Blue Catalyst Fund 2026: Funding and Technical Support for High-Quality Mangrove Conservation and Restoration Projects

The Blue Catalyst Fund 2026 is now accepting applications from eligible mangrove conservation and restoration projects around the world. The initiative is designed to help high-quality blue carbon projects overcome the technical, financial and development barriers that often prevent promising coastal ecosystem projects from reaching implementation and investment readiness.

Led by Fair Carbon and Finance Earth, the Blue Catalyst Fund combines catalytic funding with specialist technical expertise, project development assistance, financial and transaction advisory services, and capacity building. The initiative is particularly focused on helping credible mangrove projects move from early-stage feasibility and development toward projects that can attract larger-scale investment.

Applications are open globally, providing an important opportunity for organizations and project developers working to protect, restore and sustainably manage mangrove ecosystems and other coastal and marine environments.

The deadline for applications is 19:00 BST / 20:00 CEST on Thursday, 1 October 2026.

What Is the Blue Catalyst Fund?

The Blue Catalyst Fund is an initiative focused on accelerating the development of high-quality blue carbon projects, particularly those involving mangrove conservation and restoration.

Blue carbon refers to carbon captured and stored by coastal and marine ecosystems. Mangroves are particularly important because they can store significant amounts of carbon while simultaneously providing ecological, economic and social benefits to coastal communities.

Despite their importance, many potentially impactful mangrove and blue carbon projects struggle to progress beyond the early development stage. Project developers may have a strong conservation concept but lack the financial resources, technical expertise, data, regulatory knowledge or investment preparation needed to turn that concept into a bankable project.

The Blue Catalyst Fund is intended to address this gap by providing support throughout different stages of project development.

The Fund is open to eligible projects globally, including projects that are still establishing feasibility as well as projects that have already progressed beyond the feasibility stage and require additional support to become investment-ready.

Why Is the Blue Catalyst Fund Important?

Coastal ecosystems face significant environmental pressures, while the development of high-quality blue carbon projects remains relatively limited compared with the potential of these ecosystems.

According to information presented by the Fund, coastal ecosystems can sequester substantially more carbon per hectare than terrestrial forests. At the same time, a significant proportion of the world’s coastal wetlands has already been lost.

Mangrove degradation also has major climate implications. The destruction and degradation of mangroves releases carbon that had previously been stored within these ecosystems while reducing the ability of coastal areas to provide important environmental services.

Coastal wetlands are also closely connected to fisheries and the livelihoods of coastal populations. Healthy mangrove ecosystems can provide habitat and nursery grounds for marine species, help protect coastlines and contribute to climate adaptation.

The Fund therefore recognizes that investment in mangrove conservation and restoration can deliver benefits that extend well beyond carbon markets.

Key challenges facing blue carbon projects include:

• High project development costs.
• Complex technical requirements.
• Difficulty establishing project feasibility.
• Regulatory and policy uncertainty.
• Limited access to appropriate early-stage finance.
• Lack of technical expertise in some project locations.
• Challenges preparing projects for investment.
• A gap between early-stage project development and larger-scale capital.
• Limited availability of high-quality blue carbon projects in the voluntary carbon market.

The Blue Catalyst Fund has been established to help address these barriers and create a pathway through which credible projects can progress toward implementation and investment.

What Support Does the Blue Catalyst Fund Provide?

One of the major strengths of the Blue Catalyst Fund is that it is not simply a conventional grant programme. Instead, it offers a combination of financial support, technical assistance, capacity building and investment-readiness support.

This integrated approach is intended to help project developers address multiple challenges at the same time.

1. Specialist Technical and Project Development Support

Selected projects can receive specialist technical and project development support covering different stages of the project-development process.

This can include assistance with establishing feasibility, project design and validation.

Technical support is particularly important for blue carbon projects because successful project development requires reliable environmental information, credible carbon accounting, appropriate methodologies, strong project design and consideration of regulatory and ecological requirements.

By providing access to specialist expertise, the Fund aims to help project developers improve the technical quality and credibility of their projects.

2. Early-Stage Catalytic Funding

The Blue Catalyst Fund provides early-stage catalytic funding to project developers.

Early-stage finance can be one of the most difficult forms of funding for conservation and nature-based projects to secure. Projects may have strong long-term potential but may not yet be sufficiently developed to attract conventional commercial investment.

Catalytic funding can help bridge this early-stage financing gap by supporting activities necessary to move a project toward greater technical and financial maturity.

3. Financial and Transaction Advisory

The Fund also provides financial and transaction advisory support.

This is important because developing a technically sound conservation project does not automatically make it investment-ready.

Project developers may need assistance understanding financial structures, preparing for investment, developing appropriate transactions and positioning their projects to attract follow-on capital.

The Fund’s financial and transaction advisory component is therefore designed to help projects move closer to the point where they can secure larger-scale investment.

