The SKEP Coordination Unit: Ensuring Strategic and Effective Conservation Action in the Succulent Karoo Hotspot
Coordinate efforts in the Succulent Karoo Hotspot to ensure strategic and effective conservation activities in Succulent Karoo Ecosystem Program and CEPF geographic priority areas. Conduct core actions including building awareness, facilitating communication between enabling agencies, implementers, and partners, and supporting CEPF in project design and monitoring.

Supporting Innovation and Sustainable Financing of the SKEP Bioregional Program
Provide strategic and communications support to the Succulent Karoo Ecosystem Program (SKEP) Coordination Unit during its transition to the South African National Biodiversity Institute. Develop and fundraise for a small grants facility that will support projects linking poverty alleviation with conservation outcomes in the Northern and Western Cape provinces and develop an anchor project linking priority areas.

Environmental Education Program for The Succulent Karoo Hotspot in Namibia: Phase 1 - Program Development
Develop an innovative environmental education program in the Luderitz area of Namibia that aims to raise awareness and stimulate protection of the Succulent Karoo Hotspot within a sustainable living framework within the communities surrounding the Spergebiet.

Facilitating the Transition from Conservation Planning to Action: Providing Biodiversity Specialist Support to the SKEP Coordination Team
Build the capacity of the SKEP Coordination Unit to play an effective role, by providing relevant biodiversity training and access to specialist knowledge. Provide an advisory and review role in the SKEP Technical Working Group.

Raising Awareness and Building Local Capacity for Project Design and Implementation Linked to SKEP Conservation Targets
Incubate the SKEP Coordination Unit in a flexible and learning-focused environment to identify the best long-term structures and processes for supporting the implementation of the SKEP 20-year strategy. An emphasis will be placed on capacity-building of the local SKEP coordinators employed at the sub-regional level and of local stakeholders in the context of rolling out CEPF investment in the Succulent Karoo hotspot. The core function of the Coordination Unit will be to ensure that the design, implementation and evaluation of CEPF-funded projects are feasible and contribute to overall biodiversity conservation targets.

Facilitating the Transition from Conservation Planning to Action: Establishing SKEP Sub-regional Coordination Nodes
Create a capacitated Succulent Karoo Ecosystem Program (SKEP) project management unit and team of champions that will build awareness and facilitate communication between enabling agencies and implementers, and will catalyze action in CEPF priority corridors as part of the development of a long-term SKEP Program for Conservation and Sustainable Development of the Succulent Karoo Hotspot.