Supporting locally grounded climate finance expertise 

The CC Facility Learning Hub supports institutions in emerging markets to conduct research on locally driven climate finance solutions. By supporting organizations with deep regional expertise, the Learning Hub helps elevate local perspectives and strengthen climate finance ecosystems. One of its research grantees, Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P) Ecosystems, published a report exploring how blended finance has become a critical enabler for gender- and climate-focused funds under USD 100 million in Sub-Saharan Africa. 

Learn more about I&P Ecosystems and their research below.

What was the context for the research?

Sub-Saharan Africa requires an estimated USD 2 trillion by 2030 to build climate resilience, with the most acute impacts felt at the intersection of gender and climate. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by climate change, yet only around 3% of climate finance is directed toward initiatives that explicitly advance gender equality. As a result, funds operating at the intersection of gender and climate have emerged as an important and growing part of Africa’s investment landscape.

What have they explored through the Learning Hub grant, and why does it matter?

The report offers recommendations on how to better support funds operating across the gender–climate continuum and ultimately reach women entrepreneurs, smallholder farmers, and communities most affected by climate change.

Drawing on a literature review, a database of 46 funds, three fund case studies, and more than 30 interviews, the study examines how fund managers and investors have used blended finance mechanisms to unlock catalytic capital for gender-climate investments.

The report finds that while climate, gender, and blended finance agendas have gained visibility in recent years, fund managers and investors still lack practical frameworks to move beyond compliance toward deeper impact. This has contributed to inconsistent concessional capital structures and missed opportunities to maximize catalytic impact.

Check out the report here.

What’s next?

The report provides one of the most comprehensive mappings of gender-climate funds in Africa to date and identifies opportunities for further research. It highlights the need for stronger coordination and information sharing among catalytic capital providers to ensure similar funds receive more consistent support. To share the report findings, the Learning Hub hosted a webinar with I&P Ecosystems and continues to engage practitioners through ongoing dialogue.

More about I&P Ecosystems

I&P Ecosystems is the learning and research arm of I&P, a pioneering impact investment group supporting small and medium-sized enterprises across Sub-Saharan Africa. I&P brings unique regional expertise, with a team of around 80 people based across eight offices in Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, France, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Senegal, and Uganda. 

More about the Learning Hub 

Through ongoing calls for proposals, the Learning Hub supports locally led research exploring how blended finance can unlock greater investment for climate action. The Learning Hub will share findings from each research grant to help innovators, investors, and practitioners apply practical lessons across emerging markets. 

All research grants have been supported by the Learning Hub’s anchor donor, International Development Research Centre (IDRC).