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__Friday, February 28, 2025, 9:00AM - 5:00PM EAT, Nairobi, Kenya__

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Join Nairobi's public, private, and philanthropic actors for an in-person interactive and practice-driven training on blended finance. This intermediate-level session will combine insights from Convergence experts and blended finance practitioners in the field. This training is an opportunity for Convergence members and partners to gather to share insights and experiences and tackle difficult questions around innovative approaches to mobilize private capital for the Sustainable Development Goals.

Speaker details and agenda to follow.

This training is complimentary for members (one seat for Standard Membership, two seats for Market Builder Membership), USD 150 for additional member seats, and USD 250 for non-members. Please contact your relationship manager for more details or questions about your membership type.

*Registration is on a first come, first served basis and capacity is limited. We encourage registering early to reserve your seat.*

In-Person Convergence Blended Finance Training in Nairobi

Join us in Nairobi, Kenya for a full-day training combining insights from Convergence experts and blended finance practitioners in the field.

Blended Finance Training in London U.K.

Deal Connect

Join us for an informative webinar that will connect you to relevant blended finance investment opportunities in emerging markets. During this interactive session, Convergence members will share details about their investment opportunities that are listed on our live deals database. This is a great opportunity to explore new and unique transactions and learn from developments in the broader blended finance ecosystem. 

Whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting, this webinar is tailored to everyone interested in discovering promising new ventures in emerging markets.

Save the date: __February 19, 2024, from 9:00 -9:45 AM ET__. During the session, we will present two compelling deals from our live deals database:

__Total Impact Notes__ will provide debt capital to several high-impact funds addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the developing world. The cash flow from this pool of loans will fund debt service payments to the investors in the Notes, offering them a diversified, impact-first product with a fixed coupon payment and medium-term liquidity.

__Organic Development Finance (ODF)__ provides working capital financing to organic agricultural SME's in emerging countries to increase organic production and achieve sustainable impact for environment and people. ODF works closely with Buyer Partners (international traders) to support their suppliers with flexible working capital financing and expertise.

*This webinar series is exclusive to investors registered on the Convergence platform.*

Deal Connect: February 2025

Join us for an informative webinar that will connect you to relevant blended finance investment opportunities in emerging markets.

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__February 19-21, 2025, Cape Town, South Africa__

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Don’t miss [Africa's Green Economy Summit](https://wearevuka.com/green-economy/ages/) in Cape Town from February 19-21, 2025, where global capital meets African opportunities. This investor-focused event will spotlight key themes including green reforms, nature and biodiversity, climate finance, resilient cities, and green industrialization. 

Convergence is a supporting partner of the Summit.

Africa's Green Economy Summit

Don’t miss Africa's Green Economy Summit in Cape Town!

Member Networking in Singapore: Scaling Blended Finance in Asia for Climate Action

__Thursday, February 13, 2025 at 5:30pm – 8:00pm SGT__

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Convergence invites you to a networking event with members and partners in Singapore. The event will feature:
- Panel discussion on Scaling Blended Finance in Asia for Climate Action
- Networking Drinks
 

Jointly organized by Convergence and MUFG Bank, this event will bring together Convergence's members, partners, and other innovative finance stakeholders comprising impact investors, institutional investors, donor agencies, development banks, and sponsors of blended finance deals. It will be an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals engaged in blended finance, make new contacts, exchange ideas, and more.

Due to limited capacity, this is an invite-only event. If you are interested in attending, please reach out to: asia@convergence.finance

Scaling Blended Finance in Asia for Climate Action

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__Wednesday, February 5th, 6:30pm – 8pm CET__

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Convergence invites you to our member networking reception on the sidelines of the OECD Private Finance for Sustainable Development Conference in Paris. Chat with other Convergence members, including impact investors, institutional investors, donors, development banks, and sponsors of blended finance deals. Convergence will present the latest trends in blended finance, and members will have ample time to exchange ideas and discuss blended finance initiatives. Snacks and drinks will be served.

*You do not need to be registered for the OECD Conference to attend our reception. Registration is on a first come, first served basis, with a limit of 1 person per organization.*

Member Networking Reception in Paris

Join us for a member networking reception in Paris, France.

Inside the Deal: I&P Développement (IPDEV)

__Tuesday February 4, 2025, from 9AM-10AM ET__

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Explore the inner workings of real blended finance transactions through Convergence's "Inside the Deal" webinar series. Each quarter, we delve into a successful deal, inviting the deal sponsor and key stakeholders to offer candid insights on structuring these intricate transactions.

In our upcoming webinar, we will feature I&P Development Fund (IPDEV). IPDEV is the first evergreen sponsor fund dedicated to jumpstarting, developing and supporting pioneer African Funds Managers.

During the hour-long webinar, the I&P team will provide an overview of the fund's structure and their fundraising journey. We will also conduct in-depth interviews with key stakeholders involved in the fund, uncovering invaluable lessons learned along the way. The webinar will conclude with an open Q&A session.

*This webinar is open to Convergence members only.*


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__Monday, February 3, 2025, 9:30AM - 4:30PM GMT, London U.K.__

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As an intermediate-level programme, this full-day training will combine blended finance and mobilization data, case studies, insights from Convergence experts, notable speakers from major organizations, and technical experts in the field. Convergence members will participate in an inspiring, interactive, and practice-driven day of learning and knowledge sharing around blended finance as an approach to mobilize more private capital for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Agreement.

This training is complimentary for members (one seat for Standard Membership, two seats for Market Builder Membership), USD 500 for additional member seats, and USD 750 for non-members. Please contact your relationship manager for more details or questions on your membership type.

*Registration for this training is now closed. Please contact regina.rossmann@convergence.finance with any questions.*

In-Person Convergence Training for Blended Finance Practitioners in Europe

Join us in London U.K. for a full-day training combining blended finance and mobilization data, information and cases, insights from Convergence experts, notable speakers from major organizations, and technical experts in the field.

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__Info Session: Scale Private Investment Mobilization Standardization Project, Wednesday, January 15, 2025, 10:00AM ET__

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Convergence invites you to an Information Session and Member Consultation on the Scale Private Investment Mobilization Standardization Project.

The main objective of the project is to identify, in consultation with developing countries, developed countries, MDBs and DFIs, philanthropic foundations, and private sector investor groups, proven blended finance models that will lead to private investment mobilization at scale to low and middle-income countries to fund the SDGs. Once identified, the goal is to standardize and replicate these models and demonstrate how concessional funding can be awarded optimally to the best cases aligned to the models.

The 60-minute session will include a presentation on the project, gathering initial feedback from members. Your participation will help shape this transformative effort to mobilize private investment at scale.

Register now to join us.

Info Session: Scale Private Investment Mobilization Standardization Project

Join Convergence for an Information Session and Consultation on the Scale Private Investment Mobilization Standardization Project

Private Investment Mobilization Standardization Project

Member Training: How Foundations Blend

__Member Training: How Foundations Blend, January 9, 2025, 10:00AM ET__

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Following the release of Convergence's [Blending with Foundations Data Brief](https://www.convergence.finance/resource/blending-with-foundations/view), this member training will present on the major findings of our research and invite speakers from international foundations who are actively involved in blended finance.

The session will cover:
- How foundations engage in blended finance on both a concessional and commercial basis.
- What barriers and opportunities exist for foundations looking for catalytic investments using blended finance.
- How foundations are uniquely placed to support transactions across social sectors and current initiatives looking to increase capital flows from these capital providers.

__Member Training: How Foundations Blend, January 9, 2025, 10:00AM ET__

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Following the release of Convergence's [Blending with Foundations Data Brief](https://www.convergence.finance/resource/blending-with-foundations/view), this member training presented on the major findings of our research and invited speakers from international foundations who are actively involved in blended finance.

The session covered:
- How foundations engage in blended finance on both a concessional and commercial basis.
- What barriers and opportunities exist for foundations looking for catalytic investments using blended finance.
- How foundations are uniquely placed to support transactions across social sectors and current initiatives looking to increase capital flows from these capital providers.

Join us as we explore how foundations blend

How Philanthropic Organizations Blend

Convergence Member Networking in Mumbai: Scaling Blended Finance in India

__Thursday, December 12, 2024 at 4:00pm – 6:30pm IST__

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Convergence invites you to a networking event with members and partners in Mumbai, India. The event will feature:

- Keynote presentation of key findings from our [State of Blended Finance 2024: Climate Edition ](https://www.convergence.finance/resource/state-of-blended-finance-2024-climate-edition/view)with Asia and India lens
- Discussions on potential to scale blended finance in India
- Networking Drinks 
 

Jointly organised by Convergence and KOIS, this event will bring together Convergence's members, partners, and other innovative finance stakeholders comprising impact investors, institutional investors, donor agencies, development banks, and sponsors of blended finance deals. It will be an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals engaged in blended finance, make new contacts, exchange ideas, and more.

Due to limited capacity, this is an invite-only event. If you are interested in attending, please reach out to: asia@convergence.finance

Convergence invites you to a networking event with members and partners in Mumbai. 

Member Networking Mumbai: Scaling Blended Finance in India

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__Inside the Deal: Climate Investor 2, December 4, 2024, 9:00AM - 10:00AM ET__

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Explore the inner workings of real blended finance transactions through Convergence's "Inside the Deal" webinar series. Each quarter, we delve into a successful deal, inviting the deal sponsor and key stakeholders to offer candid insights on structuring these intricate transactions.

In our next webinar, we will feature Climate Fund Managers' Climate Investor 2 (CI2). CI2 is a blended finance facility delivering water, sanitation, and oceans infrastructure projects in emerging markets.

During this hour-long webinar, the Climate Fund Managers team will provide an overview of the facility’s structure and their fundraising journey. We will also conduct in-depth interviews with key stakeholders involved in the transaction, uncovering invaluable lessons learned along the way. The webinar will conclude with an open Q&A session.

*This webinar is open to Convergence members only.*

Inside the Deal: Climate Investor 2

Explore the inner workings of real blended finance transactions through Convergence's "Inside the Deal" webinar series. Each quarter, we delve into a successful deal, inviting the deal sponsor and key stakeholders to offer candid insights on structuring these intricate transactions.

In this webinar, we featured Climate Fund Managers' Climate Investor 2 (CI2). CI2 is a blended finance facility delivering water, sanitation, and oceans infrastructure projects in emerging markets.

During the hour-long webinar, the Climate Fund Managers team provided an overview of the facility’s structure and their fundraising journey. We also conducted in-depth interviews with key stakeholders involved in the transaction, uncovering invaluable lessons learned along the way. The webinar concluded with an open Q&A session.

Join us to learn about Climate Fund Manager’s Climate Investor 2 (CI2).

