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Global Environment Facility

Climate Fund
United States
iSustain score 90Demanding· 6–12 months

Multilateral fund financing biodiversity, land degradation and climate mitigation projects.

Geographic focus

Central Asia
East Asia
Eastern Europe
Latin America & Caribbean
Middle East
North Africa
Pacific Islands
Pan-African
South Asia
Southeast Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa

Sector appetite

Biodiversity
Land Restoration
Climate Mitigation
Climate Adaptation
Water
Waste
Forestry
Natural Capital
Sustainable Agriculture

Finance instruments

Grants
Concessional Debt
Technical Assistance
Project Preparation
Catalytic Capital

Project stages

Concept
Feasibility
Development
Pilot
Scale-up

Typical ticket size

$50k – $20m

Readiness requirements

GEF Agency partnership, national focal point endorsement

Partnership preferences

Implemented via GEF Agencies

Contact

secretariat@thegef.org

iSustain relevance score

  • Regional focus & relevance30/30
  • Access & contactability25/25
  • Financing programmes & instruments — 2 open or rolling12/15
  • Instrument breadth8/15
  • Data freshness15/15

Weighted 0–100: Africa focus 30, access & contactability 25, live windows 15, instrument breadth 15, data freshness 15.

Access difficulty

Demanding· 6–12 months

Access via an accredited or implementing entity; published application route.

  • Counterparty requirement — Accredited / implementing entity required4/5
  • Application process — Published application route0/3
  • Ticket floor — No large minimum ticket0/3
  • Readiness burden — 0 readiness requirements identified0/2
  • Internal approval process — Board / institutional approval cycles2/2

A rating of how hard this capital is to reach — not a prediction of whether an application will succeed. Built from the counterparty required, the published application route, the minimum ticket, the readiness evidence expected and the internal approval process.

Instruments & programmes

What a client can actually approach this organisation for, and how access works.

GEF Small Grants Programme

Grant Window
Grants
Open

Grants up to $50,000 to community organisations for environment and climate action, delivered by UNDP.

Access route

Direct application

Ticket size

up to $50k — Up to $50,000

Geographic focus

Global
Eastern Europe
Latin America & Caribbean
Sub-Saharan Africa
South Asia
East Asia
Southeast Asia
Pacific Islands
Pan-African
Middle East
Central Asia
North Africa

Sector focus

Climate Adaptation
Biodiversity
Energy Access

Project stages

Idea
Pilot

Eligibility

Community-based organisations and NGOs in participating countries.

How to access

Apply through the SGP national coordinator.

GEF Trust Fund Project Grants

Grant Window
Grants
Open

Grants for biodiversity, land degradation, chemicals, international waters and climate mitigation via STAR country allocations.

Access route

Via accredited entity

Ticket size

— — Full-size projects above $2m; medium-size up to $2m

Geographic focus

Global
Eastern Europe
Latin America & Caribbean
Sub-Saharan Africa
South Asia
East Asia
Southeast Asia
Pacific Islands
Pan-African
Middle East
Central Asia
North Africa

Sector focus

Biodiversity
Land Restoration
Water
Climate Mitigation

Project stages

Development
Construction

Eligibility

Countries via GEF Operational Focal Point and a GEF agency.

How to access

Develop a PIF with a GEF agency and secure OFP endorsement.

GEF-8 Full and Medium-Sized Projects

Fund Window
Grants
Rolling

Global Environment Facility funding for biodiversity, climate change, land degradation, chemicals and international waters projects, delivered through GEF Agencies and drawing on each country's STAR allocation.

Access route

Via accredited entity

Ticket size

— — Medium-sized up to $2m; full-sized above $2m

Geographic focus

Global
South Asia
Southeast Asia
Latin America & Caribbean
Pacific Islands
Central Asia
Eastern Europe
Middle East
Sub-Saharan Africa

Sector focus

Biodiversity
Climate Adaptation
Land Restoration
Water

Project stages

Concept
Feasibility
Development

Eligibility

Governments and partners in GEF recipient countries working through a GEF Agency, with endorsement from the GEF Operational Focal Point.

How to access

Secure Operational Focal Point endorsement, partner with a GEF Agency, and submit a Project Identification Form to the GEF Secretariat.

How to access Global Environment Facility

How do you apply for GEF funding?

Projects are developed with a GEF Agency (such as UNDP, UNEP, FAO or the World Bank) and must be endorsed by the country's GEF Operational Focal Point.

What does GEF fund?

Biodiversity, climate change, land degradation, international waters and chemicals and waste, mostly through grants and some blended finance.

Is there a GEF option for community groups?

Yes. The GEF Small Grants Programme funds community-based and civil society organisations through national coordinators.

Read the Global Environment Facility guideCheck my project fit with iSustain Advisor Live

Related capital sources

Other funders with an overlapping mandate.

Browse by theme in the finance guides.

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