Sub-Granting as a Model for Conservation and Local Development in Albania and North Macedonia

From 2022 to 2025, the project “Sustainable Use of Natural Resources for Transboundary Socio-Economic Development”, funded by the Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT) and implemented by CNVP Foundation, demonstrated how sub-granting can work as an effective model for conservation and local development. In the protected areas and ecological corridors of Albania and North Macedonia, the project transformed relatively small grants into tangible actions by supporting local actors who know their landscapes, understand local needs, and are best placed to respond to them. Over the course of the project, around 80 sub-grants and local initiatives were supported across the two countries.

The experience gained in Albania and North Macedonia confirm that sub-granting is an effective mechanism for engaging local communities in conservation. It enables local responses to local challenges, strengthens capacity, and creates practical results that people can see in their landscapes and livelihoods. Beyond the project period, the value of this approach continues through the skills, partnerships, and confidence built among local actors. In this sense, the project did not merely fund activities; it helped establish a sustainable model for how conservation and local development can move forward together.

In Albania, CNVP worked with 52 local actors, while in North Macedonia 29 grants were awarded. The support reached a diverse group of beneficiaries, including local NGOs, farmers, small and medium-sized businesses, women’s and youth groups, schools, municipalities, mountaineering and speleological clubs, and other community-based organisations. This created a broad network of local partners working across protected areas and ecological corridors with a shared goal: to protect nature while improving local livelihoods.

Geographically distribution of sub-grantees in Albania

Geographically distribution of sub-grantees in North Macedonia

The sub-granting mechanism is designed to be practical and accessible. Instead of implementing all activities directly, the project channelled funding and technical support to local organisations and small operators through competitive calls. This enabled local actors to propose solutions rooted in their own realities and to respond swiftly and effectively to local challenges. In this way, sub-granting became more than just a financing tool. It became a means to engage communities directly in conservation and to build ownership over the results.

The supported grants covered a wide range of themes linked to both biodiversity and local development. In Albania, sub-grants facilitated awareness raising in communities, mapping of conservation hotspots, wildlife monitoring with camera traps, beekeeping, local product development, trail-related improvements, and cleaner heating options that help reduce pressure on forests. In North Macedonia, grants supported mountain tea cultivation in Mavrovo National Park, new facilities for processing non-timber forest products, Api-cosmetics in Shar Mountain National Park, improved hiking trails, visitor infrastructure, tourism promotion, and more energy-efficient solutions for local tourism businesses.

The results show why this approach works. Small grants, when combined with technical follow-up, enable local actors to test ideas, respond quickly to opportunities, and deliver visible changes on the ground. For many beneficiaries, the support was not only financial. It also provided structure, credibility, and a clear path from idea to implementation. Local groups were able to purchase equipment, organise field work, improve services, and create products and activities that otherwise might never have moved forward.

Community participation and inclusiveness in Grant-Supported Activities

Equally important, this approach helped build trust. By investing in local organisations, farmers, and small businesses, the project created stronger links between communities and the wider goals of protected area management. It showed that conservation is not only about restrictions. It can also create opportunities for income, innovation, and local pride. In this sense, sub-granting proved to be an effective way to connect conservation goals with the daily lives of people living in and around protected landscapes.

The human impact of this support is evident in numerous field examples. In North Macedonia, mountain tea cultivation helped protect an important native species while creating new value through certified organic production. In Shar Mountain, local beekeepers expanded into Api-cosmetics, combining honey and medicinal herbs to diversify their products and strengthen their income. In Albania, local actors used grant support to improve eco-tourism services, strengthen community awareness, and introduce practical solutions to reduce pressure on natural resources. These examples illustrate that even modest investments can help communities adapt, innovate, and build stronger links between nature protection and local well-being.

By: “CNVP”