Organizations working to solve climate change and gender inequality often face one common challenge—accessing sufficient financing to scale their impact. While grants remain important, attracting private investment has become increasingly critical for achieving sustainable development goals at scale.

To address this challenge, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), in partnership with Convergence Blended Finance, has launched the Indo-Pacific NGO Blended Finance Accelerator, a five-year initiative worth AUD 10 million. The programme is designed to help NGOs develop innovative blended finance solutions that unlock private investment for climate action and gender equality initiatives throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

The Accelerator combines catalytic grant funding with technical acceleration support, enabling NGOs to transform innovative ideas into investment-ready financial vehicles capable of delivering measurable environmental and social impact.

Application Deadline: 20 July 2026

What is the Indo-Pacific NGO Blended Finance Accelerator?

The Indo-Pacific NGO Blended Finance Accelerator is a comprehensive programme that helps NGOs bridge the gap between development funding and private capital.

Although blended finance has expanded significantly across the Indo-Pacific, there remains a shortage of investable projects capable of attracting commercial investors. NGOs possess deep local knowledge, technical expertise, and trusted community relationships, making them well positioned to design impactful financial solutions. However, they currently sponsor only a small percentage of blended finance transactions globally due to several institutional and financial barriers.

The Accelerator seeks to change this by providing financial support, expert guidance, investor connections, and technical resources that enable NGOs to create scalable blended finance vehicles capable of attracting long-term investment.

Total Programme Funding

The programme is backed by a five-year AUD 10 million investment and provides both financial support and capacity-building services.

Available catalytic grants include:

• Up to AUD 300,000 (approximately USD 200,000) for early-stage blended finance initiatives.
• Up to AUD 840,000 (approximately USD 550,000) for advanced-stage and scaling initiatives.

All grants are disbursed in Australian Dollars (AUD).

What is Blended Finance?

Blended finance refers to the strategic use of public, philanthropic, or concessional funding to attract private investment into projects that generate both financial returns and positive development outcomes.

Rather than relying solely on donor funding, blended finance combines different sources of capital to create sustainable financing mechanisms capable of delivering large-scale impact.

Examples include:

• Investment funds
• Project finance vehicles
• Private companies
• Bonds
• Financing facilities
• Results-based financing mechanisms
• Other innovative financial instruments

Programme Objectives

The Accelerator aims to:

• Increase private investment for climate action.
• Strengthen financing for gender equality initiatives.
• Build a pipeline of investment-ready blended finance projects.
• Support NGOs in becoming investment managers and impact managers.
• Expand partnerships between NGOs and private investors.
• Deliver measurable environmental and social outcomes.
• Strengthen financial sustainability for development initiatives.

Priority Impact Areas

Applications should focus on one or both of the programme’s major themes.

Climate Action

Projects may support:

• Climate change mitigation
• Climate adaptation
• Clean energy
• Sustainable cities
• Responsible consumption
• Life below water
• Life on land

These areas align with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy
• SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production
• SDG 13 – Climate Action
• SDG 14 – Life Below Water
• SDG 15 – Life on Land

Gender Equality

Projects should demonstrate a strong commitment to gender equality through:

• Women’s empowerment
• Financial inclusion
• Healthcare
• Education
• Gender-responsive investment models
• Gender integration throughout project design, implementation, and governance

Applications should align with SDG 5 – Gender Equality.

What Support Will Selected NGOs Receive?

Successful applicants receive more than funding.

The programme provides:

1. Catalytic Grant Funding

Funding supports activities such as:

• Feasibility studies
• Legal structuring
• Financial modelling
• Vehicle design
• Investment pipeline development
• Fundraising
• Pilot implementation
• Governance development
• Impact measurement systems

2. Acceleration Support

Participants also gain access to:

• Professional training
• Curated market intelligence
• Data and analytics
• Technical mentoring
• Peer-learning opportunities
• Investor introductions
• Ecosystem partnerships
• Ongoing feedback from blended finance experts
• Guidance on engaging commercial investors

Types of Grants Available

Stage 1: Scoping and Feasibility

Maximum funding:

• Up to AUD 300,000

Suitable for NGOs that are exploring blended finance opportunities.

