The Conservation Finance Alliance Incubator seeks to identify, support and promote innovative ideas and solutions to conservation finance challenges that have significant positive conservation impacts. Innovation is essential to identify and develop conservation finance solutions and is especially urgent given the current rates of biodiversity loss. This virtual incubator will identify and support five concurrent projects for incubation for periods of 9 to 12 months. Support will be in the form of grants and mentorship by CFA members.
The Incubator will support a wide range of innovation in conservation finance, including conservation finance ventures that can generate a financial return and conservation finance concepts that lead to policy, regulatory, or non-profit finance solutions. All projects that enter the Incubator must be innovative and show clear potential for conservation impact to be considered for acceptance. Concepts can be from any sector (public, private, etc.) and can include ideas generated directly by CFA members, partner organizations, and independent organizations and entrepreneurs.
Call for proposals
This call for proposals will be open from December 11th 2019 through January 31st 2020 and reviews will be conducted at the completion of the call. Proposals received will be reviewed by a selection committee comprised by members of CFA’s Incubator Task Force. The Incubator will accept up to five (5) conservation finance proposals from this first call. The next call for proposals will be launched in the 4th quarter of 2020.
CFA Incubator support
- All entrepreneurs and innovators who submit a proposal will benefit from reviewers’ comments and feedback.
- Cash grants of $25,000 will be awarded to up to five (5) accepted proposals based on specific negotiated outputs and milestones determined for each project.
- Technical Support:
- Incubated entities will make an initial presentation to the Conservation Finance Alliance’s Innovation Working Group via a webinar and receive feedback on the concepts.
- Two CFA mentors will be provided to each team for the course of the virtual incubation period.
- The CFA ED will provide technical support and mentorship to all projects on a regular basis.
4. Promotion and communication:
- Presentation of final business plans or concepts will be conducted at CFA or partner events with opportunity for presentation to donors and potential investors.
- Write up and promotion of innovative solutions will occur via CFA communication channels and partners.
To apply, please produce a proposal using the downloadable form or through the online application. Address any questions and send the final proposal (except for web-based submissions) to [email protected] by January 31st 2020.
