Funding

To address climate change, financial resources are required to support sound adaptation and mitigation solutions and to build resilience to already occurring impacts. As part of our mission to establish the Caribbean as a Climate-Smart Zone, we have  developed a pipeline of financial institutions and funding partners ready to mobilise resources to scale projects from the region. Based on the type of funding required, the stage of  implementation and other criteria, regional project developers can be matched with funding partners whose financing objectives are aligned with their requirements. 

Partners in our pipeline offer a range of financing solutions and support projects at any stage of the business lifecycle. Once connected with financing partners, you’ll have the opportunity to work with  willing funders to craft  bespoke solutions to overcome investment barriers. 

As a first step to submitting your project to us for support with matching with suitable funders, you’ll need to  clarify your financing needs. Here’s an overview of the three main  types of funding/financing. 

MAIN TYPES OF FUNDING

GRANTS

An award, usually financial, given by one entity (typically a company, foundation, or government) to an individual or a company to facilitate a goal or incentivize performance. Grants are essentially gifts that do not have to be paid back, under most conditions.

EQUITY FINANCING

The process of raising capital through the sale of shares. Equity financing involves the sale of common equity and the sale of other equity or quasi-equity instruments such as preferred stock, convertible preferred stock, and equity units that include common shares and warrants. Provides long-term financing without fixed repayment terms; rates of higher than debt to compensate for uncertainty and risk.

DEBT - CONCESSIONAL

Loans that are extended on terms substantially more generous than market loans. The concessionality is achieved either through interest rates below those available on the market or by grace periods, or a combination of these. Concessional loans typically have long grace periods.. 

USES

  • non-commercial projects
  • early stage projects
  • proof of concept
  • feasibility, market and technical studies
  • commercial projects to unlock additional capital

USES

  • funding commercial and non-commercial project entities
  • provides holders with ownership interest
  • finance operations and expansion throughout  the lifecycle of the project/business

USES

  • non-commercial projects
  • infrastructure
  • social interventions
  • public goods

SOURCES

  • philanthropists
  • charities
  • development finance agencies
  • multilateral development banks
  • governments and specialised state agencies
  • NGOs 

SOURCES

  • owners
  • angel investors
  • private equity
  • institutional investors
  • commercial banks at later stages
  • public investors at later stages

SOURCES

  • development finance agencies
  • multilateral development banks
  • special purpose funds

Matching Projects with Investors

Projects are evaluated on stage of readiness, relevance, innovation, scalability, replicability, quality of the methodology, stakeholder support, investment type, committed investment, thoroughness of the business/project plan, as well as, the capacity of the individual/team to carry out the project.

All projects are evaluated internally by the CCSA. The selection process has 3 distinct stages:

  • Stage 1: Project submission through a portal and initial shortlisting, to submit a project click here.
  • Stage 2: Detailed due diligence by the CCSA projects committee to shortlist proposals.
  • Stage 3: Shortlisted proposals can be matched with funding partners from the pipeline based on the type of investment they are seeking.

Matching can be accomplished through one-to-one connection with funders, through presentation of projects to our Financial Advisory Committee or through participation in our Investor Forum matchmaking events

Our Financial Advisory Committee (FAC) is composed of senior executives of regional financial institutions who support the evaluation of projects and the identification of which of their institutions’ financing mechanisms is applicable. They leverage their experience and professional networks to improve access to financing and to deliver innovation in the financing of climate-smart projects throughout the region.

Financial Advisory Committee (FAC)

The Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator’s flagship Investor Forums is the primary mechanism we use to provide investors with the opportunity to fund projects from our pipeline. Held quarterly the objectives of our investor forum are to promote investment-ready, climate-smart projects that investors can get involved in. To introduce regional leaders to investors, with the aim of establishing and leveraging relationships to facilitate further investment activity. To establish the investment process between investors and projects.

Funding Opportunities

Climate Finance

Find out more about available funding and how to apply.

The Earthshot Prize was designed to find and grow the solutions that will repair our planet this decade. We face our greatest challenge; to regenerate the place we all call home in the next ten years. We believe in the power of human ingenuity to prove to us all that the seemingly impossible is possible. Congratulations to the 2022 Earthshot Prize winners! Be among the first to get the latest updates from the Earthshot Prize.