Climate Innovation Fund
Building climate change resilience in Bangladesh
The British Asian Trust, in partnership with SAJIDA Foundation has launched the Climate Innovation Fund - an ambitious fund that aims to identify and support innovative local solutions working to build greater resilience to the impacts of climate change on agriculture, food security, water security, and livelihoods in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh and climate change
Bangladesh, ranked seventh on the Global Climate Risk Index, faces significant challenges due to its low-lying geography, high population density, and widespread poverty. However, the country also stands as a global leader in climate adaptation, offering scalable solutions that can be applied worldwide.
The Climate Innovation Fund aims to stimulate and drive innovation in climate resilience by:
- Identifying the most promising and innovative approaches to climate resilience in Bangladesh and supporting them to establish and scale
- Building a strong and credible pipeline of initiatives and facilitating support from other agencies and investors
- Creating opportunities for collaboration to facilitate learning & knowledge exchange
Call for Proposals
Applications to the second round of the Climate Innovation Fund are now OPEN. Sponsored by Prime Bank PLC, and in partnership with The British Asian Trust and SAJIDA Foundation
Why Agriculture?
Agriculture is at the heart of Bangladesh’s economy, employing 42% of the population and providing support to millions. Yet, it is also the sector most vulnerable to climate change impacts, such as flooding, cyclones, and rising sea levels. Bangladesh’s recent floods have devastated over 297,000 hectares of cropland, impacting more than 1.3 million farmers and resulting in agricultural losses exceeding USD 438 million.
As climate change continues to threaten rural livelihoods, climate-smart agricultural practices are essential to securing food security and protecting the economic backbone of the country. By investing in innovations that enhance agricultural resilience, the Climate Innovation Fund aims to safeguard the livelihoods of millions, ensuring farmers can continue to feed their families and contribute to the country’s economic growth, even in the face of climate adversity.
Who Can Apply?
- Enterprises and organizations with tested innovations that are working towards financial sustainability but need funding to strengthen their business models. This includes private limited companies, social enterprises, sole proprietorships, and NGOs.
- Enterprises with well-defined innovations, committed to developing and testing their ideas while aiming for financial sustainability.
- Rural Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with a strong operational base in rural communities, focused on delivering innovative agriculture products and collaborating with farming communities.
- Eligible enterprises may include innovations in Climate-Smart and Resilient Agriculture, Agricultural Technology and Innovation, Nature-Based Solutions, and/or Agri-Financing.
For detailed eligibility criteria, please refer to the Application Guideline document.
Support Streams?
For this call, applicants may apply to either one of two separate support streams:
1. Venture Building:
Suitable for early-stage ventures or initiatives that have a validated idea or prototype, typically have conducted initial research, proof of concept, or small-scale testing.
Selected ventures will be able to access
- 6 months of tailored advisory, mentorship, & training
- Business development support
- Grant funding: Up to BDT 600,000 for 6-month venture building awardees, with opportunities for follow-on funding of up to BDT 3,000,000
2. Catalytic Funding
Suitable for ventures with a product or service that is ready for market or in the early stages of market entry.
Selected ventures will be able to access
- Business development support
- Grant funding up to BDT 4,500,000
How to Apply:
Catalytic Funding:
Applicants interested to apply for catalytic funding need to download and complete the three templates listed below:
Completed templates, as well as any additional documents requested, must be submitted as email attachments to cif@sajida.org.
For Catalytic Funding, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for the next steps to undergo due diligence.
Venture Building:
Applicants interested to apply for venture building need to download and complete the two templates listed below:
Completed templates must be emailed as attachments to cif@sajida.org.
There is no need for any other additional documents at this stage of application for venture building.
Before applying, please read the Application Guideline
Applicants are encouraged to attend the following webinar ‘Climate Innovation Fund Application Procedure: A Live Q&A Session’ on 5th November 2024 (Tuesday) at 3 PM to gain insights on the application and to address any queries. Click here for the link to the webinar.
Applications must be submitted by 16th November 2024 (11:59 PM Bangladesh Standard Time)
Want to Get Involved?
Have questions? Want to collaborate? Reach out to us at cif@sajida.org
Download documents
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Application Guideline 2024
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Catalytic - Application Template
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Catalytic - Financial Projection Template
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Catalytic - Pitch Deck Template
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Venture - Application Template
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Venture - Pitch Deck Template