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__Wednesday, November 27, 2024, 4:00PM-5:00PM EAT__

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Blended finance has emerged as a key tool for mobilizing private capital to address development and climate challenges, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. As climate risks intensify, the need for sustainable investment in sectors like energy, agriculture, and financial services becomes more critical.

Convergence’s recently published [State of Blended Finance 2024: Climate Edition](https://www.convergence.finance/resource/state-of-blended-finance-2024-climate-edition/view) provides fresh insights into the state of blended finance globally, with a special focus on climate-related investments. The report highlights that Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 41% of climate-blended finance transactions, driven by the continent's investment opportunities and urgent climate needs. Despite significant progress, barriers such as perceived risks and relatively small transaction sizes continue to hinder private sector participation in the region.

Join us, alongside Africa's Green Economy Summit, for this webinar as we present key findings from the report, discuss the successes and challenges in mobilizing climate finance in Africa, and explore strategies to unlock more private capital with a climate lens.

The State of Blended Finance 2024 (Climate Edition): Spotlight on Africa

Join us, alongside Africa's Green Economy Summit, for this webinar exploring the State of Blended Finance 2024: Climate Edition, with specific focus on Africa.

The State of Blended Finance 2024 (Climate Edition): Africa

Convergence and Global Asia Insurance Partnership (GAIP) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote the role of the insurance sector in supporting climate-resilient health outcomes in developing countries through blended finance. 

In blended finance, risk-mitigating instruments such as insurance are crucial to adjusting the risk-return profile of transactions such that private investors can enter developing countries, however to date insurance sector participation in blended finance has been limited. 

This partnership aims to encourage the mobilization of insurers into blended structures addressing the climate and health risks faced by marginalized and vulnerable communities in developing countries. A key deliverable of this partnership will be a playbook for leveraging insurance and blended finance for climate action. In addition to the playbook, the partnership will support capacity building as well as knowledge dissemination on the critical role that the insurance sector can play in blended finance.

“The challenges posed by climate change require collaborative efforts with different stakeholders in the ecosystem,” said Ritesh Thakkar, Senior Advisor, Asia Pacific, at Convergence. “This partnership between Convergence and GAIP aims to outline how the insurance sector can more efficiently and effectively engage in blended finance, with the ultimate goal of mobilizing more private financing towards climate action in developing countries.”

"The insurance sector, with its expansive risk management expertise, is well placed to support resilience development, especially in the face of the challenges posed by climate change. Through this partnership, we aim to unlock the full potential of the sector in blended finance and the different ways in which the sector can support vulnerable communities, creating opportunities for growth and impact,” said Min Hung Cheng, Deputy CEO, GAIP. 

__About Global Asia Insurance Partnership (GAIP)__ 
GAIP is a tripartite partnership between the global insurance industry, regulators, policymakers, and academia. Our vision is to build a risk-resilient and sustainable world through insurance, closing protection gaps. We are dedicated to bridging Asia’s protection gaps with innovative, long-term solutions in insurance and risk resilience. Through in-depth research, policy development, and talent building, we collaborate across sectors to shape a more secure future for businesses, individuals, and governments across the region. 

__About Convergence__ 
[Convergence](http://www.convergence.finance/) is the global network for blended finance. We exist to increase private investment in emerging markets and developing economies to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Agreement. Our members include private investors looking to diversify their portfolios, businesses seeking capital, as well as public agencies and philanthropic foundations looking to make their funds go further. We offer this community exclusive access to original market intelligence and knowledge products (such as case studies, data analyses, and online and in-person training), networking events, and more. To accelerate advances in the field, Convergence also provides grants for the design of vehicles that could attract private capital to global development at scale.

Convergence and Global Asia Insurance Partnership (GAIP) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote the role of the insurance sector in supporting climate-resilient health outcomes in developing countries through blended finance. 

Convergence and GAIP sign MoU

Convergence and Global Asia Insurance Partnership (GAIP) announce partnership to advance the role of insurance in blended finance

UBS Optimus Foundation (UBS OF) is an independent philanthropic foundation associated with UBS, the world’s largest wealth manager. UBS OF uses a range of grant making and investment tools, and approaches such as blended finance and outcomes-based finance, to fund scalable, evidence-based approaches.

UBS OF’s approach is based on a recognition that in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) we need a combination of more financing and better results. To raise more financing, UBS OF follows a dual approach of engaging more UBS clients to donate philanthropically, while at the same time making use of investments, through blended finance structures, to engage more commercial capital into social and environmental development. To achieve better results, UBS OF has strongly engaged in promoting outcomes-based finance, which at its core is simply a shift to paying for results, rather than paying for action. This approach puts the emphasis and ownership on the partners implementing programs, giving them flexibility to innovate, change, and focus on continuous improvement.

We spoke to Dhun Davar, Global Head of Social Finance at UBS OF about how they engage in blended finance as a foundation, how they measure impact, their focus on outcomes-based finance, and much more.

__In your own words, can you tell me about UBS OF and how it engages in blended finance?__

By being closely associated with UBS AG, a major wealth and asset manager managing over USD 5 trillion in assets, UBS Optimus Foundation is in a unique position to draw commercial capital into social and environmental programs that otherwise would not receive funding. This is made possible by approaches such as blended finance and the unique collaboration opportunities with various parts of UBS. Why is that? Because many UBS clients are seeking exposure to impact, and while UBS already has a significant offering, UBS OF engagement expands this offering to further opportunities that would have previously been impossible. These opportunities are of interest to philanthropists that are supporting UBS Optimus Foundation and keen to leverage their impact -  while also offering UBS clients - investment opportunities that did not exist previously or that they would not have had access to.

__Can you describe one or two blended finance transactions that UBS OF has been involved in? In what capacity did the foundation participate?__

UBS OF started making impact investments in 2015 and we launched the first blended finance fund in 2022. Two examples are:

The SDG Outcomes Fund, which is a Luxembourg domiciled fund that invests in outcomes contracts (outcomes-based funding program). UBS OF provides 20% first-loss capital to unlock additional capital from investors in the fund, the UBS OF investment is in turn supported by donations from over 30 UBS clients.

Investors will receive returns linked directly to verified social and environmental outcomes. As the junior/philanthropic share class investor, the Foundation takes the highest risk and lowest return, but if the fund overperforms the foundation can even catch-up to the highest return share class. This is attractive for UBS OF as a fund like this builds on our successful track record in outcomes-based financing, but at the same time raises five times more capital than would have been possible if the Foundation had done it alone.

Other investors include the United States International Development Finance Corporation, British International Investment, as well as four family offices that are leading the private investment component. The fund is being managed by Bridges Outcomes Partnerships, who have a strong track record in outcomes-based finance in the UK, and who have partnered with UBS OF to apply this experience globally in lower and middle income countries. The fund focuses on education, employment, health and the environment.

Another example is the Future of Work fund (FWF), run by Chancen International, a fund that provides financing for students in the form of income share agreements. Given the early nature of this initiative, to date we’ve supported the FWF fund with a grant and with an investment. Student financing is an area we are doubling down on. With global demographic changes currently underway, a large part of the future youth and working age population will live in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Ensuring people in these regions are well educated and productive will be key for their personal growth and outcomes, the health of the communities they live in, as well as global prosperity.

__How do you measure the impact of your blended finance activities? What does that impact look like?__

We measure impact in blended finance transactions the same way we measure impact in any of the foundation’s other grants and investments. In 2023, we developed and rolled out our own industry-aligned impact rating tool that aims to assess programs against three impact categories: intentionality, additionality, and measurability. What we add or emphasize in blended transactions is the financial leverage and scale that the transaction can achieve. It is important to achieve scale, but also to leverage commercial capital, which is the main point for considering a blended finance transaction.

__What advice do you have for foundations who may be interested in entering the blended finance space?__

We see opportunities for corporate and philanthropic foundations to play a bigger role in de-risking blended finance transactions, catalyzing innovation and enterprise and achieving a much greater multiple in terms of scale than they would otherwise be able to do. Our advice would be to get experience and develop your team and knowledge on approaches, actors, and get access to opportunities. A great way to get started is partnering on a deal or transaction. Perhaps consider partnering with other experienced foundations as a route for engagement and building your capabilities. In short, get engaged!

__UBS OF has been a big supporter of outcomes-based finance transactions, especially in the education and health sectors. What have been some key learnings for supporting these transactions? What are you doing in order to scale up this approach and ensure that such transactions are more efficient/have larger deal sizes.__

The SDG Outcomes Fund is our answer to scale. It is the biggest investment fund in this space so far. In order to develop the market, we are working closely with stakeholders to continue shifting the social development and environmental space to focus on results.

The SDG Outcomes fund is also a way in which we are seeking to transition from investments with concessional capital to pure commercial investments. In early programs, UBS OF acted as the sole investor, however with the SDG Outcomes Fund, we’ve reduced this exposure to 20%, with an aim of such structures being fully funded by commercial investors in the long run.

At the same time, we are working with like-minded partners to build the market for outcomes-based finance by getting more programs into the design and scale stage. One of our key initiatives in this area is the Outcomes Accelerator, which we have launched together with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). The objective of the Outcomes Accelerator is to fund promising outcomes based programs to launch and scale. As part of this work, we support an annual conference of practitioners, the [Outcomes Finance Alliance](https://outcomesaccelerator.org/outcomes-finance-alliance/).

Finally, we work with partners such as FCDO, SECO, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the World Economic Forum, and others to advocate for better effectiveness in development funding, with outcomes-based financing being a key lever for this. Next year’s [4th International Finance for Development conference](https://financing.desa.un.org/ffd4), in Seville, Spain, is an opportunity for the global development community to consider how the use of outcomes-based financing, with its focus on better results can help unlock better outcomes in our mission to achieve the SDGs.

__UBS OF has recently become more active in the climate finance space, especially in sectors like nature-based solutions. What has been the motivation for this and what role do you expect to play in this space?__

UBS OF has traditionally been focused on children and young peope, and as it is universally recognized that climate and climate change have a disproportionate effect on children, this is an area that is naturally of interest and importance to us. At the same time, we see significant interest from philanthropists to focus on climate and environments issues and would like to play a role in connecting the dots between well meaning funders and strong project opportunities on the ground. We have decided to focus on nature-based solutions (NbS) in particular as we see these as more sustainable in the long run with emphasis beyond carbon on biodiversity and communities.

In our first work in this space we have partnered with Mana Impact to study best practices in Monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) in NbS and are now engaging with Terratai a “nature venture builder” that builds businesses to protect and restore some of Asia’s most at-risk land and seascapes.

As we engage more deeply we are now working on the design of a blended finance fund focused on carbon using NBS. We are developing this fund in collaboration with UBS Asset Management, with an aim of offering this to UBS clients globally.

