The primary focus of ICEF is to develop natural resources and improve environmental managerial capacity within government, non-government/community organizations, and with the private sector as the basis for addressing specific natural resource and environmental problems in water and energy sectors in India. Indian organizations/institutions working in the environment sector, both non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and government agencies, and in certain cases, private sector firms, may apply to ICEF for a grant to implement a sub-project consistent with the specific priorities and criteria set out by ICEF.

ICEF's mandate is to:

• Enhance the capacity of Indian private and public sector organizations to undertake environmentally sustainable development and management of land, water and energy resources.


• Provide support for programs that specifically address the inter-relationship between poverty and environmental degradation, especially as it affects women.


• Provide support for public awareness of environmental issues, community participation, and for community based management of land, water, and energy resources.

• ICEF has four 'capacity-building' objectives:
• Institutional Development: Establishing or strengthening environment-related institutions.


• Conservation and Restoration: Undertaking activities that redress environmental degradation with potential to be replicated.


• Policy and National Dialogue: Providing analysis and discussion that will have an impact on national and state policies and related practices.


• Technology Adoption: Adoption and dissemination of pollution abatement, energy conservation, and renewable energy technologies.

ICEF is particularly supportive of applications that demonstrate:

• Community participation in project implementation.


• Direct environmental benefits through physical improvements.


• A promising or innovative approach to an existing issue.


• An integrated resource management approach to the issue.

Project proposals are evaluated based on the following key criteria:

• Institutional qualifications and potential for capacity building;


• Direct contribution to sound environmental management;


• Social and cultural effects, with particular emphasis on the role of women in development;


• Technical feasibility;


• Economic and financial viability;


• Sustainability of the project activities and results.

ICEF does not fund:

• Infrastructure support projects involving major capital investments;


• Capital activities for which funds are available from commercial financial institutions;


• Recurring costs of an organization not directly related to the project;


• Projects not directly related to environmental management;


• Research projects that are not applied in the field to address practical problems.