Rio Changemakers is inviting impact funds focused on climate and nature to apply to become part of the first cohort featured on a new global marketplace designed to connect trusted investment opportunities with investors and locally led projects.

The initiative aims to strengthen connections between climate and nature-focused capital and credible organizations working on solutions in emerging markets and developing economies. Funds selected for the first cohort will have the opportunity to help shape the platform while increasing their visibility among potential investors and accessing a growing pipeline of locally led projects seeking financing.

Priority consideration deadline: 26 September 2026

About Rio Changemakers

Rio Changemakers is an AI-enabled, science-guided marketplace being developed by the Government of Luxembourg and the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF).

The platform is being designed to address an important challenge in climate and nature finance: connecting credible, locally led initiatives with appropriate financing partners.

The marketplace aims to make it easier for:

• Investors to discover trusted climate and nature investment opportunities.
• Locally led projects to connect with potential financing partners.
• Impact funds to increase their visibility among investors.
• Capital to reach organizations and communities already leading climate and nature action.

The initiative places particular emphasis on locally led action across emerging markets and developing economies.

What Is the Rio Changemakers Call for Funds?

Rio Changemakers is looking for impact funds that invest in climate and nature solutions and are committed to supporting locally led action.

Selected funds will become part of the platform’s first cohort.

This means selected organizations will have an early opportunity to interact with and test the marketplace while contributing feedback that can help improve the platform before it grows further.

The call is therefore not simply an opportunity for funds to gain visibility. It is also an opportunity to participate in the development of a global financing platform intended to improve access to capital for locally led climate and nature initiatives.

Who Should Apply?

The call is specifically aimed at impact funds rather than individual applicants, NGOs applying for grants, students, researchers or individual entrepreneurs.

Funds should have an investment strategy focused on climate and/or nature solutions and demonstrate a commitment to supporting locally led action.

Rio Changemakers particularly welcomes funds that support:

• Indigenous Peoples
• Local communities
• Women-led organizations
• Youth-led organizations
• Other locally led initiatives

Priority will also be given to funds investing in specific regions of the Global South and other emerging and developing markets.

Priority Regions

Rio Changemakers states that priority will be given to funds investing in:

• Africa
• Asia
• Latin America
• The Pacific
• The Caribbean

Funds working across multiple regions may therefore be particularly relevant, especially where their investment strategies support locally led climate and nature solutions.

What Types of Funds Are Encouraged to Apply?

The initiative is looking for funds whose investment activities align with climate, nature and locally led development.

Potentially relevant funds may include those investing in areas such as:

• Climate solutions
• Nature-based solutions
• Biodiversity
• Conservation
• Sustainable land management
• Sustainable agriculture
• Climate resilience
• Community-led environmental initiatives
• Locally led development
• Women’s climate initiatives
• Youth-led climate initiatives
• Indigenous-led environmental initiatives
• Other climate and nature-related solutions

The key consideration is whether the fund’s investment strategy aligns with the objectives of Rio Changemakers.

Why Join the First Rio Changemakers Cohort?

Being selected for the first cohort can provide several potential benefits to participating funds.

1. Early Access to the Marketplace

Selected funds will be among the first organizations to use the Rio Changemakers platform.

They will have an opportunity to create their fund profile and experience the platform before it expands further.

2. Increased Visibility

As Rio Changemakers develops its global marketplace, participating funds will have an opportunity to increase their visibility among investors looking for credible climate and nature investment opportunities.

A presence on the platform could help funds communicate their:

• Investment strategy
• Areas of focus
• Geographic priorities
• Climate and nature objectives
• Approach to locally led investment

3. Access to a Growing Project Pipeline

The platform is intended to connect funds and investors with a growing pipeline of credible, locally led climate and nature projects seeking financing.

For participating funds, this could create opportunities to discover potential investment opportunities that align with their strategies.

4. Help Shape the Platform

First-cohort participants will not simply use the platform.

They will also be asked to test key features and provide feedback.

Their feedback can help inform the development of a marketplace that better serves both:

• Investors and impact funds; and
• Locally led organizations seeking financing.

5. Contribute to a Global Public Good

Rio Changemakers describes the marketplace as a public good intended to help make it easier for capital to reach local people and organizations already leading climate and nature action.

By participating, funds can therefore contribute to a broader effort to improve the connection between capital and locally led climate and nature solutions.

How the Application Process Works

Interested impact funds are asked to complete an online questionnaire.

The questionnaire is designed to help Rio Changemakers understand the applicant’s:

• Fund structure
• Investment strategy
• Areas of focus
• Geographic priorities
• Approach to climate and nature investment
• Commitment to locally led action
• Readiness to participate in the first cohort

Applicants should provide accurate and complete information.

Where a question provides several options, applicants should select all applicable options unless the question specifically states otherwise.

How Long Does the Application Take?

The organizers estimate that the questionnaire will take approximately 15–20 minutes to complete.

Applicants are encouraged to prepare the relevant information about their fund and investment strategy before beginning the questionnaire.

Application Review Process

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

This means applicants do not necessarily need to wait until the final deadline to apply.

However, Rio Changemakers encourages interested funds to submit their applications by:

26 September 2026

for priority consideration.

Funds interested in joining the first cohort should therefore consider submitting their applications as early as possible.

What Happens If Your Fund Is Selected?

Selected funds will become part of the first Rio Changemakers cohort.

As a participating organization, your fund will have the opportunity to:

1. Create a profile on the marketplace.
2. Test important platform features.
3. Provide feedback on the platform.
4. Help identify ways the marketplace can better serve investors and locally led organizations.
5. Increase visibility among potential investors.
6. Potentially connect with a growing pipeline of locally led climate and nature projects seeking financing.

This makes the opportunity particularly relevant to funds that want to play an active role in shaping the future of climate and nature finance.

Why Locally Led Climate and Nature Finance Matters

One of the central ideas behind Rio Changemakers is the need to improve connections between financing and the people and organizations closest to climate and nature challenges.

Locally led organizations often have deep knowledge of their communities and ecosystems and may be directly involved in developing and implementing solutions.

The marketplace is intended to make it easier for investors to discover credible opportunities while helping locally led initiatives connect with financing partners.

This approach places local actors at the center of climate and nature action rather than treating them simply as beneficiaries of externally designed projects.

Geographic Focus

Although the initiative has a global ambition, priority will be given to funds investing in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Pacific and the Caribbean.

Funds with significant investment activity in these regions should therefore pay particular attention to this opportunity.

The geographic focus also makes the call especially relevant to impact funds supporting climate and nature solutions in developing and emerging economies.

Click HERE to read more and apply.

 

Application Deadline

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

For priority consideration, impact funds are encouraged to apply by:

26 September 2026

The questionnaire takes approximately 15–20 minutes to complete.

Conclusion

The Rio Changemakers Call for Funds offers climate and nature-focused impact funds an opportunity to become part of the first cohort of an emerging global marketplace connecting investors with credible, locally led projects.

The initiative is particularly relevant to funds investing in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Pacific and the Caribbean, as well as funds supporting Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women-led organizations, youth-led organizations and other locally led initiatives.

Selected funds will gain an opportunity to create a profile, test the platform, provide feedback, increase their visibility among investors and potentially connect with a growing pipeline of climate and nature projects seeking financing.

With applications reviewed on a rolling basis, interested impact funds are encouraged to submit their applications by 26 September 2026 for priority consideration.

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