__How do you see UBS OF’s blended finance activities evolving in the future?__

We're aiming to grow and scale the number of blended finance transactions in collaboration with UBS. Themes we are particularly interested in are employment and climate though we continue to build on healthcare and education as well. Drawing on our experience and track record we would also like to continue to innovate on the role of concessional funding and see if we can reduce the level needed in each transaction, because rather than volume it is the strategic use of this capital that is important.

Learn how UBS Optimus Foundation engages in blended finance, how they measure impact, their focus on outcomes-based finance, and more.

UBS Optimus Foundation Member Spotlight

UBS Optimus Foundation Member Spotlight with Dhun Davar

[The Sustainable Investing Research Initiative (SIRI)](https://siri.sipa.columbia.edu/) at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) and [Convergence](https://www.convergence.finance/), the global network for blended finance, announced their academic partnership to advance their mutual goals of enhancing blended finance research, practice, and impact.

The mitigation of climate change, biodiversity loss, poverty, and other grand societal challenges has historically been primarily financed through public funding and private philanthropic giving. Yet, a large financing gap remains, especially in the Global South. Hence, the question is: how can more private capital be crowded in to finance innovative solutions in climate tech, renewable energy, nature-based solutions, social inclusion, and others, especially in the Global South where capital is most needed? Blended finance—the use of public and philanthropic funding to crowd in private capital—is a potential way to finance a more sustainable world. While blended finance holds the promise of being catalytic in mobilizing vast amounts of private capital, advancing academic scholarship and knowledge-sharing, transparency, and capacity building are critical to achieving this goal.

The partnership between Convergence and SIRI aims to do precisely that. Building on their respective existing efforts, the SIRI-Convergence Partnership aims to foster academic research, advance data collection and transparency, provide knowledge-sharing and research-informed educational training and capacity building, and engage and cultivate a global consortium of blended finance academics, particularly from the Global South. This partnership pursues multiple objectives to advance their mutual goals of enhancing blended finance research, practice, and impact:

1. Fostering rigorous academic research on blended finance to advance academic knowledge and, importantly, providing a research-informed foundation for developing a robust learning agenda that will provide guidance for practice.  Moreover, SIRI and Convergence aim to create an ecosystem that supports the growth of scholarly research in blended finance, particularly with regard to the Global South. This includes the fostering of blended finance scholarship on the Global South as well as the fostering of blended finance scholars from the Global South.
2. Complementing existing efforts aimed at improving data collection, transparency, and knowledge-sharing in blended finance, and contributing to the broader ecosystem of data and knowledge.
3. Developing and offering certification programs to blended finance professionals and hereby support capacity building among professionals. These programs will incorporate insights from academic research as well as draw from best practice in blended finance.

Both [Nnamdi Igbokwe](https://www.convergence.finance/about/team/5jC79jvyo64BN1bsT2LA9k) Ph.D. (Director of Knowledge and Thought Leadership at Convergence) and [Caroline Flammer](http://www.columbia.edu/~cf2870/) Ph.D. (Founding Director of SIRI, A. Barton Hepburn Professor of Economics, and SIPA’s Vice Dean for Research and Faculty Affairs) are thrilled about this partnership and highlight its significance to both Convergence and SIRI. They look forward to jointly driving these efforts forward.

__About the Sustainable Investing Research Initiative (SIRI):__

The mission of the [Sustainable Investing Research Initiative (SIRI)](https://siri.sipa.columbia.edu/) at [Columbia SIPA](https://www.sipa.columbia.edu/) is to foster scholarship, education, and dialogue on system-level investing. SIRI’s activities focus on the development of better measures to track progress toward the mitigation of system-level challenges; the fostering of rigorous academic scholarship on system-level investing; improving dialogue by convening and hosting leaders from academia, policy, the public and private sector; the development of new courses and extracurricular activities to educate the next generation of leaders in policy, investment, and business; and executive education to educate the current generation of leaders. These pillars aim to complement, inform, and mutually reinforce each other.

Blended Finance is one of SIRI’s core focus areas. With the support of sponsors Mirova and SIMFO, SIRI recently announced the launch of a major research and programming initiative at SIPA that will help develop and scale up the global marketplace for blended finance and catalytic capital. To learn more, read the announcement [here](https://siri.sipa.columbia.edu/news/siri-announces-sponsorship-develop-and-scale-global-marketplace-blended-finance) and visit [SIRI’s Blended Finance Website](https://siri.sipa.columbia.edu/content/blended-finance).

![sipalogo](//images.ctfassets.net/4cgqlwde6qy0/fssVrBrsoneMmiK3UL2Ho/e2df7d3eb9bbb4645b19cd880860394a/sipalogo.png)

__About Convergence:__

[Convergence](http://www.convergence.finance/) is the global network for blended finance. We exist to increase private investment in emerging markets and developing economies to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Agreement.

Our members include private investors looking to diversify their portfolios, businesses seeking capital, as well as public agencies and philanthropic foundations looking to make their funds go further. We offer this community exclusive access to original market intelligence and knowledge products (such as case studies, data analyses, and online and in-person training), networking events, and more. To accelerate advances in the field, Convergence also provides grants for the design of vehicles that could attract private capital to global development at scale.

![convergencelogo](//images.ctfassets.net/4cgqlwde6qy0/64EdwpPhgPD8UM63zRKgEZ/166d44ce64804a81159384cac22db00f/convergencelogo.png)

The Sustainable Investing Research Initiative (SIRI) and Convergence, the global network for blended finance, announced their academic partnership to advance their mutual goals of enhancing blended finance research, practice, and impact.

SIRI & Convergence Announce Partnership

Columbia University’s Sustainable Investing Research Initiative (SIRI) and Convergence Announce Academic Partnership to Advance Blended Finance

*This article was originally published in [Alliance Magazine](https://www.alliancemagazine.org/blog/climate-blended-finance-is-surging-maintaining-momentum-will-be-critical/).*

First, the good news: [last year was a landmark year for climate blended finance, as our latest report shows](https://www.convergence.finance/resource/state-of-blended-finance-2024-climate-edition/view). The slowdown in 2022 that saw financing volumes fall to a ten-year low was defied.

Instead, financing flows into climate-focused blended transactions surged by 120% in 2023, reaching its highest ever annual total of $18.3 billion. Large-scale transactions also surged, with six deals exceeding $1 billion in size. 

The amount of donor capital entering blended finance (blended finance is the use of catalytic capital from public or philanthropic sources to increase private sector investment in sustainable development) has stayed constant year-on-year, indicating that the increase is coming from the private sector and commercial capital, who are primarily investing equity.

Indeed, while public sector spending continues to outpace private investment, private capital flows grew by almost 200% in 2023 to reach the highest annual aggregate total recorded by Convergence, at $6 billion.

__The rise of private equity in climate blended finance__

This growth was driven largely by increased financing from financial institutions and institutional investors, with the former investing more than $1 billion in 2023 alone. Financial institutions are increasingly tightening their lending criteria to align their portfolios with climate goals, which is expected to limit the availability of debt financing for fossil fuel projects, particularly in coal.

In the last three years, financial institutions invested $7.2 billion and $4.2 billion in renewable energy and energy efficiency/emissions reductions, respectively. 

Meanwhile, over the same period, 60% of all blended deals involving institutional investors have focused on climate initiatives. These investors have primarily committed capital to climate-focused funds, such as the [Emerging Market Climate Action Fund](https://emcaf.allianzgi.com/).

In 2023, financing from institutional investors rebounded sharply to $1 billion, following a significant decline in 2022 and several years of relative stagnation.

__Lack of clear taxonomy inhibits climate finance__

So, the market is finally getting smarter, more efficient, and bolder with how it uses limited amounts of catalytic capital. However, much more remains to be done. For example, the scalability of adaptation finance continues to lag mitigation, and private sector participation in these projects remains limited.

The lack of a clear taxonomy defining the parameters of climate adaptation remains a core challenge here. Adaptation and physical risk disclosures have not been widely integrated within robust regulatory bodies such as the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), for example.

Going forward, establishing a common taxonomy that can better identify and qualify adaptive technologies and companies will be critical. 

__The importance of technical assistance__

How climate transactions are being structured is also shifting. We’ve seen more guarantees and risk insurance in recent years, with the number of transactions benefitting from guarantees rising by 185% in 2023, driven by increased evidence of guarantees’ mobilisation potential and capital efficiencies. However, we’ve also seen a decline in the use of technical assistance (TA) – non-financial support.

TA is critical in bolstering the capacity of local stakeholders to identify, assess, and manage risks effectively, and in helping governments formulate climate-friendly policies and regulatory frameworks.  It must be deployed to help developing countries create comprehensive, time-bound investment roadmaps detailing the climate sectors where private investment will be supported and incentivised. These roadmaps should also address and reform any policy disincentives to investing in climate-aligned sectors.

__The hurdle of sovereign risk ratings in developing countries__

Blended finance’s existential challenge, however, is that the sovereign risk ratings of most developing countries are beyond the mandate and criteria of many investors (their median risk rating is “B-”, which is sub-investment grade).

For key financial institutions considering investments in riskier assets, like the kind supported by blended finance, the capital requirements and investment caps mandated by international regulators presents an immediate hurdle.

For climate investors, high variation in the quality and detail of different countries’ nationally determined contributions (NDCs) presents a further challenge, with information on how policymakers might implement them in practice often lacking.

Within national-level climate policy planning, then, fostering greater collaboration and understanding between governments, regulators, and the private sector becomes key to progressing blended finance and also climate action.

Last year was a landmark year for climate blended finance. The slowdown in 2022 that saw financing volumes fall to a ten-year low was defied as financing flows into climate-focused blended transactions surged by 120% in 2023.

Climate blended finance is surging, how can we keep momentum

Climate blended finance is surging, maintaining momentum will be critical 

*Figure 1: Annual deal count and aggregate financing of transactions with foundation investors and all transactions within the HDD, 2014-2023* 

Within the past decade, foundations have played an important role in blended finance. Since 2014, an average of 18% of blended transactions annually recorded in Convergence’s historical deals database (HDD) have included capital from at least one foundation. Given their ability to provide flexible capital, their focus on achieving impact, and their mission to catalyze big solutions to global challenges, foundations have the potential to play a larger role in blended finance. In the HDD, there are examples of how foundations can be grant providers, catalytic concessional investors, and commercial senior investors. This article provides a snapshot of our latest members only data brief on blending with foundations, including opportunities and challenges related to incorporating capital from foundations in blended finance transactions. 

*Click [here](https://www.convergence.finance/resource/blending-with-foundations/view) for the Blending with Foundations data brief (paywall).* 

## Data highlights from the brief: 
 
Overall, Convergence has recorded 236 blended finance transactions that include at least one foundation as an investor, totaling $24.2 billion in aggregate financing. 
 

