IKI Invest: A funding instrument focused on mobilising private capital for climate action and biodiversity… Grant

About this grant

IKI Invest is a funding instrument of the International Climate Initiative (IKI), the German Federal Government's programme supporting international climate action and biodiversity conservation. It exclusively supports multilateral initiatives and financing funds with the objective of strengthening and further developing multilateral cooperation to protect the climate and biodiversity, and of conceptualising promising financing instruments that mobilise private capital and investment for climate action and biodiversity conservation. Funds supported under IKI Invest may pursue objectives within the four IKI funding areas: mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation to the impacts of climate change, preservation of natural carbon sinks and mitigation of emissions by avoiding deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+), and conservation of biological diversity. A single IKI contribution may cover more than one funding area. IKI Invest does not support conventional project funding. Its contributions are channelled into global multilateral initiatives and financing funds. The IKI contribution must qualify for German climate finance reporting, so partner countries must be ODA-eligible and/or Non-Annex I countries. IKI Invest applies the same standards and policies as other IKI instruments, including reporting on objectives and indicators and the IKI complaint mechanism. Proposed wording for single-donor and multi-donor trust funds, dated 06/2025, sets out how these standards are implemented. Previous IKI contributions into funds include UNDP Climate Promise, the Climate Syndication Platform, the Global Climate Partnership Fund, the Global EbA Fund, the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN II), and the Emerging Market Climate Action Fund.

Eligibility

Eligible partners are organisations authorised for the fiduciary management of funds, usually international organisations, multilateral development banks, and KfW, in which the Federal Republic of Germany has co-determination rights as a member or shareholder. Support is limited to global multilateral initiatives and financing funds rather than conventional project funding. The IKI contribution must qualify for German climate finance reporting, and partner countries must be ODA-eligible and/or Non-Annex I countries.

Key requirements

• ✓Projects must advance climate action (mitigation or adaptation) and/or biodiversity conservation
• ✓Applicants must demonstrate capacity to attract and mobilize private capital alongside IKI funding
• ✓Projects should have clear financial viability and return pathways to attract private investors

Recent past awardees

Knowing who's won the last rounds tells you whether you're in the strike zone.

• UNDP Climate Promise: From Pledge to Impact
• Climate Syndication Platform
• Global Climate Partnership Fund (GCPF)
• Global EbA Fund - Support for the Implementation and Upscaling of Ecosystem-based Adaptation
• Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN II)
• Emerging Market Climate Action Fund (EMCAF)

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for IKI Invest: A funding instrument focused on mobilising private capital for climate action and biodiversity…?

Eligibility covers organisations in GLOBAL; startup, sme, large-company, nonprofit, social-enterprise, consortium. See the eligibility criteria above for the full conditions.

Relevant sectors

About this sector

Biodiversity funding backs habitat restoration, species protection, protected areas and nature-positive business. It comes from environment agencies, multilateral nature funds and conservation philanthropy, often through competitive calls with defined regions. Applicants are usually asked for baseline surveys, local partners and indicators that show ecological change.