Adaptation Fund Launches New Grant Funding Windows to Accelerate Action, Innovation and Learning in Adaptation

Total of US$ 5 Million Available to the Fund’s National Implementing Entities in Addition to Regular Funding Channels

Katowice, Poland (December 14, 2018) — Building on its pioneering, effective and scalable adaptation actions on the ground, the Adaptation Fund launched three new small grant funding windows during the COP 24 climate change conference in Katowice, Poland.

The new funding windows were approved at the Fund’s Board meeting in October and build on its excellent work across action, innovation, and learning and sharing in adaptation. They are a key component in the implementation of the Fund’s five-year medium-term strategy from 2018-2022.

The new grants total US$ 5 million initially and are available now to the Fund’s national implementing entities (NIEs) under its pioneering Direct Access modality, which builds country capacities and fosters ownership in adaptation.

The grants will contribute to implementing the Fund’s medium-term strategy to respond to the urgency of climate change by accelerating and enhancing the quality of adaptation actions in developing countries, scaling up innovative and quality projects and disseminating knowledge of effective Fund actions.

Innovative, concrete, effective and scalable Fund projects have been common themes across several of the Fund’s events here at COP 24.

“As we have seen by the recent IPCC reports and the record demand for projects that the Adaptation Fund has been receiving, it is important to respond to these challenges in innovative and diverse ways,” said Adaptation Fund Board Chair Victor Viñas. “The medium-term strategy strives to do this while building on the Fund’s excellent concrete work on the ground. These new grant funding windows are a great example of that.”

“Often Adaptation Fund projects are the first adaptation projects on the ground in many vulnerable places around the world,” said Adaptation Fund Manager Mikko Ollikainen. “Not only do our projects help vulnerable communities reduce suffering and adapt to climate change now, but they also provide valuable models that can later be replicated or scaled up by others. That has happened in several instances already. These grants will help to accelerate that further, as well as share knowledge of effective and innovative adaptation practices and tools.”

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