## Two-thirds of foundation investment commitments are concessional 
 

When looking at all foundation investment commitments to blended finance transactions within the HDD, 66% are provided on concessional terms and 34% on commercial terms. This indicates that foundations are largely using financial tools within the blended finance structure as a means of mobilizing commercial investors. 

Within the pool of concessional capital provided by foundations, grants account for 38% of the financing, while return-seeking investment instruments, including equity, debt, and guarantees account for 62%. Commercial investments, like concessional investments, see higher financing levels for equity (61%). Equity investments may allow foundations to have more influence over the strategic direction of a project or company, ensuring their values and mission align closely with the investment’s outcomes. 

![Percent of concessional financing (left) and commercial financing (right) used by foundations in blended finance transactions by investment instrument ](//images.ctfassets.net/4cgqlwde6qy0/aQnQDRZpmmkgjES4xniki/a367706aca0b5e9396f8d70cd9b6ae0d/Screenshot_2024-12-18_at_9.29.34_AM.png)
*Figure 2: Percent of concessional financing (left) and commercial financing (right) used by foundations in blended finance transactions by investment instrument*

## Funds are more than twice as frequently used in transactions with foundations than without 
 

Funds are the preferred blended vehicle for foundations, accounting for 51% of all foundation-investor blended transactions. Funds are likely a popular vehicle choice because foundations lack the operational or regulatory flexibility to make numerous, smaller direct investments, such as through projects. Foundations may have fewer staff, or lower capacity for administrative overhead, and managing a direct investment into a project can be resource intensive. This is clearly shown within the HDD, as projects account for only 5% of transactions funded in part by foundations, compared to 34% of those that are not. Meanwhile, funds offer a centralized investment vehicle, simplifying monitoring and due diligence. 

![Transactions with foundation funding vs. those without by blended vehicle type ](//images.ctfassets.net/4cgqlwde6qy0/3aaZIfU5gjwvZmJyupro9X/75bbdcf44ad5c66dccdc7a69c79cc78c/Screenshot_2024-12-18_at_9.31.32_AM.png)
*Figure 3: Transactions with foundation funding vs. those without by blended vehicle type*

## Challenges and opportunities for using capital from foundations in blended finance transactions 
 

__To address the challenge of balancing mission and financial returns, increase impact-based investments within endowments__

Foundations must continuously balance their fiduciary responsibilities of ensuring sustainability within their operations and investing in mission-related transactions. In the United States of America (U.S.), regulations governing foundation investments, especially program related investments (PRIs) can make the legalities around return-seeking concessional investments difficult to navigate. While PRIs can enable blended finance, because they allow foundations to invest while focusing on both generating returns and higher levels of impact, there are also opportunities to align more of a foundation’s endowment with other impactful investments, rather than committing financing to commercial investments with no impact. 

__To address the challenge of structural complexity, create standardized models and build confidence in strategic investment methods__ 

For many foundations, blended finance creates a layer of complexity that is difficult to overcome. There are currently no standardized models that are easily replicable and that also show high levels of impact and appropriate returns. The creation and execution of standardized, replicable models can therefore reduce the overall load on small foundation investment teams and minimize transaction costs. It may also encourage using concessional capital through PRIs, which can draw in higher levels of private capital mobilization. Another means of reducing complexity is through becoming familiar with a particular investment strategy. For example, some focus mainly on using guarantees or concessional debt. 

__To address the challenge of smaller investment ticket sizes, focus on high-impact areas__ 

Foundations typically have smaller investment ticket sizes, which can lead to limited additionality within a blended finance transaction. Through focusing investments on high-impact areas with low private mobilization, such as education or healthcare, and seeking out specific challenges, foundations can have an outsized impact. They can also focus on providing early-stage capital and partnering with development finance institutions to tackle larger issues. 

Foundations have already shown their ability to play a catalytic role in blended finance transactions using flexible capital and impact-driven investment strategies. Through grants, catalytic concessional investments, and commercial investments, foundations have contributed to blended finance transactions in a myriad of ways throughout the past decade. While there are barriers that impact foundations’ ability to participate at even higher levels, these challenges also present opportunities. If given the proper tools, foundations can become an even more powerful force for blended finance.

How can foundations act as catalyzers in blended finance transactions? 

How foundations act as catalyzers in blended transactions

__By: Juliette Averseng, Associate Partner at KOIS, Charlotte Badenoch, Principal at KOIS, Clara Marköö, Senior Manager at KOIS__

*Network Voices is a series where Convergence amplifies blended finance opinions and activities from our network.*

In May 2024, the [UNHCR reported](https://hias.org/news/unhcr-number-displaced-worldwide-exceeds-120-million/) for the first time in history, more than 120 million people worldwide were displaced by conflict — a staggering 1.5% of the global population. This record number underscores an era of compounding crises, where protracted conflict, economic instability, and climate change drive millions from their homes, often leaving them in precarious conditions for decades. As these crises persist, the international community confronts a dual imperative: we must meet the urgent humanitarian needs of affected populations, while also creating pathways to long-term resilience and stability.

Traditional humanitarian aid models, while essential for immediate response, lack the scope and flexibility to address long-term needs in protracted crises.  Their focus on short-term relief and rigid funding structures often prevents the transition to sustainable, adaptive solutions that foster stability and self-reliance. The widening funding gap also highlights that public and philanthropic resources alone are insufficient. With the right incentives and standards in place, private investment can act as a crucial partner, not only by achieving scale, but also by driving innovation and delivering lasting impact – strengthening local economies, fostering self-reliance, and paving pathways to long-term stability.

However, fragile contexts pose significant challenges that deter traditional investment. Security threats, political volatility, legal uncertainties, and underdeveloped markets create a high-risk environment. Without effective mechanisms to manage these risks, traditional investors remain cautious, leaving fragile regions deprived of the capital essential to foster stability and resilience.

__The Potential of Blended Finance__

Blended finance realigns incentives by leveraging public and concessional funding to reduce risks and enhance returns for private investors. It also facilitates the creation of new revenue streams and innovative financing structures, enabling businesses in challenging contexts to access capital tailored to their specific needs.  Below, we illustrate three use cases that demonstrate how blended finance can solve some of the challenges that humanitarian and development players face in conflict-affected and fragile settings.

__Use Case #1: Investing in durable infrastructure__

In crisis contexts, emergency responses provide vital relief to affected populations, but as crises endure, what were meant to be temporary fixes often turn into expensive, long-term solutions. Typically operating on tight annual budget cycles, humanitarian organizations have a restricted ability to invest in the upfront capital required for durable infrastructure. They rely on stopgap measures (e.g. the transportation of water in trucks, running pumps on diesel generators) which not only incur high recurring costs and pose environmental challenges, but also jeopardize the continuity of services once the crisis ends and humanitarian organizations depart. 

The [WASH Blended Finance Facility](https://koisinvest.com/post/learnings-from-the-field-financing-climate-friendly-water-infrastructure-in-fragile-contexts/), designed by [KOIS](https://koisinvest.com/) and [UNICEF](https://www.unicef.org/) with support from [Proparco](https://www.proparco.fr/en), the [Conrad N. Hilton Foundation](https://www.hiltonfoundation.org/), and the [Global Financing Facility](https://www.globalfinancingfacility.org/) offers a solution to this problem. In this approach, investors finance a portfolio of long-term infrastructure projects, while donors provide guarantees to de-risk the investment. By enabling access to investment, the private sector takes over the provision of WASH services for NGO and UN off-takers, offering a more sustainable, affordable, and inclusive model owned by and providing jobs for local communities.

__Use case #2: Supporting longer-term development programming__

When transitioning from emergency assistance to long-term redevelopment of communities, efforts are directed towards service provision rebuilding as well as sustainable income generation for affected populations. Results-based financing has proven particularly effective to support longer-term development programming where public service is lacking and commercially viable models do not exist. This approach is also adapted to interventions deemed too risky due to the limited evidence on what works, complex causal relationship between activities and desired outcomes especially in unstable and rapidly evolving settings, as well as the time needed for results to materialize. 

The [Refugee Development Impact Bond (DIB)](https://www.refugeeimpactbond.org/) in Jordan structured by KOIS in collaboration with the [Near East Foundation](https://neareast.org/), the IKEA Foundation, the [Novo Nordisk Foundation](https://novonordiskfonden.dk/en/), [Norad](https://www.norad.no/en/), [Ferd](https://ferd.no/en/baerekraft/humanitarian-initiatives/), and US International Development Corporation ([DFC](https://www.dfc.gov/)) exemplifies an innovative approach to these challenges, with a results-based financing structure that shares risk across partners. The DIB directs funding toward Syrian refugees and members of their host communities to support them in the creation of home-based businesses. The DIB enables flexible resource allocation through multi-year funding provided as upfront financing by investors (e.g., impact investors, development finance institutions (DFIs), commercial investors), which is reimbursed with interest (i.e. 5.1% of maximum annualised rate of return in this case) by outcome payers (e.g. governments, foundations, development aid agencies) based on independently verified outcomes, such as enterprise creation and livelihoods improvement. This approach enables the service provider to adapt programming to changing conditions on the ground while ensuring accountability and maximizing impact. The Refugee DIB was supported by design funding from both Convergence and the IKEA Foundation to come to life. Design funding is a critical tool in the blended finance toolkit which supports innovative and complicated blended finance structures reach feasibility and proof of concept and plays a pivotal role in catalyzing more funding into these challenging settings.

__Use case #3: Supporting local businesses__

Another challenge that blended finance can address is the difficulty private businesses in fragile contexts face in accessing the capital they need to grow and scale. These businesses – particularly small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have significant potential to create jobs, enhance local services, innovate and drive long-term change by addressing humanitarian needs. Indeed, in fragile contexts where states are often absent or too weak to provide essential services, the role of the private sector becomes even more critical. The private sector can step in to fill the gaps left by underdeveloped or absent public service delivery, providing essential services such as healthcare, education, and access to clean water. 

However, investors face high real and perceived risks when considering these businesses, including macro risks such as economic volatility and weak regulatory environments, as well as operational risks like inadequate infrastructure, limited management capacity and lack of technical expertise within the businesses themselves. Blended impact investment funds, like the Refugee Investment Facility by [iGravity](https://www.igravity.net/) and the [Danish Refugee Council](https://drc.ngo/) and the [World Food Programme Innovation Bridge Fund](https://innovation.wfp.org/project/wfp-innovation-bridge), aim to address these challenges by using donor funded first-loss capital or guarantees alongside technical assistance. While the former de-risks investments by absorbing a portion of the financial risk, the latter enhances the operational capacity of SMEs, making them more investable. By improving both the financial and operational viability of businesses, blended finance funds can create conditions for investors to engage in markets they would otherwise avoid. 