4. Blue Carbon Academy and Capacity Building

The programme also includes capacity building through the Blue Carbon Academy.

Developing local technical expertise is an important component of creating sustainable blue carbon markets.

Rather than relying entirely on external technical expertise, capacity building can help strengthen knowledge and capabilities among people and organizations working in the project locations.

This can contribute to stronger local ownership and improve the long-term ability of project developers and stakeholders to manage and expand blue carbon initiatives.

How Does the Blue Catalyst Fund Financing Work?

The Fund’s financial support has an important distinction from a traditional grant.

Funding is provided as an unsecured contingent loan. The Fund does not take equity in the project, and repayment is required only if follow-on investment is secured.

This structure is designed to align the interests of the Fund with the success of the supported project.

For project developers, this can provide access to early-stage capital without requiring them to give up equity ownership in their project.

The contingent nature of the financing also means that repayment is linked to the project’s ability to secure subsequent investment.

Applicants should carefully review the official Applicant Information Pack to understand the specific financial arrangements, conditions and requirements applicable to their project.

What Types of Projects Is the Fund Looking For?

The current call is focused on high-quality mangrove conservation and restoration projects.

Projects can be at different stages of development. This means the opportunity is not restricted exclusively to projects that are already fully developed.

Eligible projects can range from those that are

• Establishing feasibility;
• Developing their project concept;
• Progressing through project development;
• Working toward project design and validation;
• Seeking technical assistance;
• Requiring early-stage catalytic funding; or
• Preparing to progress toward investment readiness.

The Fund’s objective is to support credible projects through the development of barriers that stand between an early-stage concept and a project capable of attracting larger-scale investment.

Global Eligibility

One of the notable features of the 2026 call is its global scope.

Applications are open to eligible projects globally. Therefore, the opportunity is not restricted to applicants from a particular country or continent.

This global approach is particularly relevant for mangrove conservation because mangrove ecosystems are distributed across tropical and subtropical coastal regions in many parts of the world.

Organizations and project developers working in eligible locations should therefore assess their projects against the Fund’s requirements rather than assuming that their country or region is excluded.

However, being located in an eligible country or region alone does not guarantee eligibility. Applicants should review the official Applicant Information Pack and complete the Fund’s eligibility process to determine whether their specific project qualifies.

Who Can Apply for the Blue Catalyst Fund?

The Blue Catalyst Fund is not primarily an individual scholarship or fellowship opportunity.

Instead, it is designed for project developers and organizations developing eligible mangrove conservation or restoration projects.

The relevant applicants are therefore expected to have a credible project rather than simply an individual interest in blue carbon or environmental conservation.

Potential applicants may include organizations and project-development entities working on mangrove conservation, restoration and related blue carbon activities, provided their projects meet the Fund’s eligibility requirements.

The opportunity may be particularly relevant to:

• Mangrove conservation organizations;
• Mangrove restoration initiatives;
• Blue carbon project developers;
• Environmental and conservation organizations;
• Nature-based solutions organizations;
• Organizations developing coastal ecosystem projects;
• Public, private or nonprofit entities involved in eligible project development; and
• Partnerships or project teams working toward investment-ready blue carbon projects.

Because the Fund uses a two-stage application process, applicants should carefully assess their project’s eligibility before submitting an application.

Application Process

The Blue Catalyst Fund uses a two-step application process.

Step 1: Eligibility Questionnaire

Applicants first need to complete an initial Eligibility Questionnaire.

This stage is intended to determine whether the proposed project meets the Fund’s basic eligibility requirements.

Applicants should therefore ensure that they have sufficient information about their project before beginning the application.

Step 2: Full Assessment

Projects that successfully pass the initial Eligibility Questionnaire will be invited to complete a more detailed Full Assessment.

The Full Assessment provides an opportunity for the Fund to examine the project in greater depth.

Because the process involves multiple stages, applicants are encouraged to apply early rather than waiting until the final deadline.

What Should Applicants Do Before Applying?

Potential applicants should take time to understand the programme before submitting their application.

The Fund specifically recommends reading the Applicant Information Pack before applying. This document provides important information about eligibility, the support available and the information applicants will need to provide at the different stages of the process.

Applicants should consider the following steps:

1. Read the Applicant Information Pack carefully.
   This should be the first step before starting the application.
2. Assess project eligibility.
   Confirm that the proposed project falls within the scope of the Fund.
3. Understand the project’s current development stage.
   Applicants should be able to explain whether the project is establishing feasibility, progressing through development or approaching investment readiness.
4. Prepare project information.
   Gather relevant technical, environmental, financial and organizational information.
5. Identify the project’s development needs.
   Consider whether the project requires technical assistance, catalytic funding, capacity building, financial advisory or transaction support.
6. Complete the Eligibility Questionnaire.
   Eligible projects that pass this initial stage may be invited to proceed to the Full Assessment.
7. Apply early.
   Because the application process has two stages, applicants should not wait until the final day to begin.

