FINANCIAL CHALLENGE FOR IABIN

Initiative 31 of the Santa Cruz Plan of Action calls for the Americas “to seek to establish” IABIN.  In the 3 years since the Plan of Action was signed, IABIN participants have been involved in a consultative process to define what IABIN shall be.  Federal governments of several countries, the Organization of American States, the World Bank, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and other sponsors have provided some funds to help inform our deliberations.

For mid- and long-term successful implementation of IABIN, however, it is generally agreed that a financial strategy needs to be developed.  That strategy should provide an on-going source of funding for IABIN activities.

A number of activities recognized as critical to IABIN require consistent, recurring funding.  Among these activities are:

·        The IABIN Hub and its personnel dedicated to network  implementation;

·        The continuing consultative process, both at the technical and policy levels;

·        Studies to inform our decisions;

·        Project “rescue,” where a small amount of money, artfully applied, could ensure the success of a multi-national IABIN effort.

Note that this list does not include IABIN projects themselves.  IABIN is not established to fund individual projects, but rather to help form collaborations and partnership among participants.  These partnerships will seek funding from sources appropriate to the content of the project.

The IABIN consultative process so far has suggested a number of possible components for a sustainable financial strategy, but none of these ideas has been examined or evaluated in detail.  Some possibilities mentioned are:

·        Contributions by participating governments;

·        Contributions by participating organizations;

·        Commercial sale of value-added services;

·        Commercial advertising;

·        Establishment of a foundation or NGO for fund-raising from all sectors. 

IABIN, as a regional biodiversity information network, is eligible to apply for funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF).  However, GEF funds support specific activities and are not a solution for the recurring base funding required for IABIN.

A proposal for $300K US in fiscal year 2000 funds from FEMCIDE was unsuccessful.  At this time, no proposals for baseline funding for IABIN are under consideration by any prospective donor. 

SUMMARY OF IABIN FUNDING

1997-1999