__The Path Forward: Scaling Proven Models__

Blended finance can unlock significant investment in fragile contexts.  Blended finance has the potential to mobilize public and private capital in the world's most challenging environments. While several pioneering projects highlight the effectiveness of tailored, risk sharing models in driving impactful investments and supporting the emergence of the private sector in fragile contexts, these initiatives are only the beginning of what’s possible.

The critical next step is to transcend isolated success stories and focus on scaling these strategies to ensure they reach the communities most in need, and at a larger scale. Achieving this will require robust collaboration across public, private, and philanthropic sectors, as well as a concerted effort to unlock additional capital and strengthen local ownership to ensure solutions are both sustainable and contextually relevant. 

One such example is the [Refugee Humanitarian Development Peace Outcomes Fund](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/koisofficial_sdg16-stakeholders-refugeehdpoutcomesfund-activity-7265620053016911872-5QIC/) currently being designed by KOIS and Finance for Peace with the financial support of the SDG Impact Finance Initiative. The proposed USD$100 million Outcomes Fund aims to mobilize public and private capital at scale through innovative results-based financing to fund humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding projects as well as market-based organizations in displacement-affected areas in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Outcomes Fund builds on KOIS’s historical work in humanitarian and results-based financing, leveraging a larger scale vehicle to reduce transaction costs, centralize evidence and learnings, and facilitate a coordinated approach that both builds the enabling environment and provides the necessary financing for businesses in fragile contexts to thrive. It will also be used to test sustainable results-based financing models which go beyond grants and leverage more private capital.

Blended finance has the power to transform fragile contexts by unlocking capital, fostering collaboration, and driving sustainable solutions at scale; now, it is time to build on these successes, expanding proven models to reach more communities and creating lasting impact in the face of compounding global crises.


NETWORK VOICES: Blended Finance in Action - Unlocking Investment in Fragile Contexts	

Blended Finance in Action - Investment in Fragile Contexts	

As 2024 comes to a close, we’re excited to share Convergence’s most impactful content of the year – the reports, blogs, and op-eds that you engaged with the most in 2024!

## Top Report: State of Blended Finance 2024 
 

This year, for the first time, we released two State of Blended Finance reports. The first report released in April covered the overall blended finance market and the second, released in October, focused on [climate](https://www.convergence.finance/resource/state-of-blended-finance-2024-climate-edition/view). The April report provides analysis and insights on the entire blended finance market, including blended finance activity across sectors, regions, investors, investment structures, development impact generation, and more.

This report observed that financing totals bounced back to near pre-pandemic volumes, reaching a 5-year high of $15 billion in 2023. The report also saw a significant uptick in the cadence of blended finance over time, with an increase in the average number of annual blended finance transactions from 2021-2023 compared to the past decade. Additionally, the report explores some of the key regulatory roadblocks faced by large-scale commercial investors active in blended finance and delves into transparency in blended finance. 

[Read the report now.](https://www.convergence.finance/resource/state-of-blended-finance-2024/view)

## Top Data Brief: Blended Finance in Sub-Saharan Africa - SME Financing 
 
This Data Brief explored financing for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Sub-Saharan Africa .

SMEs play an important role in the economic development of the Sub-Saharan Africa region, however they face significant challenges accessing the financing needed to survive and grow. The brief shares insights from interviews conducted with industry stakeholders, exploring challenges for SMEs in Sub-Saharan Africa and opportunities for blended finance to support them. Convergence's Historical Deals Database (HDD) has captured 145 SME-focused transactions in Sub-Saharan Africa, totalling $11 billion. This represents just over 27% of the total number of Sub-Saharan Africa deals in the HDD, but only 14% of aggregate financing. 

[Read the data brief now.](https://bit.ly/4cNTFB9)

## Top Op-ed: Three Africa-led blended finance models mobilizing billions for development 
 
In this op-ed, our Director of Engagement and Capacity Building and Head of AfricaAakif Merchant explores financial innovation in Africa. The piece highlights three first-of-their-kind approaches to blended finance by African development finance institutions and multilateral development banks.
 
 

[Read the op-ed now.](https://www.convergence.finance/news/650ojm9Ikyj9yZM8ILWtvp/view)

## Top blog: Developments on the blended finance ecosystem: Green Guarantee Company 
 
Following the launch of the world's first climate-focused guarantee company, the Green Guarantee Company (GGC), our Managing Director Chris Clubb wrote a blog on what this could mean for the blended finance ecosystem and why he is paying attention.

The GGC will issue guarantees to credit enhance debt to climate mitigation and climate adaptation borrowers/projects undertaken in developing countries, making the Paris Agreement and SDGs investible in those countries for many prospective investors and mobilizing investors to climate impact investment.

[Read the blog now.](https://bit.ly/3SMITSX)

Convergence's top articles and publications for 2024

As climate challenges escalate, the importance of financing for climate adaptation is undeniable. As noted at the recently adjourned [COP29](https://unfccc.int/cop29/updates-archive), over 3.4 billion people live in regions that are highly vulnerable to climate change, threatening livelihoods and natural resources. However, adaptation efforts remain significantly underfunded worldwide. According to the [State of Blended Finance 2024: Climate Edition](https://www.convergence.finance/resource/state-of-blended-finance-2024-climate-edition/view), climate focused blended finance transactions make up half of all recorded deals, yet only 16% of all climate blended finance deals exclusively target adaptation.

At the same time, women often bear the brunt of climate-related disruptions in sectors such as agriculture, health, and water management. As we work towards climate resilience, it is critical to recognize the impact of climate change on women and girls, particularly in vulnerable regions. However, currently only [30% of the adaptation focused deals](https://www.convergence.finance/resource/blended-finance-and-the-gender-energy-nexus-a-stocktaking-report/view) in our database integrate gender considerations.

We believe that with the right financing models these challenges can be transformed into powerful opportunities for women, positioning them as both beneficiaries and agents of climate adaptation. Blended finance has emerged as a transformative tool in the climate finance space, driving investments into high-impact areas that traditionally face challenges in attracting private sector investment. When gender focused strategies are embedded in climate blended finance the benefits can be exponential, amplifying resilience and empowering communities.

Through Convergence’s design funding and market acceleration programs, we aim to support innovative blended finance vehicles that will help build a more resilient, inclusive financial landscape that recognizes gender equity as essential to climate adaptation.

Two grantees from the Global Affairs Canada (GAC) supported [Gender-Responsive Climate Finance Window](https://www.convergence.finance/design-funding/open-window/gender-responsive-climate-finance-window) (GRCF), Big Valley Advisors GmbH (Big Valley) and Villgro Innovations Foundation (Villgro), stand out as innovative leaders. Their unique approaches demonstrate how gender-sensitive climate adaptation projects can be structured to create lasting social and environmental impact.

__Big Valley: Strengthening Women’s role in Agriculture through Strategic Technical Assistance__

Big Valley, in collaboration with Puro.earth and CGIAR, is developing the [Ag360 Climate Fund](https://www.convergence.finance/design-funding/grant-portfolio/4bxjecjGF1Zn32Cl7wjOel/view), a $150 million blended finance vehicle designed to support circular bioeconomy solutions in the Global South. The Fund intends to build climate change resilience on over 60,000 hectares of land, by providing patient loans to scalable projects in smallholder intensive agriculture value chains, focused on valorizing agriculture waste (notably through biochar production), funding soil health improvements, decarbonizing value chains, and supporting conservation agriculture.

What makes Big Valley’s approach particularly compelling is its gender-smart strategy. Women play a central role in many of the agricultural value chains the Fund supports, from regenerative farming to waste repurposing. By investing in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that empower women, the Fund will not only protect women from the impacts of climate change but position them to benefit economically. The Fund will offer KPI-linked loans to companies targeting circularity and gender-responsiveness. A dedicated technical assistance facility (TAF) will pilot biochar projects in pioneering SMEs and cooperatives to increase the equitable adoption of regenerative practices. Through partnerships with local consultants and CGIAR, the TAF will help establish measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems for agrifood SMEs, enabling them to track the transition to gender-based targets. By investing in agrifood businesses with women at the center—as leaders, entrepreneurs, and suppliers—the Fund will provide the necessary capital, tools, capacity, and resources to unlock the full potential of this innovative approach.

With grant funding support from the GRCF window, Big Valley is finalizing the structure of the Ag360 Climate Fund, developing a comprehensive gender strategy, a detailed gender action plan, and a robust TAF. To enhance financial resilience, the Fund will provide a cushion of at least 25% for senior investors, such as food corporations and large commodity traders, participating in the capital structure. Additionally, Big Valley has been selected to participate in the [2024 ICFA Cohort](https://www.icfa.lu/cohort/big-valley-gmbh/), further strengthening their position as a leader in gender-smart climate finance.

__Villgro: Scaling Climate-Responsive Social Enterprises for Women through Guarantees__

Villgro’s [Inclusive Climate Action Scaleup Facility](https://www.convergence.finance/design-funding/grant-portfolio/5Wq9XgwEb4H5sZhhAsepeW/view) uses blended finance to address the financing gap faced by gender-inclusive climate technology social enterprises in India. By providing credit guarantees to local financial institutions, Villgro unlocks critical domestic financing for gender-smart climate-resilient enterprises. The Facility focuses on enterprises across the agriculture, climate action, and health sectors that have the potential to generate green jobs, sustainable income streams for underserved communities, and improved health outcomes for women.The Facility is specifically designed to empower these enterprises by helping to scale their innovations and enable adoption among underserved populations in hard-to-reach markets, thereby improving both market access and financing.

The Facility will incorporate a gender lens into its selection criteria at both the enterprise and end-customer level, measuring impact on women's economic empowerment through increased income levels, access to credit, capacity building, and decision making within enterprises. Villgro recognizes that women are not a homogenous group and their needs may vary across geography, segment, and socio-economic status. They aim to customize their financial products with flexible loan structures, repayment terms, and financial literacy programs tailored to women's preferences and constraints. Risk mitigation measures, such as guarantees, will substitute for the lack of collateral from women borrowers and innovation focused enterprises. As such, blended finance plays a critical role in reducing both real and perceived risks, making these investments more appealing, particularly for private sector investors.

In this way, the Facility directly contributes to women’s financial independence by enhancing skills, helping women move up the value chain, and creating pathways for asset ownership. Villgro takes a bottom-up approach that prioritizes grassroot level community engagement and  actively involves women in decision making processes. Research conducted by Villgro has found that involving women as demonstration and sales champions enhances community engagement and acceptance, especially among women customers who feel more secure and comfortable, ultimately leading to greater customer satisfaction and impact.

Villgro is developing an impact framework, end-user repayment model, detailed gender action plan and finalizing the structure of the facility with grant funding support from Convergence. Villgro will continue to partner with local enterprises and service providers to collectively discuss various solutions, enhancing the facility’s effectiveness as a robust, gender-responsive blended finance structure for impactful decision making in climate adaptation.

