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Climate Finance Accelerator (CFA)
UK - Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
To accelerate the transformation of developing countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions into a pipeline of bankable projects, which have the potential to attract investment at scale from the private sector. The CFA will achieve this by facilitating ‘transaction-oriented’ workshops, convening project developers, policy makers and capital market players from participant countries with UK-based green finance experts.
Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures programme
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
Defra is one of the largest funders of the global, market-led, and science-based Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) initiative. The TNFD recommendations and supporting implementation guidance enable organisations to assess, report, and act on their evolving nature-related risks, opportunities, impacts, and dependencies, with the ultimate aim of supporting a shift in global financial flows towards nature-positive outcomes and achieving the goals of the Global Biodiversity Framework. Defra contributed £2,626,855 to support the TNFD initiative’s two-year open innovation ‘design and development’ phase, which culminated in the launch of the final TNFD corporate reporting recommendations on nature-related risk management and disclosure in September 2023 at New York Climate Week. From November 2021 – November 2022, Defra also contributed £1,675,000 to fund a TNFD African Voice pilot programme, with Financial Sector Deepening Africa (FSD Africa) acting as the delivery partner. This funding was used to secure engagement by African financial institutions, governments, and central banks, with the aim of ensuring that the TNFD framework is fit for purpose in African contexts. In addition, this funding supported the production of a report examining the materiality of nature-related risks for financial institutions in African contexts. At COP28 in December 2023, the Defra Secretary of State announced an additional £2 million funding to support the TNFD initiative’s global market uptake phase, which is focused on encouraging and enabling voluntary market adoption across sectors and geographies, and supporting efforts to address the knowledge, capacity building and data needs of market participants. In March 2025, Defra approved an additional £1 million funding support for the work of the TNFD's global market uptake phase.
ESRC-FAPESP Creating competitive advantage by serving marginalised communities: UK multinationals and inclusive development in Latin America
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
"Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) are often blamed for only serving the elite population when they operate in emerging markets. In addition, they require local governments to create infrastructure and arrangements that can support their activities in the respective country, thus diverting resources from underserved communities within the country towards serving the elite population. The purpose of this study is to explore how multinationals from advanced markets can contribute to the achievement of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals by addressing the needs of underserved populations and marginalised communities in emerging markets, while also providing expectations of long term economic return to their shareholders. Considering the increased awareness of doing good while doing well, MNEs are beginning to realise that profit maximization is not the only route to success. They need to improve their image and demonstrate that their existence is beneficial for the society in general, that is a more long-term route to achieve a competitive advantage. We intend to uncover the mechanisms and actions required by these companies to serve marginalised communities and to create a positive image in the society. To do so, we build from stakeholder theory, social entrepreneurship and value creation literature, and offer a qualitative cross-country study in Latin America. We will focus specifically on the experience of UK multinationals in Brazil and Colombia. We will collect data through focus groups and in-depth interviews with multiple actors (such as multinationals' executives, NGOs, underserved consumers, community leaders, local government representatives, investment promotion organizations, and local entrepreneurs). We will triangulate by comparing data from focus groups, interviews, and secondary sources to draw trustworthy conclusions. Further, we will use pattern matching and case comparison to analyse and make sense of data and draw conclusions. The MNEDEVELOP project is context specific and will culminate in a set of good practices for decisionmakers to incentivize positive actions by foreign firms that result in economic and social benefits for poorer communities in Brazil and Colombia. To address this complex research question, resources and expertise from the UK and Brazil will be combined. Principal and co-investigators have a successful track record in conducting research on MNEs impact in developing countries, on local firms, on engaging in training for managers, and working directly with policy makers. Key investigators are well-known international business scholars and experts with numerous relevant high-level publications. The UK team will contribute with theoretical framing, sharing research and training skills with local researchers, taking the lead in the analysis of data, producing actionable documents for stakeholders, and drafting academic publications. The Brazilian team will provide indepth knowledge of the research context, drawing on wider networks with businesses locally and close engagement with local societies while collecting data. As results we will provide guidelines for multinationals and other stakeholders as to how inclusive development can be achieved. " COVID-19
Inclusive Green Finance - An evaluation of "Fomenta Maricá", Brazil
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
