Grant writer, Joeteshna (Joe) Zenos, is working with the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Climate Change Directorate (CCD) to transform project priorities from the National Adaptation Plan into fundable proposals for submission to global climate and environment funds.
As RMI’s National Designated Authority (NDA) to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the CCD ensures that GCF support aligns with national climate priorities and enhances country ownership. By coordinating across government, civil society and development partners, the NDA helps build inclusive pipelines of projects that channel resources where they are most needed, while strengthening local capacity to manage and sustain those investments.
The CCD requested support from the Climate Finance Capacity Support Programme (CFCSP) to provide the services of a Grant Writer to bolster the quality of RMI’s climate finance applications and strengthen government’s capacity to mobilise climate finance. As an atoll nation of 24 low-lying atolls and coral islands, ensuring that climate finance reaches grassroots communities on the frontline of the climate crisis in RMI is essential.
Joe was appointed to the role and recently met with the Marshall Islands Mayors Association (MIMA) in Majuro. MIMA links climate-vulnerable communities with national and international funding mechanisms and had made an application to the CCD to tap into GCF funding. The application highlighted a wide spectrum of urgent needs, spanning water security and drought resilience, climate-resilient infrastructure such as ports, seawalls and energy systems, sustainable food and livelihood systems (fisheries, agriculture, aquaculture, tourism), health and education services, and the restoration of fragile ecosystems, all aimed at safeguarding vulnerable atoll communities against the escalating impacts of climate change.
During the first meeting, Joe and the CCD worked with the mayors to collectively identify and prioritise an issue that was common to all atolls and would have the most impact on the communities. The mayors subsequently agreed to focus on food security and Joe was tasked with drafting an outline of related focus areas. They planned to reconvene the following week to workshop the Mayor-Led Food Security Packages.
Initially only a small number of mayors attended second meeting. However, as Joe began walking through the application outline – linking the actual objectives and focus areas – those in attendance messaged their fellow mayors and encouraged them to attend as they realised it was an opportunity for each mayor to provide input into the proposed project design.
Climate finance proposal decisions are often made at a national level, but by connecting the mayors into the design process, they were invested in ensuring it was fit-for-purpose for their communities.
One of the critical inputs from the mayors included a list of vegetables that were culturally acceptable to the communities. The mayors stressed the importance of planting climate-resilient breadfruit species rather than introducing vegetables like cabbage and spinach that are not part of traditional Marshallese diets. They also wanted traditional agroforestry practises, such as planting pandanus and ground crops, to be enhanced rather than encouraging a shift to new practices. The mayors also provided lessons from prior experience in livestock management that will be incorporated into the design of the project briefs.
Candid feedback on past project failures due to the absence of operational and maintenance capacity training was invaluable, and providing a forum through which the mayors could actively input into the project design will ensure more tailored, more relevant projects.
CCD Director, Clarence Samuel, also participated in the discussions with the mayors and was impressed with the consultation process and the level of engagement.
The mayors were clearly engaged and invested in the process. That was likely a combination of Joe’s experience and approach to suggesting alternative ideas while ensuring the mayors remained in the driving seat. The mayors recognised the opportunity to represent their communities and shape the project design so it was relevant and met the needs of their atoll communities.
A further positive outcome of the consultations was that the mayors asked Joe to develop a simple template that they could use to help shape project ideas and share with donors when the opportunity arose – a sign that the mayors welcomed and appreciated that having well-designed projects on-hand puts them in the driver’s seat and decreased reactive responses to donor funding opportunities.
RMI currently has 7 GCF projects underway. While some may view this as sufficient for a country of its size, the real issue is not the number of projects but how they are developed and how they meet the needs of the country. Project briefs led by national agencies and through bottom-up processes are far more likely to align with country priorities, strengthen ownership, and ensure that climate finance reaches the communities most in need.
While developing bankable concepts is a core task, the CFCSP, through the Grant Writer position, is supporting capacity development and coordination across government. This includes providing strategic advice on resource mobilisation, strengthening inter-agency collaboration, and training local staff in donor requirements and project development processes.
Together, these efforts not only generate stronger proposals but also build the institutional foundations needed for sustained access to climate finance. By coupling technical project design with skills transfer and systems strengthening, the CFCSP is helping to create a more resilient RMI that can manage climate finance effectively and ensure it reaches the communities most at risk.
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Feature image: CFCSP-supported Grant Writer, Joeteshna Zenos (far right), with members of the RMI Mayors Association.