__Turning Challenges into Opportunities__

Big Valley and Villgro showcase how blended finance can transform climate challenges into empowering opportunities for women, creating a blueprint for other practitioners in the ecosystem. As the world continues to grapple with the dual crises of climate change and gender inequality, solutions like these provide a practical way forward. They show us that with the right tools and strategies, we can build a future where resilience is inclusive and where women have the resources and opportunities to thrive, even in the face of climate adversity.

By funding and supporting early-stage initiatives, Convergence is actively shaping a sector that acknowledges the critical role of women in climate resilience. Convergence’s support includes not only financial assistance but also technical guidance, helping grantees identify the resources and expertise to integrate gender and climate goals effectively. This knowledge sharing ensures that funded projects under the GRCF window set a benchmark and high standard for workable gender-responsive climate adaptation financing solutions, creating a pipeline of investable solutions for emerging climate finance investors.

Transforming Climate Adaptation Challenges into Gender Opportunities through Blended Finance

Climate Adaptation and Gender in Blended Finance

*San Francisco* – November 25, 2024 – The Catalytic Climate Finance Facility (CC Facility), a partnership between [Climate Policy Initiative (CPI)](https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/) and [Convergence](https://www.convergence.finance/), announced its second cohort of market-ready blended finance vehicles today. The CC Facility will grant the selected five grantees USD 2 million to test, structure, launch, and expand solutions. 

These vehicles offer diverse climate finance solutions across various regions, including Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. They support a range of climate initiatives, such as climate-resilient agriculture, marine conservation, biodiversity, climate adaptation, and renewable energy, through blended finance solutions including debt, project finance platforms, and venture capital.

“The new CC Facility class is a direct response to the urgency for climate action. The need to mobilize trillions of dollars annually, particularly in high-risk emerging markets, is paramount. By focusing on critical areas like unlocking private capital, de-risking investments, and scaling climate finance, we are aligning our efforts with the global community's ambition,” said __Barbara Buchner, CPI’s Global Managing Director__. “The CC Facility is poised to address this challenge head-on.”

The selected vehicles have undergone a rigorous selection process, emerging from a pool of 243 submissions. Grantees will also receive customized technical assistance over 12 to 18 months to help accelerate the market roll-out of their blended climate finance solutions. 

“The CC Facility portfolio of financial vehicles, spanning climate-resilient agriculture, marine conservation, and renewable energy, is a testament to our commitment to steer the field of blended finance toward solving climate and development goals,” said __Convergence CEO Joan Larrea__. “The CC Facility is a systemic approach to catalyzing private sector investment in a sustainable future. We are proud to be at the forefront of the global climate finance movement.”

With funding from three anchor donors—Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Global Affairs Canada, and Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade—the CC Facility targets one of the main barriers to scaling a climate blended finance vehicle: the acceleration stage, when solutions face a critical valley of death as they try to scale to broader market implementation. Following the selection of this first class of blended finance vehicles, the CC Facility will open for its next cycle of applications on March 10, 2025.

“Canada congratulates the five grantees and looks forward to the launch of these blended finance vehicles that will support solar and hydro projects in fragile African states, as well as biodiversity, food security, and smallholder farmer livelihoods across Africa and Southeast Asia. Thanks to the partnership and expertise of Convergence and Climate Policy Initiative, the selection of these grantees is a testament to the catalytic potential of the private sector to deliver meaningful climate results,” said __Cam Do, Director General of Development Finance, Global Affairs Canada__.

__Introducing the Vehicles__ 

__[ADAPTA Climate Finance Facility (ACF)](https://www.ccfacility.org/portfolio/adapta-climate-finance-facility)__ will be a USD 50 million debt facility aimed at transforming agricultural finance and food security in Sub-Saharan Africa. By leveraging proprietary climate risk assessment technology, ACF aims to de-risk lending to smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa while promoting regenerative agricultural practices. The facility aims to enhance food security and farmer incomes while building regional climate resilience, beginning in Kenya.

__[Biodiversity Bridge Vehicle (BBV)](https://www.ccfacility.org/portfolio/biodiversity-bridge-vehicle)__ is envisioned to be a USD 100 million project finance platform that generates carbon and biodiversity credits through mixed-species reforestation projects. The vehicle will build on Ponterra’s approach to developing and operating biodiverse carbon projects by monetizing biodiversity uplift alongside carbon sequestration, thereby enhancing the affordability and feasibility of implementing high-integrity nature restoration projects.

__[Blue Alliance Blended Finance Vehicle](https://www.ccfacility.org/portfolio/blue-alliance-blended-finance-vehicle)__ is a USD 65 million blended facility that will support 2 million ha of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) across Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. The facility will enhance MPAs operations and develop reef-positive businesses in the Blue Economy that will alleviate poverty and generate long-term income for MPAs in sectors such as community-based aquaculture, ecotourism, sustainable fisheries, and blue carbon projects.

__[The Catalyst Fund Resilience I](https://www.ccfacility.org/portfolio/catalyst-fund-resilience-i)__ is a USD 40 million venture capital fund investing in pre-seed climate adaptation startups in Africa, with follow-on investments at seed and Series A stages. The fund targets three key areas: fintech for climate resilience, sustainable livelihoods, and climate-smart essential services. 

__[The P-REC Aggregation Facility (PAF)](https://www.ccfacility.org/portfolio/p-rec-aggregation-facility-paf)__ is envisioned to be a USD 11 million pilot project finance facility that mobilizes capital for solar and hydro mini-grid projects across 14 fragile countries in Sub-Saharan Africa through the origination, aggregation, and sale of Peace Renewable Energy Certificates (P-RECs) P-RECs are high-quality I-RECs generated from projects in fragile, climate-vulnerable, energy-poor countries. They are sold at a premium over traditional I-RECs due to their high social and environmental additionality.

__About the Catalytic Climate Finance Facility__ 
The Catalytic Climate Finance Facility (CC Facility) accelerates the implementation of high-impact, ready-to-scale financial structures through a suite of services that include grant funding, customized technical support, and a market-building learning hub. The CC Facility fills a market gap and reduces market fragmentation to mobilize private capital for climate action in developing economies. The CC Facility is a partnership between Climate Policy Initiative and Convergence.

The CC Facility has raised USD 13 million to date and is fundraising for a second round of USD 10 million as we move toward our goal of reaching USD 100 million in size over the next few years. 

__About Convergence__
Convergence is the global network for blended finance. On top of market acceleration through its Design Funding program, Convergence generates blended finance data, intelligence, and deal flow to increase private sector investment in developing countries. Convergence’s global membership includes over 160 public, private, and philanthropic investors as well as sponsors of transactions and funds.

Convergence’s Design Funding Program operates as a market acceleration tool providing early-stage capital to support blended finance solutions in frontier markets and nascent sectors to accelerate the number of investible transactions in market targeting SDGs.

__About Climate Policy Initiative__
CPI is an analysis and advisory organization with deep expertise in finance and policy. Our mission is to help governments, businesses, and financial institutions drive economic growth while addressing climate change. CPI has seven offices around the world, including Brazil, India, Indonesia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

CPI serves as the Secretariat for the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance (the Lab), an incubator program that develops innovative financial mechanisms to drive private investments into climate change mitigation and adaptation in developing economies. 

__MEDIA CONTACTS__ 

__Sijia Yi__ 
Head of Communications 
Convergence Blended Finance 
sijia.yi@convergence.finance 

__Júlio Lubianco__ 
Communications Manager 
Climate Policy Initiative 
julio.lubianco@cpiglobal.org

Catalytic Climate Finance Facility awards USD 2 million to new cohort of blended finance vehicles

CC Facility's second cohort of blended finance vehicles

The investment needs for climate mitigation and adaptation in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) other than China is [estimated](https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2023/03/13/what-you-need-to-know-about-how-ccdrs-estimate-climate-finance-needs#:~:text=With%20this%20simple%20approach%2C%20and,year%20between%20now%20and%202030.) at $783 billion per year between now and 2030. While the World Bank [reports](https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/83f7aadd-dc5a-406b-98d4-9624e93993e5/content) that bonds are the most important debt instrument for these countries - comprising the majority of the $161 billion net debt inflows from private creditors to LMICs on average from 2018 to 2022 - there is a clear need for innovative climate financing structures to close the persistent investment gap.

While this need is urgent, blended finance to create climate bonds has remained relatively nascent. In Convergence’s Historical Deals Database (HDD) of blended finance transactions, bonds account for only 8% of the 1,233 deals. There is, however, growing interest to use blended finance for climate bonds; Convergence data [shows](https://www.convergence.finance/api/file/88d984f74160b7df482795ee0267f66b:4c76b20aa92457ff40e2fd0bc89a111fcc030e1af7d5dff392476ac8f9db2aa4ee25d95d2c6d386621e9968b8a4ed2798dbeb7ffa4d00dab9f8a48f3b1d323e6150c04957610a87f0c97c0233bf229adb0ee670799432cb89a711fa4df7d619e19922522aa2786201194d77f811733b66db394d972e9288e376afecf1619b358f1fa55ca995a132e2f1a4f613d2c9834) that in climate-related transactions, blended finance bonds were deployed more in 2023 than in previous years. As a proportion of annual climate financing volume, “blended climate bonds” have grown from 2% of total climate blended finance in 2017 to 9% in 2023.

In our [post](https://www.convergence.finance/news-and-events/news/1C6NFH0hAla85XqtZ6NmXu/view) on 2024 blended finance trends, Convergence noted that there are increasing opportunities to use blended finance to promote green, social, sustainable, sustainability-linked and other (GSS+) bonds. As one of the lesser-used vehicles, it is worth a deeper look at why blended bonds are an important instrument and how blended finance can be used to encourage its uptake in climate initiatives.

__Understanding bonds as important debt instruments__

One of the biggest benefits of bonds as a debt instrument is that they are typically publicly listed and traded – thereby increasing liquidity, unlike other debt instruments (e.g. loans and notes), which are more frequently closed through private transactions. Continuing to originate and structure debt as loans or notes in private markets means transactions are mostly unavailable to a large number of investors. Through publicly listed bonds, a larger investor pool can be reached, thereby increasing investor demand and investment volumes and decreasing interest rates. Public trading of bonds reduces the uncertainty of market price, since high trading volumes help ensure the true value of the underlying asset.

Most investors require bond issuers to be rated by credit rating agencies such as Moody’s, S&P, or Fitch. The main driver of a bond rating in any country is the sovereign risk rating, known as the sovereign ceiling. Bonds issued in countries with weak ratings (e.g., B or lower) lie beyond the fiduciary and regulatory investment mandates of most global debt investors (generally, investment grade BBB). A huge challenge of using bonds in emerging markets is the limited number of issuers that meet investors’ fiduciary and regulatory investment risk mandates (e.g., 76% of developing countries are rated B or lower).