This project creates a new collaboration between SOAS (UK) and UFF (Brazil) through a scoping study of the inclusive green finance project "Fomenta Maricá" and a two-day workshop in May 2025 with academics and policymakers. The goal is to evaluate the initiative and potentially suggest improvements and replication in other oil-rich medium-sized cities in Brazil and abroad. Given the negative socio-economic effects of climate change, a green transition strategy is urgent for oil-dependent regions. Maricá is among 485 Brazilian cities that earn royalties from oil exploitation. Maricá's government has led innovative initiatives to re-distribute earnings and foster the local economy. In 2017, it created the first subnational Sovereign Wealth Fund, of which 30% of funds would be allocated to local development projects. In 2020, it launched the programme "Fomenta Maricá", which provides loans to micro- and small enterprises (MSEs). Unlike previous microloans, those funds have higher borrowing limits, low interest rates and longer maturity. The scoping study will analyse existing quantitative data from Maricá's government project "Fomenta Maricá" to understand the profile of borrowers, how they employ the funds and whether they manage to repay the loan fully and on time. We are particularly interested in the disbursement to solar panel installation firms and their application. We will conduct small-sampled qualitative research with borrowers and policymakers to uncover potential challenges and spillovers that might not be grasped by the quantitative information. Given the existing literature, we could assume gender and race barriers and sectoral differences. We also expect challenges from solar panel firms, such as lack of demand and rising business costs. Yet, we could also expect spillover benefits beyond the firm, such as improvements in household well-being and social cohesion. We anticipate that the results can advance existing research on inclusive green finance by providing new evidence of state-led initiatives for sustainable local development. Three Early Career Researchers will form the research team: Thereza B Reis (SOAS), Fernanda Feil and Fernando Teixeira (UFF). Thereza will contribute to the project with her expertise on financial inclusion, Fernanda will contribute with her insights on state-led sustainable finance, and Fernando will contribute with his knowledge about microfinance and subnational Sovereign Funds in Brazil. To consolidate the partnership between SOAS and UFF, we want to organise a 2-day workshop in May 2025 to discuss issues of green finance and financial inclusion. We will organise it through SOAS' Centre for Sustainable Finance and UFF's Financialisation and Development Research Group (FINDE) to promote and strengthen the relationship between those two networks. We expect our preliminary results and workshop to improve Maricá's sustainable development policies, as well as foster similar initiatives for oil-dependent towns in Brazil and beyond. The Global Talent Exchange Award will be essential for the success of the scoping study as it will allow Thereza to conduct fieldwork in Maricá alongside UFF's researchers. Furthermore, it will provide the financing for the workshop, enabling the attendance of participants from outside Rio de Janeiro. Finally, we believe that such connections will allow for future joint research projects and application to larger funds, such as the ESRC-FAPESP grant, which would allow us to expand the research on inclusive green finance to other cities, such as Ilha Bela (São Paulo).
GFP - Global Finance Programme
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
Leverages the UK’s unique position as the world’s leading financial centre to increase access to finance for firms and individuals where beneficiaries are in developing countries, promoting shared prosperity through inclusive economic growth overseas, and the development of new markets in developing countries.
Climate Smart Jobs Programme
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
To strengthen the climate smart agribusinesses, creating jobs, support climate smart land management & services and to remove barriers that stop businesses getting deals.
Centre for Disaster Protection (CDP)
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
To protect poor and vulnerable people, save lives and help developing countries to get back on their feet more quickly after a disaster by working with governments to strengthen planning, embed early action, and use “risk financing” tools like insurance and contingent credit to finance more cost-effective, rapid and reliable response to emergencies. It aims to empower governments to build resilience to natural disasters and climate change, and take ownership of their risks, with more assistance delivered through pre-financed government-led systems. Funded by the UK Government Prosperity Fund until April 2021.
FSDA - Financial Sector Deepening Africa Platform
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
To drive inclusive growth through a combination of grants and development capital investments that build financial markets and institutions. The programme delivers ambitious multi-country activities and focused, local interventions which seek to strengthen capital markets, promote financial innovation, and help Africa finance a greener future.
IMPACT - Investment to fund innovative solutions for development and help develop sustainable investment markets
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
Investment to fund innovative solutions for development and help develop sustainable investment markets that work for the poor. FCDO is aiming to catalyse the market for impact investment in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Impact investments are those which have both a financial and social return by benefiting poor and low-income people through improved access to affordable goods and services and income generating opportunities. The Impact Programme aims to promote solutions to the barriers and constraints that are preventing Impact Investing from scaling up in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The programme seeks to foster a significant increase in the volume and distribution of impact investment, reaching the underserved as consumers, suppliers, distributors or employees, in hard to reach, difficult geographies, and through innovative business models.
