Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) Grant

About this grant

The Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) is a facility established in 2001 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to help least developed countries (LDCs) adapt to climate change. It is described as the only facility exclusively dedicated to helping these countries adapt to new climate realities. The LDCF, together with the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF), serves the Paris Agreement and is managed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The fund supports implementation of National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), and the Least Developed Countries work programme under the UNFCCC. It finances projects that build technical and institutional capacity at national and local levels, create policy environments that encourage adaptation investment, reduce systemic barriers, and promote innovation and private sector engagement. Work is delivered through partner agencies. Sectors addressed include agriculture, water, disaster risk management, coastal zone management, infrastructure, and sustainable alternative livelihoods. The GEF-8 adaptation strategy for the LDCF/SCCF focuses on agriculture, food security and health, water, climate information services, and nature-based solutions. As of June 30, 2024, the LDCF reported financing 423 projects and programmes with nearly $2.1 billion in grants. The GEF-8 period aims to double allocation to LDCs to $20 million per country from $10 million in GEF-7, and a Dedicated Programme supports capacity for project planning and preparation.

Eligibility

Eligibility is restricted to least developed countries (LDCs) that are parties to the UNFCCC. Funding is channelled to recipient countries through partner agencies rather than applied for directly by individual organisations, based on the page content provided. Specific application procedures, stage requirements, and prior-recipient rules are not stated on this page.

Key requirements

• ✓Applicant must be from a Least Developed Country (LDC) as defined by the UN
• ✓Project must address climate change vulnerability and adaptation needs identified in National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs)
• ✓Focus areas include water resources, agriculture, health, infrastructure, and fragile ecosystems

Recent past awardees

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

• Sao Tome and Principe WACA Resilience project · $6M
• Nepal farm field schools project
• Senegal ecosystem-based adaptation project
• Comoros reforestation and watershed project
• The Gambia early warning systems project
• Togo coastal protection project

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF)?

Eligibility covers organisations in GLOBAL-SOUTH, AFRICA, ASIA, LATAM; local-authority, nonprofit, research-institution. See the eligibility criteria above for the full conditions.

Relevant sectors

About this sector

Climate adaptation funding helps communities, infrastructure and businesses prepare for heat, flooding, drought and sea level rise. Most of it is public and multilateral money, often targeted at vulnerable regions and delivered with local government. Calls usually ask for a climate risk assessment and evidence that local people shaped the plan.