Blended finance can be used to address the risk challenge by structuring bonds to fit within investors’ risk mandates and provide market risk-adjusted returns, thereby overcoming the sovereign ceiling and improving the creditworthiness of the issuer.

__Blended finance funds to increase the creditworthiness of bonds__

There are several blended finance approaches to create a bond that meets investors’ investment risk mandates. The simplest is for a more creditworthy guarantor to provide a guarantee for the bond; for example the World Bank Group (rated AAA) or a private entity like GuarantCo or Green Guarantee Company issuing an investment grade guarantee (A and BBB respectively).

An alternative effective and efficient approach is through creating a tiered blended finance fund that invests in climate debt (e.g., loans, notes and bonds) in developing countries. For example, a fund can be established with three tranches of capital: senior, mezzanine, and junior. The junior tranche is essential for success; it is the most catalytic tranche since it faces the highest risk – typically beyond the ability or willingness of multilateral development banks (MDBs) and development finance institutions (DFIs) to invest. It is typically financed by climate impact organizations like country members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC), the Green Climate Fund (GCF), or philanthropic foundations. The mezzanine tranche should be structured to be investible by MDBs, DFIs, and high-yield investors, for example rated CCC or B with commensurate return.

The diversification of assets in the fund and the 10% to 20% subordination allows the senior tranche to be in the form of an investment grade (e.g., BBB) bond. In general, BBB rated bonds that are listed and traded, liquid, and large enough, allow almost all debt investors to invest. 

Using blended funds to support the issuance of climate bonds is the most effective and efficient approach for several reasons:
- *High scalability:* A fund issuing bonds can be sized from $200 million to $20+ billion. Investors want size, but most climate projects do not require the large amount of debt to justify a bond – aggregating debt to many projects creates the necessary size for bonds.
- *Diversification:* A fund delivers country and borrower diversification, and usually achieves a two-notch upgrade delivering one-quarter of the required credit enhancement (subordination delivering the other three-quarters).
- *Effective use of capital:* While a full guarantee protects the total amount of the bond to overcome the sovereign ceiling, this may not be the best use of scarce concessional public funding. Most public sector issuers of guarantees are AAA or AA rated MDBs (e.g., Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency) or developed countries (e.g., Germany). Debt investors neither need nor want such strong guarantees. Rather, they need to be credit enhanced beyond underlying CCC and B risk of the borrower. In general, a low investment grade rating (e.g., BBB) is sufficient and preferred to mobilize private capital. Tiered funds can issue investment grade bonds as the senior capital, and non-investment grade bonds as the mezzanine capital, which frees up large amounts of public capital to invest directly for impact and leverage additional funds.
- *Sufficient at de-risking:* Other means of blending, such as partial guarantees, are likely less effective since credit rating agencies’ methodology for partial guarantees is to provide only a one- to two-notch upgrade from the underlying risk. Therefore, if the underlying risk is CCC, a partial guarantee would likely upgrade the bond to B-, which is still beyond the fiduciary and regulatory mandate of most debt investors. With a multi-tiered fund, the combination of diversification and catalytic junior and mezzanine tranches allow the senior capital to be an investment grade bond.
 

__GSS+ Bond Certification__

While blended finance structures increase the creditworthiness of bonds, bond certification can help further mobilize private capital into the asset class. Through its bond certification program, called the [Climate Bonds Standard and Certification Scheme](https://www.climatebonds.net/certification/get-certified), CBI encourages investment in GSS+ bonds by supporting investor confidence in the climate change credentials of green bonds and other instruments. The program is designed to assist investors and governments in prioritizing investments that address climate change, using a science-based approach consistent with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

CBI believes that investing in reputable GSS+ bonds—those with Climate Bonds Certification or a solid Second Party Opinion—gives investors confidence in the bond's environmental credentials. This approach broadens the range of eligible green investments since investors are not limited to exclusively green companies, and it also lessens the need for extensive due diligence because GSS+ issuers are expected to provide post-issuance reporting.

Overall, blended bonds at risk ratings aligned to fiduciary and regulatory mandates offer an important and growing opportunity for investors to diversify their portfolios and engage in climate-friendly investments. While organizations such as CBI are advocating for the creation of more transparent and responsible GSS+ bonds, concessional finance can be used to address perceived and real risks associated with these bonds.

*Convergence and CBI will hold an information session on climate blended bonds on November 25, 2024 at 10am ET. Please register [here](https://www.convergence.finance/calendar/6VpjWDxDCHBqYrWlUNNEbB/view). Please direct any enquiries to robin.ivory@convergence.finance.*

Learn why blended bonds are an important instrument and how blended finance can be used to encourage its uptake in climate initiatives.

Blended finance for climate bonds

As climate change continues to be a pressing global concern, climate finance remains a central focus of sustainable development. In this context, carbon markets have emerged as one avenue for companies and countries to mitigate their current emissions and meet climate targets. By pricing carbon through carbon credits, these markets are designed to encourage carbon emitters to internalize the negative externalities associated with emissions. While carbon credits have been met with criticism regarding the transparency of markets, the legitimacy of credit-verification methodologies, and the markets’ greenwashing practices, they have the potential to be a useful solution for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Climate Policy Initiative (CPI), [reports](https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/How-big-is-the-Net-Zero-financing-gap-2023.pdf) $6.2 trillion of climate finance is required between now and 2030 to meet companies’ Net Zero requirements. As the carbon markets gain credibility through improved industry guidelines, blended finance can be a valuable tool in de-risking these investments and increasing private sector participation.

__Carbon credits__

Formally introduced to the global market in 2005, carbon credits became a central component of the Kyoto Protocol and later, the Paris Agreement under Article 6. Commonly referred to as emission trading schemes (ETS), carbon credits were created to help countries meet their emission reduction targets. A carbon credit [represents](https://www.convergence.finance/api/file/37b2d355392c831604ba1581f7549e93:30b0ba1250a802dde73ffa8008ec8aa9de72b7f55e5a25c70456ae41bef4789e3300f342e043a4e3f89a9aeb890866751b3d3cf9520dd7bf22b920e3b4da7548bd7e4aa78c4a486b01defb249f0e50614b4a4d5c566722ac32067daed456291bfd2dd96ea2ecb9d7a1acd92027d08483a08e9e97fa50163a45d10416fc053e0ba1dc93904f531cfa4ac92a61798d871c) one metric tonne of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduced, avoided, or removed in the atmosphere because of an emissions-focused project or activity. Carbon credits can be generated through nature-based solutions (NbS) such as afforestation, reforestation, and reduced deforestation efforts, or technology-based solutions such as renewable energy projects, carbon capture practices, or clean-cooking technology. Accreditation agencies verify carbon credits sold to buyers, aiming to offset the GHG emissions that cannot be reduced through internal, operational changes.

__Carbon markets__

The carbon market [is a](https://www.convergence.finance/api/file/37b2d355392c831604ba1581f7549e93:30b0ba1250a802dde73ffa8008ec8aa9de72b7f55e5a25c70456ae41bef4789e3300f342e043a4e3f89a9aeb890866751b3d3cf9520dd7bf22b920e3b4da7548bd7e4aa78c4a486b01defb249f0e50614b4a4d5c566722ac32067daed456291bfd2dd96ea2ecb9d7a1acd92027d08483a08e9e97fa50163a45d10416fc053e0ba1dc93904f531cfa4ac92a61798d871c) specialized financial system where credits are traded by various actors, including companies, banks and project developers, amongst others. There are two main types of carbon markets where credits can be produced, bought and sold: the compliance and voluntary markets. 

The compliance carbon market (CCM) [is established](https://climatepromise.undp.org/news-and-stories/what-are-carbon-markets-and-why-are-they-important) by regional, national, and international regulatory bodies to reduce GHG emissions. CCM actors– typically companies operating in participating regions–must adhere to mandated emission limits. The voluntary carbon market (VCM) [is a](https://www.unep.org/topics/climate-action/climate-finance/carbon-markets#:~:text=Carbon%20markets%20are%20carbon%20pricing,carbon%20markets%3A%20Compliance%20and%20voluntary.) decentralized market where actors, including individuals, project developers, companies, banks, or even regions, voluntarily participate in producing, purchasing, and selling carbon credits. In the VCM, buyers and sellers of carbon credits are not obligated to meet certain emissions targets, but participate in reducing or offsetting their carbon emissions individually or as part of an industry. Due to the market's decentralized nature, various standards and certification programs exist to verify emission reductions and facilitate the distribution of carbon credits. Despite structural differences, the two markets share a similar goal of achieving global climate targets by cost-effectively reducing carbon emissions. In 2023, the CCM [was valued](https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/global-carbon-markets-value-hit-record-949-bln-last-year-lseg-2024-02-12/) at over $900 billion, while the VCM [was valued](https://about.bnef.com/blog/carbon-credits-face-biggest-test-yet-could-reach-238-ton-in-2050-according-to-bloombergnef-report/#:~:text=The%20market%20would%20peak%20at,and%20%24172%2Fton%20in%202050.) at $2 billion. 

__Considerations and challenges__

Despite the potential for carbon markets, it is important to recognize that the VCM is still in its early stages, facing growing pains that investors should consider before providing financing. A primary barrier influencing the integrity of VCMs is the lack of established regulations and standards. As a decentralized market, the VCM lacks a unified credit verification mechanism. Verification depends on certification agencies' self-determined methodologies, resulting in a wide array of what constitutes a "credit." This self-reliant verification system makes distinguishing authentic programs from greenwashing (where firms exaggerate their environmental efforts to appear more sustainable to the public) carbon credit activities and sales difficult. Moreover, certification agencies' prescriptive calculations for determining avoided emissions raise concerns that such calculations may not accurately account for the unique geographic landscapes and conditions where these emission avoidance projects occur. 

Lastly, the carbon market allows companies to commit to net-zero targets by relying primarily on purchasing carbon credits rather than adapting internal practices and technology to reduce emissions. For effective climate action, carbon credits should complement decarbonization efforts within businesses rather than serve as the sole strategy to meet net-zero goals.