SME - Small Medium Enterprise Initiative
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
Support through the International Finance Corporation scaling up of commercial banks' lending to Small and Medium Enterprises in DFID targeted developing countries in Africa and Asia, with a focus on FCAS. The Initiative will support scaling up of lending to small and medium enterprises through partnership with mainstream commercial banks, leasing companies and other non-banking finance companies in DFID priority countries. The Initiative will provide banks with risk sharing mechanisms, technical assistance and advisory services as well as improved credit history information and referencing in support of scaling up their financing to small and medium enterprises.
Sudan Economic Impact and Reform (SEIR) Programme
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
To support Sudan’s economic recovery and lay the groundwork for growth by i. Mitigating the impact of economic reforms on the poorest and most vulnerable through social impact mitigation programming. ii. Providing technical assistance (TA) to the Government of Sudan to lead and implement a successful economic reform programme in line with IMF guidance supported by a comprehensive, cross government Poverty Reduction Strategy. iii. Helping prepare the Government of Sudan for debt relief under the Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) process so that in future it is able to access resources from International Financial Institutions (IFIs). The programme will support Sudan’s progress towards SDG1 – halving the numbers of people living in poverty – by reducing the risk of economic collapse and supporting Sudan’s economy to become a platform for future growth. Reducing inflation and arresting the collapse of the currency will alleviate the number of people requiring humanitarian aid.
Public Financial Management Multi Donor Trust Fund – Phase II
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
The programme provides support to strengthen Nepal’s Public Finance Management (PFM) systems in the context of the implementation of federalism.
POF - Pioneer Outcomes Funds
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
A programme to leverage private finance into high performing development projects using Impact Bonds and other pay-for-outcomes models at scale to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals. A multi-donor programme to commission development projects effectively and efficiently using new instruments that facilitate better links between financial markets and providers delivering pay-for-success contracts.
Programme to support accountability and inclusion (Programme d'Appui à la Redevabilité et l'Inclusion) (PARI)
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
This programme aims to increase the transparency, accountability and effectiveness of governance institutions at central level and in selected provinces to deliver better pro-poor services and support democracy and lasting stability in DRC.
Investing in Human Capital through Partnerships Beyond Aid in the Social Sectors Programme
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
To improve governance and accountability in education, health and social protection sectors and contribute to policy and research which will inform interventions to improve equity and reduce poverty.
Poorest States Inclusive Growth Programme
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
To enhance economic value generated for the poor as producers, consumers and employees by investing in impact enterprises. This will benefit up to 30 enterprises and generate employment incomes of at least £10m.To ensure poor and vulnerable people in low income states (especially women) benefit from economic growth through better access to financial services, and investing in private sector projects that will benefit the poor as producers, consumers and employers. This will benefit 12 million low income households with improved access to financial services and upto 30 enterprises in attracting additional investments worth £56 million.
Tristan da Cunha Provision of Technical Assistance and Essential Infrastructure 2023 to 2026
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
To enable the Administration of Tristan da Cunha to provide appropriate public services to meet the basic health, education, safeguarding and governance needs of the island community, through the provision of professional expertise and training.
British International Investment (BII) Programme of Support in Africa, South Asia, Indo-Pacific & Carib (2015-2027)
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
To enable BII to scale up its activity of investing and lending to support the building of businesses in developing countries, to create jobs and make a lasting difference to people’s lives in some of the world's poorest places. BII is FCDO’s main vehicle for investing in private companies in Africa, South Asia, Indo-Pacific and the Caribbean. BII encourages capital investments from other private investors by being a first mover, demonstrating to other investors that commercial returns are possible in these frontier markets, and by sharing risk and expertise. The additional equity from FCDO will enable BII to meet demand for capital in its target markets and allow BII to sustain a higher volume of more developmental investments across priority regions and business sectors
The Ethiopia Investment Advisory Facility (EIAF) Phase II Programme
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
The programme aim to provide flexible, demand-led technical assistance to Government of Ethiopia ministries, agencies and state-owned enterprises in order to enhance the effectiveness of public investments and improve the enabling environment for exporters. By providing technical expertise and capacity building in the areas of public investment management; industrial parks and their supporting infrastructure; and trade logistics, EIAF II aims to contribute to outward oriented, manufacturing led, sustainable and inclusive growth in Ethiopia.
Risk Pools Programme (RPP)
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
To support a parametric (index-based) weather risk insurance pool that will provide participating African countries with predictable, quick-disbursing funds with which to implement pre-defined contingency response plans in the case of a drought.
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