Voluntary Fund

In order to further facilitate the participation of indigenous and local communities in the work of the IGC, in October 2005 the Member States of WIPO set up a Voluntary Contribution Fund for Accredited Indigenous and Local Communities.

Only already accredited observers, which are representatives of local or indigenous communities, may apply for this funding. A separate, fast-track procedure has been in operation since the first session of the IGC in April 2001 for the accreditation of observers.

The text of the Member States' decision [DOC]/[PDF] to establish the Voluntary Fund sets out, in its Annex, the objectives, rules and functioning of the Fund.

In order to provide more information on how the Fund operates, an informal Voluntary Fund Q&A [DOC]/[PDF] has been drawn up by the WIPO Secretariat.

The extent of support that this Voluntary Fund can provide depends on the resources donated to it. Any potential donors are encouraged to contact the WIPO Secretariat at grtkf@wipo.int for further information. Even modest contributions will contribute to the success of the Fund.

Applications for funding related to a particular session of the IGC must be received by the WIPO Secretariat 60 days before the session which precedes the session for which funding is sought. Therefore, funding applications for the 15th session of the IGC must be received by the WIPO Secretariat 60 days before the commencement of the 14th session, the dates of which are not yet known.

Applicants are invited to complete an application form [DOC]/[PDF] and send it to the WIPO Secretariat:

• preferably by e-mail at grtkf@wipo.int, for signed and scanned forms only, or
• by mail or fax to:
  
  Traditional Knowledge Division
  World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
  34, chemin des Colombettes
  1211 Geneva 20
  Switzerland
  Fax +41-22-338-8120