There are, however, ongoing efforts to strengthen the credibility of the VCM through guidelines and best-practice documents. Namely, Article 6 of the Paris Agreement facilitates voluntary international cooperation among countries to meet their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Specifically, Article 6.4 establishes a framework for a centralized, global carbon market. In addition, in June 2022, the World Resources Institute (WRI) [released](https://www.wri.org/technical-perspectives/guidance-voluntary-use-nature-based-solution-carbon-credits-through-2040) *Guidance on Voluntary Use of Nature-based Solution Carbon Credits Through 2040*, and in 2024, the U.S. Government [issued](https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/VCM-Joint-Policy-Statement-and-Principles.pdf) a *Voluntary Carbon Markets Joint Policy Statement and Principles* document advocating for increased transparency of credited projects, robust third-party verification of credits, reduction of leakage and double counting, and adoption of practices that respect human rights. Organizations such as the [Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative](https://vcmintegrity.org/) (VCMI) and the [Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market](https://icvcm.org/) (ICVCM) have also emerged to contribute to the VCM regulation conversation. The discussion of regulating the VCM was also an agenda item at COP28, and the discussion is anticipated to continue at COP29.

__Opportunities for Blended Finance__

Blended finance is uniquely positioned to support VCM alignment with regulatory initiatives by building the capacity of project developers to meet standards set forth by policy bodies and by promoting market transparency, through for example technical assistance (TA). Blended finance can also be leveraged to increase private sector confidence in carbon credit-linked projects. Some private investors remain hesitant about funding carbon credit vehicles, given concerns about the project’s ability to deliver credits at the needed volume or quality, and the volatility of carbon prices in recent years. Blended finance tools, such as concessional risk insurance can help boost investor confidence and reduce perceived risks. 

Similarly, a catalytic party taking a first-loss position in the transaction, and thus taking on disproportionate exposure to the risk that the carbon revenue will not materialize, can protect senior, commercial investors in the capital stack. Private commercial capital refers to institutional and individual investors, including commercial banks, investment management firms, family offices, pension funds, etc. These investors operate under strict mandates, focused on protecting clients’ capital and generating secure returns. The presence of a junior, first-loss tier in a transaction brings the risk-return profile of their senior investment into alignment with their needs. 

However, there are limitations to blended finance in the VCM. While in the short term, it can attract private investment by reducing the risk profile and demonstrating the viability of initiatives, the ultimate goal of blended finance is to help develop mature markets where investments become commercially sustainable and no longer rely on concessional funding. Blended finance is not designed to be a permanent solution, but to build investor confidence and market readiness. For long-term commercial success in the VCM, stricter regulations, compliance mechanisms by policymakers, and improved market transparency by industry actors are essential.

__Examples of Blended Finance in the VCM__

Convergence has tracked various blended finance deals that leverage carbon credits to generate climate and social benefits. These deals demonstrate how blended finance can support pioneering transactions in the VCM and create important knowledge spillovers. For example, the Livelihoods Carbon Funds (LCF), which has launched three sub-funds thus far. The latest installment of the fund, LCF III, [launched](https://livelihoods.eu/lcf/) in 2021 and focuses on providing financing to project developers for ecosystem restoration, agroforestry, and rural energy projects. The fund seeks to improve food security for rural communities and income for smallholder farmers. Fund investors then receive carbon credits generated from these projects in return for their financial contributions. LCF III, [received](https://www.thegef.org/projects-operations/projects/10500) a grant from Global Environment Facility (GEF), through Conservation International to help seed the fund, [as well as](https://www.dfc.gov/media/press-releases/dfc-approves-11-values-based-investments-totaling-nearly-364-million-address) a partial credit-default guarantee from U.S International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), to provide risk protection against the uncertainties of the investment, making it more attractive to commercial investors. The fund aims to sequester nearly 30 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the next 20 years and to benefit two million people. 

Blended finance can also aid the evolution of the VCM through TA, which can help establish a project’s credibility by improving the investment-readiness of carbon-linked transactions, providing capacity building, subsidizing operational costs, and supporting the accurate measurement, monitoring, and reporting of emissions. An example of a blended transaction using TA is Café Selva Norte, which [aids](https://www.idhsustainabletrade.com/uploaded/2020/02/LDN-Report-5.3-Peru.pdf) smallholder farmers in Peru's transition to sustainable land practices. The project provides access to financing for smallholder coffee farmers to improve degraded coffee plantation infrastructure and operations, thereby improving product quality and generating land restoration and forestry co-benefits. The rehabilitated coffee plants and other agroforestry initiatives are expected to sequester 3.8 million tonnes of CO2, which will be converted into verified credits. The initiative received a TA grant from the Land Degradation Neutrality Fund to assist community co-operatives in establishing accurate baseline monitoring mechanisms for environmental returns. 

Finally, Terra Global Capital, a leading NbS investment firm, [has managed](https://www.terraglobalcapital.com/) and contributed to funds focused on reducing carbon emissions through NbS. In 2011, the firm launched the Terra Global Fund to finance agroforestry small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), integrating emission reduction strategies into their operations and generating verified carbon credits. The fund received political risk insurance from the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) due to the limited carbon market sector knowledge at the time. Recently, Terra Global began fundraising for the Terra Bella NbS Carbon Pool Fund [to support](https://www.terraglobalcapital.com/terra-bella-fund-0) rural income growth in emerging markets through projects that generate nature-based credits by reducing deforestation and reforestation initiatives. The fund will use blended finance to create a TA facility. The facility will provide support to community-level projects to improve their bankability and provide training on sustainable land practices and carbon emission recording. Given the lack of regulation and market volatility in the VCM, blended finance can improve these projects' risk/return profile to investors and stimulate economic growth for agri-dependent communities.

__Conclusion__

Despite challenges, carbon markets have the potential to boost financial flows toward climate efforts. The markets’ success and integrity, however, hinge on establishing industry-wide best practices, increasing transparency in carbon-linked initiatives and implementing robust credit verification protocols. Carbon credit-linked projects are increasingly integrated into blended finance transactions, with blended finance proving out and demonstrating to commercial investors their viability. As the VCM evolves, blended finance can support bringing carbon-linked initiatives to market and providing the necessary transaction and impact data investors need to assess the risks and returns.

As climate change continues to be a pressing global concern, climate finance remains a central focus of sustainable development. Carbon markets have emerged as one avenue for companies and countries to mitigate current emissions and meet climate targets. 

Legitimizing Carbon Markets: The Role of Blended Finance

*This op-ed was originally published in [The Citizen](https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania).*

Tanzania is sometimes referred to as a “Lion Economy” due to the rapid economic growth of nearly 7% that the country has witnessed since 2000. This is underpinned by a burgeoning young population, vast agricultural potential, and abundant natural resources. After two decades of sustained growth, Tanzania reached an important milestone in 2020, when it formally graduated from low-income to lower-middle income country status.

However, exogenous events, such as COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine, have resulted in economic shocks that have dampened its growth trajectory. According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), the country is projected to grow at 5.7% in 2024 as compared to 5.3% in 2023. Returning to pre-COVID-19 growth rates will hinge on the country shifting to a private sector-led growth model.

Tanzania’s Ministry of Finance as part of its Alternative Project Financing Strategy and FYDP III financing strategy has identified blended finance as an important non-traditional financing tool to mobilize private capital. As traditional sources of financing (on the balance sheet and Official Development Assistance) become more limited, Tanzania’s new economic blueprint needs to identify blended finance as a means of leveraging private capital to achieve its development objectives. The opportunity is there. According to [Convergence](https://www.convergence.finance/resource/state-of-blended-finance-2024/view), the global network for blended finance, Tanzania ranks fifth in Sub-Saharan Africa on the frequency of blended transactions.

During our recent UNDP supported mission to survey innovative financing transactions in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, we were encouraged by the various blended finance innovations we encountered. What is noteworthy is that these transactions have been executed within the traditional financial architecture which, in our opinion, provides greater room for scaling private capital mobilization.

Take the banking sector for example, two of the largest banks, CRDB Bank and NMB Bank, have used blended finance to bring down the cost of their listed bond issuances. CRDB Bank issued a $300 million green bond listed on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE), where the International Finance Corporation (IFC) acted as an anchor investor with a  $20 million subscription. Similarly, NMB Bank’s $17.4 million gender bond and $159 million sustainability bond (issued in 2022 and 2023 respectively) were also anchored by IFC.

In both cases IFC’s participation was supported by the International Development Association's (IDA) Private Sector Window Local Currency Facility, through which it leverages the IDA’s concessional resources and blends it with its own account to bring down the overall pricing of bond issuances where IFC is participating.  Both banks on lent the proceeds to development-oriented sectors such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, green mobility, and women-led/women-owned small and medium enterprises which erstwhile have struggled to secure appropriately priced capital.

The country’s national development bank i.e., Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB), fully owned by the government, has been instrumental in using blended finance to deliver development impact. The need for appropriate collateral is often a barrier for smallholder farmers when it comes to securing financing from financial institutions. In response TADB operates a smallholder credit guarantee scheme where it provides partner financial institutions with 50-70% of cash cover to guarantee their loan portfolio.

This de-risking approach has led to approximately $117 million of additional financing being disbursed across over 23,000 direct beneficiaries. Additionally, through partnerships with private sector financial institutions, TADB engages in co-financing arrangements. This allows TADB to play  a catalytic role by mobilizing resources from its own balance sheet and blending these funds with financing from commercial banks and development partners in the form of debt, equity, and/or grants to support agri-sector projects.

There are also more examples of smaller scale deals aimed at catalyzing private finance. [Daraja Impact](https://www.seaf.com/daraja-impact/), a project supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), uses impact-linked financial instruments and technical assistance to catalyze private sector funding. [Private Agricultural Sector Support (PASS) Trust](https://pass.or.tz/) and [Aceli Africa](https://aceliafrica.org/), both supported by a range of donor agencies such as Sweden International Development Agency (Sida) and Global Affairs Canada (GAC), provide partial  portfolio credit guarantees (and origination incentives in the case of Aceli) to financial intermediaries to de-risk their lending to the agriculture sector. 

Additionally, [The Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund](https://www.aecfafrica.org/), which supports agriculture and renewable energy enterprises, provides catalytic patient capital to commercialize new business models, companies, and technologies through a challenge fund approach.

There is also scope for the Government of Tanzania to play a more active role in using its own sources to blend its financing with that of the private sector. We can look to Ghana and Rwanda for inspiration, where government/quasi-government agencies have played key roles in private capital mobilization.

The Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), set up in 2021, is a permanent vehicle seeded with $345 million of funding from the Ghanaian government that de-risks and invests alongside private capital. In Rwanda, the Rwanda Green fund, has the mandate to provide growth capital to high impact ventures to mobilize additional green investment and build an ecosystem. Both examples can help shape how the Tanzanian government uses blended finance to stimulate economic growth and create impact.

With a government that is attuned to economic growth and committed to uplifting living standards, Tanzania is on the cusp of economic transformation. With a coordinated effort between private, public, and philanthropic institutions and de-risking support from development agencies, blended finance can play a pivotal role in enabling Tanzania to achieve its true potential and taking its rightful place as Africa’s economic powerhouse.


Learn how blended finance can help Tanzania drive growth