Funding may support:

• Financial model development
• Vehicle design
• Legal structuring
• Market assessments
• Stakeholder consultations
• Investment pipeline development
• Governance framework design
• Initial impact assessment

Applicants should already have:

• An initial theory of change
• Early scoping work
• Potential partners identified

Stage 2: Proof of Concept and Pilot

Maximum funding:

• Up to AUD 840,000

Funding supports:

• Investor outreach
• Legal refinement
• Governance improvements
• Impact framework development
• Pilot investments
• Investment pipeline expansion

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Completed feasibility work
• Initial financial model
• Internal and external support
• Key implementation partners
• At least one soft or hard investor commitment

Stage 3: Scale-Up and Expansion

Maximum funding:

• Up to AUD 840,000

Funding may be used for:

• Vehicle expansion
• Operational scaling
• Additional fundraising
• Legal improvements
• Pipeline growth
• General Partner (GP) capital commitments
• Preparing vehicles for larger investment rounds

Applicants should already have:

• An investment-ready or operational vehicle
• Anchor investors
• Committed implementation partners
• Defined NGO roles

Eligible Financial Vehicles

Projects may include:

• Investment funds
• Bonds
• Project finance structures
• Private companies
• Financing facilities
• Results-based financing mechanisms
• Other innovative blended finance instruments

Countries Eligible for Project Implementation

Projects must focus on one or more eligible Indo-Pacific countries, including:

• Bangladesh
• Bhutan
• Cambodia
• Indonesia
• Laos
• Mongolia
• Myanmar
• Nepal
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• Sri Lanka
• Timor-Leste
• Vietnam

Eligible Pacific Island nations include:

• Cook Islands
• Federated States of Micronesia
• Fiji
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Niue
• Papua New Guinea
• Republic of Palau
• Republic of the Marshall Islands
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Tokelau
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu

Applicants may be based anywhere in the world, provided their proposed blended finance vehicle serves eligible Indo-Pacific countries.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:

• Be an NGO applying independently or with consortium partners.
• Demonstrate a clear need for grant funding.
• Develop a blended finance solution capable of attracting private investment.
• Hold a significant implementation role.
• Obtain internal leadership approval.
• Target eligible Indo-Pacific countries.
• Focus on climate action, gender equality, or both.
• Present a credible pathway toward investment readiness and financial sustainability.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be assessed based on:

Development Impact

Projects should generate measurable environmental and social benefits, particularly for underserved populations including:

• Women
• Indigenous communities
• Persons with disabilities
• Communities in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)
• Frontier markets

Scalability and Replicability

Proposals should demonstrate potential to:

• Mobilize significant private investment
• Expand across multiple markets
• Serve as models for future blended finance initiatives

Additionality

Applicants should explain:

• Why blended finance is necessary
• How the project addresses financing gaps
• Why grant funding is essential

Gender Integration

Strong proposals integrate gender considerations throughout project design rather than treating gender as an additional feature.

Investment Readiness

Projects should demonstrate:

• Strong governance
• Financial sustainability
• Investor engagement
• Commercial viability
• Risk management

Internal Organizational Commitment

Applicants should show:

• Leadership support
• Dedicated implementation teams
• Alignment with organizational strategy

Stakeholder Partnerships

Preference is given to proposals with:

• Financial partners
• Implementation partners
• Regional stakeholder support

Track Record

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Relevant technical expertise
• Local implementation experience
• Strong partnerships
• Capacity to manage blended finance initiatives

Why This Programme Matters

Traditional grant funding alone cannot meet the growing financing needs for climate resilience and gender equality across the Indo-Pacific. By combining grants with technical expertise and private investment, the Indo-Pacific NGO Blended Finance Accelerator enables NGOs to create sustainable financing solutions that continue generating impact long after grant funding has ended.

The programme also strengthens NGO capacity to engage commercial investors, manage innovative financial vehicles, and build scalable development solutions capable of transforming communities across the region.

Key Dates

• Application Deadline: 20 July 2026

Interested NGOs are encouraged to prepare their concept notes well before the deadline to maximize their chances of success.

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