The Caribbean Development Bank's (CDB) Community Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (CDRRF) moved a step closer to approving projects from its first call for proposals on November 18, 2013, when its Project Technical Review Committee (PTRC) met to assess seven short listed project proposals. Earlier this year organisations from 13 of the CDB's 18 eligible member countries responded to the CDRRF's first call for proposals for grants to finance community-driven projects to reduce risks associated with natural disasters and climate change in the Region. After two application review stages, seven proposals from five countries were shortlisted for the PTRC review, which was held at the CDB. The proposals examined by the PTRC ranged from the retrofitting of shelters and homes for the disabled and the elderly in Dominica, to a hurricane shutter enterprise in Grenada, to an initiative to protect farmers in a Trinidad community and projects aimed at strengthening the resilience of agricultural communities in Jamaica. CDRRF Project Manager, Mr. Leslie Walling noted, "CDRRF is designed to provide direct and responsive support for projects addressing the disaster risk reduction and climate change resilience needs of our Region's communities." Mr. Walling explained that the PTRC review was stage three of the CDRRF project application approval process. He said, "The PTRC evaluated each proposal based on the degree of community participation and engagement reflected; its gender responsiveness; technical soundness of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation initiatives proposed and the project management and implementation capacity reflected. Proposals shortlisted by the Committee will be refined and advanced to stage four- the CDB's Loan Committee. The final stage of the process is project approval by the Project Steering Committee." The Technical Review Committee included specialists from the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre in Belize, the Caribbean Policy Development Centre in Barbados, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management in Trinidad and Tobago and the National Office of Disaster Services in Antigua, as well as from Canada's Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Development (DFATD) and the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID). The CDRRF is a multi-donor trust fund established with financing from DFATD, DFID and the CDB. Grants to be awarded to community projects under the CDRRF will range in value from USD 400,000 to USD 650,000. CAPTION: CDRRF's Technical Review Committee member, Team Leader (Ag), Environment Sector Specialist, Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD), Ms. Carmen Drouin (right), makes a point to fellow Committee members. (L-R) Ms. Rolene Guilland, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, CDRRF, CDB; Mr. Keith Nicholls, Senior Project Development Officer, Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre; and Ms. Anne Gaudet, First Secretary-Development, DFATD, Barbados.