Caribbean Blue-Economy Small Firms Get Final Grant Call
Fisheries, marine tourism, and waste management operators in three eastern Caribbean states can apply for US$5,000 to US$25,000 grants.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission has opened the third and final call for proposals under Window 1 of its Regional MSME Matching Grants Programme. Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in fisheries, marine tourism, and waste management can apply for grants of US$5,000 to US$25,000.
Why it matters
The programme is funded by the World Bank through the Unleashing the Blue Economy of the Caribbean (UBEC) Project, and it targets blue-economy sectors in the region. For small operators in these three countries, the final window represents the last scheduled opportunity under this round to secure matching funds for growth.
The grant range runs from US$5,000 to US$25,000 for businesses with no more than 50 employees and annual revenue of EC$1 million or less. Eligible firms must have operated for at least two years and hold a business bank account. The total funding pool and number of awards were not disclosed in the announcement.
The players
OECS Commission
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Commission is the regional secretariat that administers shared economic and development programmes for its member states.
World Bank
The World Bank is a multilateral development lender that finances infrastructure and economic development projects in developing countries, including this programme's funding.
The details
Eligible businesses apply under the third and final Window 1 call, which closes the current round of the Regional MSME Matching Grants Programme. The programme operates across Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, with grant amounts set between US$5,000 and US$25,000. Applicants must meet the operating history, headcount, revenue, and banking requirements before applying. Further details are available by email or through UBEC social media channels.
Timeline
October 30, 2026: Third and final Window 1 call for proposals launched by the OECS Commission.
Market Landscape
The call sits inside the World Bank-funded UBEC Project, which directs Caribbean blue-economy investment toward fisheries, marine tourism, and waste management. Grants at this scale position the programme as a targeted supplement for micro and small firms that often lack access to conventional bank financing.
Operators in fisheries, marine tourism, and waste management in the three eligible countries should check their headcount, revenue, operating history, and banking status against the criteria before the window closes. Firms that qualify should review the grant range and prepare matching-fund documentation with qualified accountants or advisers.
The takeaway
Blue-economy businesses that fit the size and history criteria should treat this as the final scheduled Window 1 opportunity under the programme. Firms should verify eligibility details and contact UBEC by email or social media for application specifics.
Further reading
For related business launches and wind-downs across markets, see Openings & Closings.
More information
Register for the virtual launch through the virtual launch registration link.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Gov.
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