CBF and the NCTFs are increasingly strengthened as mature organizations, with institutional financial sustainability, strong reputation and complete organizational structure.
Continuously increasing funding delivered to relevant projects and programs with enhanced management and conservation capacity at the national level.
Conserve, restore and maintain important ecosystems to achieve enhanced ecological integrity while contributing to sustainable livelihoods.
Under the Conservation Finance Program, the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) manages an Endowment Fund that invests funding for long-term conservation and to provide support and financial resources to eligible National Conservation Trust Funds (NCTFs).
Initial donor contributions included USD 8 million from The Nature Conservancy, USD 7.6 million from GEF/World Bank and USD 750,000 from the GEF/UNDP. Most recently, the Endowment Fund received investments of USD 11.3 million from the French Development Agency (AFD in 2022 and USD 3 million from World Bank in 2023. Both of these latest additional investments benefitting Haiti.
Created in 2012, the CBF Endowment Fund now has a market value of around USD 98 million (as of December 2023) and currently benefits 12 countries. Beneficiary countries gain access to the CBF Endowment Fund through a partnership agreement signed with a national conservation trust fund, under which the NCTF is eligible to request a portion of the interest generated by the CBF Endowment Fund. Subsequently, the NCTF is responsible for administering grant-making programs at both the sub-regional and national levels with this CBF funding.
NCTFs are required to cultivate new, sustainable revenue streams that match CBF resources on a 1:1 basis under their partnership agreement. This incentivizes NCTFs to establish financial mechanisms capable of channeling private and public resources towards nature conservation and sustainable development.
The CBF Endowment Fund supports conservation efforts across 12 Caribbean countries. These countries gain access to funding through partnerships with established National Conservation Trust Funds (NCTFs).
Explore the numbers to see the tangible impact of our National Conservation Trust Fund network through funded projects that are making a real difference across the Caribbean.
| Impact Area | Value | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Projects Funded
|
100+
|
Supporting innovative solutions across the Caribbean
|
Active |
|
Million Disbursed
|
$8M
|
Directly impacting communities and ecosystems
|
Distributed |
|
Beneficiary Countries
|
10
|
Building resilience together
|
Regional |
The diverse activities funded by NCTFs address a wide range of conservation priorities across the Caribbean, supporting ecosystems, communities and long-term resilience.
NCTFs support the effective management and creation of protected areas, safeguarding critical habitats for future generations.
Funding goes towards building sustainable infrastructure within and around protected areas, supporting access and conservation efforts.
NCTFs invest in educational programs that empower communities and foster a deeper appreciation for the environment.
Active community participation is crucial. NCTFs support initiatives that engage local stakeholders in conservation efforts.
NCTFs support the development and implementation of effective environmental policies that address climate change and ecosystem resilience.
Sustainable tourism practices are encouraged, generating economic benefits while protecting natural resources.
Degraded lands are restored through conservation projects funded by NCTFs across the region.
NCTFs support scientific research that provides crucial data for informed conservation decision-making.
The Caribbean Sustainable Finance Architecture (CSFA) is the network formed by the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) and its partner National Conservation Trust Funds (NCTFs). The goal of the CSFA is to bolster endeavors that significantly contribute to financing the long-term conservation and preservation of biodiversity within the Caribbean region.
As the Architecture matures, it aims to improve the movement, coordination and effective use of financial resources dedicated to biodiversity conservation across the Caribbean. Through the CBF and partner NCTFs, the CSFA supports a more structured, credible and collaborative financing environment for conservation outcomes.
Read the summary report from the Marine Conservation Forum in Grenada, hosted by the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund from May 7–9, 2025.
View PDF Report ↗The Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) hosted the Marine Conservation Forum in Grenada from May 7–9, 2025. The three-day event gathered over 50 Caribbean stakeholders, including representatives of nine National Conservation Trust Funds (NCTFs), government agencies, NGOs, and development partners.
The Forum served as a strategic platform to strengthen regional collaboration, build capacity, and accelerate marine conservation financing and implementation, particularly in pursuit of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) 30×30 targets.
For a comprehensive understanding of this program, we invite you to explore the following resources:
Through its CBF Endowment Fund and the Caribbean Regional Architecture for Biodiversity (CRAB) Project funded by the Government of France, CBF is providing USD 950,000 in hurricane recovery grants to partner National Conservation Trust Funds (NCTFs) in Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
In an innovative collaboration, the CBF has partnered with the GEF SGP to amplify its impact and reach across 12 shared countries. This partnership bolsters conservation efforts, promotes sustainable finance mechanisms, and supports local communities in their conservation endeavors.
This partnership supports the channeling of conservation funding through the GEF Small Grants Programme in Cuba, strengthening local action and expanding conservation financing pathways.
This collaboration supports stronger NGO capacity in The Bahamas, helping local organizations improve conservation outcomes and participate more effectively in sustainable biodiversity initiatives.
One of the CBF’s priorities is to support the growth of partner Conservation Trust Funds through capacity building initiatives.
This workshop brought together 11 Conservation Trust Funds to strengthen grantmaking processes and position them as leaders in sustainable conservation opportunities. Hosted in St. Lucia before the RedLAC Congress 2024, it maximized networking and knowledge mobilization.
Participating countries: The Bahamas, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname.This initiative equipped NCTFs with tools and insights to enhance outreach and effectiveness in national conservation efforts. Through interactive workshops, the CBF broadened its regional network, helping conservation trust funds evolve into well-established organizations with strong financial health and organizational structures.
Speakers included: Ryan Anselm, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy (Dominica), and Karolin Troubetzkoy, Chair of the CBF Board.