APPLY HERE

Blue Catalyst Fund Impact Goals

The Blue Catalyst Fund has established ambitious long-term goals for coastal and marine ecosystem protection and restoration.

By 2035, the Fund aims to:

• Protect or restore 150,000 hectares of coastal and marine ecosystems;
• Avoid or remove 32 million tonnes of CO2e over the lifetime of supported projects; and
• Unlock $275 million in private investment for coastal ecosystems and communities.

These targets demonstrate that the Fund is intended to operate beyond individual projects. Its broader objective is to contribute to the development of a stronger pipeline of high-quality coastal ecosystem projects capable of attracting private investment.

Why Mangrove Conservation Matters

Mangroves are among the world’s most valuable coastal ecosystems.

They provide important ecological services while also supporting communities that depend on coastal resources.

Climate mitigation

Mangroves capture and store carbon, making them important ecosystems in efforts to address climate change.

Protecting existing mangroves can also help prevent the release of carbon associated with ecosystem degradation.

Coastal protection

Mangrove forests can help reduce the impacts of waves, storms and coastal erosion.

This makes mangrove conservation relevant not only to climate mitigation but also to climate adaptation and resilience.

Fisheries and biodiversity

Mangrove ecosystems provide habitat and nursery areas for numerous marine and coastal species.

Healthy coastal wetlands can therefore contribute to fisheries productivity and broader biodiversity conservation.

Community livelihoods

Coastal communities may depend on mangrove ecosystems for fisheries, natural resources and other livelihood opportunities.

Well-designed conservation and restoration projects can therefore potentially deliver environmental benefits alongside social and economic benefits.

Organizations Behind the Blue Catalyst Fund

The Blue Catalyst Fund is led by Fair Carbon and Finance Earth, working alongside specialist technical partners.

Fair Carbon

Fair Carbon is a nonprofit organization focused on accelerating the protection and restoration of blue carbon ecosystems by addressing technical, financial and policy barriers that restrict the growth of the blue carbon market.

Finance Earth

Finance Earth is a regulated social enterprise providing advisory services to private, public and nonprofit organizations. According to the Fund’s information, the organization has advised on more than 100 projects across more than 30 countries.

NIKA

NIKA is a Singapore-based company providing carbon technical services using technologies and approaches including artificial intelligence, remote sensing and geospatial analysis.

TerraCarbon

TerraCarbon specializes in blue carbon and wetland restoration and has experience in developing nature-based carbon offset projects.

Silvestrum

Silvestrum specializes in nature-based solutions and brings together policy, scientific, technical, financial and legal expertise.

Together, these organizations provide the specialist expertise required to support projects through different aspects of blue carbon project development.

Why This Opportunity Could Be Valuable for Project Developers

The Blue Catalyst Fund offers more than a single source of financing.

For an eligible project, the combination of technical expertise, capacity building, catalytic finance and investment advisory can potentially address several of the major challenges faced during project development.

This makes the opportunity particularly relevant for projects that have strong environmental potential but require additional support before they can attract larger-scale investment.

The Fund may be especially valuable for project developers that are struggling with the transition from:

Concept → Feasibility → Project Development → Validation → Investment Readiness → Follow-on Investment

By supporting this development pathway, the programme aims to help create a stronger pipeline of credible and investable coastal ecosystem projects.

Deadline for Applications

The deadline for applications to the current Blue Catalyst Fund call is

Thursday, 1 October 2026, at 19:00 BST / 20:00 CEST.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications early because the process consists of an initial Eligibility Questionnaire followed by a more detailed Full Assessment for projects that pass the first stage.

How to Apply

Interested project developers should first read the official Applicant Information Pack to determine whether their project is eligible and understand what information will be required.

Applications can then be submitted through the official Blue Catalyst Fund application process.

Applicants should rely on the official Fund documentation for the most detailed and authoritative eligibility and application requirements.

Visit HERE for more information about the Blue Catalyst Fund 2026.

Conclusion

The Blue Catalyst Fund 2026 represents an important opportunity for organizations and project developers working to protect and restore mangrove ecosystems and develop high-quality blue carbon projects.

Rather than focusing solely on financial support, the Fund takes a broader approach by combining technical expertise, project development assistance, catalytic funding, capacity building, financial advisory and transaction support. Its financing structure is also designed to support project development without taking equity, with repayment of the contingent loan required only when follow-on investment is secured.

With a goal of protecting or restoring 150,000 hectares of coastal and marine ecosystems, avoiding or removing 32 million tonnes of CO₂e, and unlocking $275 million in private investment by 2035, the initiative is positioned to contribute to the development of a stronger global blue carbon market.

Eligible mangrove conservation and restoration projects around the world should carefully review the Applicant Information Pack, assess their eligibility and begin the two-stage application process as early as possible.

The application deadline is 1 October 2026 at 19:00 BST / 20:00 CEST.

For more global Grant opportunities, visit OFY HERE.