Objectives

• The overall objective of the UNDP Kenya Low value Grants Programme is to strengthen postflood recovery and resilience in the most affected counties in Kenya by empowering community-based organizations to lead locally driven recovery actions, restore livelihoods, rebuild critical services, and promote long-term disaster risk reduction in line with the Kenya Floods Recovery Needs Assessment (KF-RNA) 2024.
• Specific Objectives:
  • To support the restoration of livelihoods and food security through community led interventions in agriculture, livestock, and informal trade, particularly targeting vulnerable groups such as women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
  • To enhance access to essential services and infrastructure by supporting the rehabilitation of flood-damaged social infrastructure such as schools, health facilities, water supply systems, and sanitation facilities at the community level.
  • To strengthen community-based disaster preparedness and early warning systems through capacity building, awareness campaigns, and the establishment of localized risk reduction mechanisms.
  • To promote inclusive and gender-responsive recovery processes by ensuring the participation and protection of marginalized populations, including displaced persons, women, children, and persons with disabilities, in planning and implementation of recovery initiatives.

Thematic Areas of Intervention

• Strengthening Community Preparedness and Recovery Systems - Focuses on reinforcing local governance, contingency planning, and knowledge systems to ensure communities are equipped for future shocks.
• Restoration of Critical Infrastructure and Basic Services - Aims to rehabilitate and climate-proof essential infrastructure; roads, health, education, WASH—to support both recovery and future resilience.
• Livelihood and Economic Recovery for Resilience - Supports the recovery and diversification of livelihoods, promotes MSME revival, and enhances community adaptive capacities to economic and climate shocks.
• Risk-Informed Housing and Human Settlements - Targets the reconstruction of climate-resilient housing and promotion of sustainable, risk-aware urban and rural settlement planning and eco-system-based management.

Funding Information

• Proposals with budgets of up to USD 45,000 will be considered for the award.

Duration

• All activities financed by this Grants programme must be implemented by 30th April 2026.

Eligible Actions

• Examples of Eligible Actions Include:
  • Under Theme 1: Strengthening Community Preparedness and Recovery Systems 
    • Develop county-specific, community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM) frameworks.
    • Conduct participatory risk assessments and vulnerability mapping using digital tools.
    • Train CSOs and local leaders on risk governance, policy advocacy, and preparedness tools.
    • Establish mobile-based early warning and alert systems tailored to local contexts.
    • Facilitate local innovation hubs for community-led DRR solutions.
    • Develop and distribute localized, visual learning materials in native languages.
    • Document and integrate indigenous knowledge into county preparedness plans.
    • Create inclusive disaster response committees with meaningful participation from women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
  • Under Theme 2: Restoration of Critical Infrastructure and Basic Services 
    • Rehabilitate damaged roads, bridges, health centers, schools, and water points using climate-resilient design.
    • Install water treatment and solar-powered pumping systems, or rainwater harvesting systems to improve WASH services.
    • Strengthen public health systems for cholera and waterborne disease prevention and response.
    • Promote low-cost, flood-resistant sanitation technologies in rural and urban areas.
    • Support/re-establish resilient watershed management functions.
    • Restore/ support resilient land cover management and eco-system-based solutions through tree-planting, slope-stabilizing vegetation, and other nature-based solutions that enhance flood-resilience.
    • Halt or reverse land degradation and desertification and promote sustainable productive landscapes at community level.
  • Under Theme 3: Livelihood and Economic Recovery for Resilience 
    • Provide climate-smart agricultural inputs, tools, and extension services to affected farmers.
    • Support livestock restocking, veterinary services, and animal health outreach.
    • Facilitate access to microgrants or revolving funds for MSMEs to rebuild operations (e.g. in Solar, beekeeping, Food and food processing, Textiles, etc.).
    • Pilot index-based insurance schemes and promote digital financial services to increase economic resilience.
    • Catalyse finance from diverse sources for ecosystem-based approaches.
  • Under Theme 4: Risk-Informed Housing and Human Settlements 
    • Construct flood-resistant housing prototypes using durable, locally available materials.
    • Train youth and local artisans in climate-resilient building techniques and ecosystem-based management to restore/recovery flood-affected infrastructure.
    • Support the integration of informal settlements into urban resilience plans and support social cohesion between displaced and host communities.
    • Promote relocation from high-risk zones through participatory land-use planning and incentives.

Geographic Scope

• The targeted counties include Garissa, Tana River, Isiolo, Meru, Laikipia, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, Kiambu, Machakos, Makueni, Nairobi, Kajiado, Nakuru, Narok, Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Trans Nzoia, Bomet, Kisumu, Siaya, Busia, Homa Bay, Marsabit, Kitui, West Pokot and Mandera.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible applicants must meet the following criteria:
  • Be a legally registered civil society organization (CSO).
  • Be a grassroots organization, indigenous peoples’ organization, or community-based group engaged in disaster risk reduction or resilience work in Kenya.
  • Demonstrate experience implementing community-level interventions that apply multi-dimensional risk approaches.
  • Demonstrate capacity to manage community-level projects with accountability and transparency.
  • Be capable of complying with UNDP financial and reporting requirements.
  • Collaborate with county governments and local actors for alignment and sustainability.

For more information, visit UNDP.