDF in November 2026.

Applications for STDF grants should be submitted using the online form: https://standardsfacility.org/project/apply

• Concept note.
• Full project proposal.

Projects must comply with international SPS standards and STDF rules.