Innovation for Nature

Strengthening biodiversity and livelihood outcomes in nature-based carbon projects 

CALL FOR CONCEPT NOTES NOW OPEN!

The Innovation Facility – financing new approaches on natural carbon sinks.

What is the Innovation Facility?

The Innovation Facility is a grant-making programme targeting new types of nature-based carbon projects that, due to their innovative nature, do not yet receive sufficient finance via the Voluntary Carbon Market. The Facility will provide ramp-up finance for these projects. By doing so, they are intended to become investable for the private sector. All projects funded need to focus on nature-based activities that sequester CO2 from the atmosphere, combined with strong positive biodiversity impacts.

Specifically, the Innovation Facility aims to:

  • Demonstrate that ambitious approaches can be scaled-up by mobilising private sector investments.
  • Mitigate climate change and deliver positive impacts both on biodiversity and on people’s livelihoods.
  • Support the application of new approaches and technologies to better and more efficiently measure and monitor the positive impacts on biodiversity.

By design, the Innovation Facility will contribute to the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The Facility is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) via KfW Development Bank. It is managed and implemented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

CALL FOR CONCEPT NOTES OPEN

IUCN Grants Portal is now open for submissions! Access the portal here.

Explore necessary information on the application process, incl. the timeline, info sessions, and required documents here.

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How will the Innovation Facility be implemented?
  • The Innovation Facility will provide grants through an open call for proposals.
  • The call will follow a two-step approach, starting with the submission of concept notes. Short-listed applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal.
  • Grants will be awarded in the range of €750,000– €1.5 million.
  • Projects will be selected on the basis of strict eligibility criteria.
Would you like to know more?

Find more information under “Call for Proposals” and in the Guidelines for Applicants [🡇].
Email us for additional questions: innovationfacility@iucn.org