OUR PRIORITIES

Conservation Finance

The Conservation Finance Program provides critical funding for protecting and managing biodiversity and natural resources. Explore how our Endowment Fund fuels sustainable conservation efforts.
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Program Overview

The Caribbean territories are endowed with a rich and globally unique biodiversity. They are home to more than
12,000 species; 300 bird and mammal species can only be found here but these natural wonders are under threat by
climate change, expansion of human settlements, natural disasters, over exploitation of natural resources, and other threats.

The aim of the Conservation Finance Program is to create a stronger Caribbean Sustainable Finance Architecture with increased funding for priority conservation actions in the region.
Through the Conservation Finance Program, the CBF provides financial resources and capacity building to strengthen its network of partner National Conservation Trust Funds (NCTFs) that together with the CBF form the Caribbean Sustainable Finance Architecture (CSFA).

📄Conservation Finance Fact Sheet

📌Conservation Finance Poster

Institutional Projects

As part of the CBF’s strategic approach, the organization currently implements a number of regional projects from financing partners designed to further strengthen the CSFA and strengthen the position of the CBF as a regional funding mechanism.

Conservation Program Outcomes

  1. CBF and the NCTFs are increasingly strengthened as mature organizations, with institutional financial sustainability, strong reputation and complete organizational structure
  2. Continuously increasing funding delivered to relevant projects/programs with enhanced management and conservation capacity at the national level
  3. Conserve, restore and/or maintain important ecosystems to achieve enhanced ecological integrity whilst also contributing to sustainable livelihoods

The CBF Endowment Fund

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.

CBF Endowment growth in USD (KPI CF2)

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.

Beneficiary Countries

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).

National Conservation Trust Funds

National Conservation Trust Funds (NCTFs) are private, legally independent institutions designed to mobilize and leverage incremental financing to promote the sustainability of key terrestrial and marine conservation initiatives within their countries.

Conservation Trust Funds (CTFs) offer several advantages and added value to conservation efforts:

  1. Financial Management Expertise: CTFs are typically adept at managing financial resources effectively, ensuring that funds allocated for conservation purposes are utilized efficiently and transparently.
  2. Long-term Sustainability: CTFs often focus on generating long-term sustainable revenue streams for conservation projects. This could involve endowment funds, investments, or innovative financing mechanisms, ensuring ongoing support for conservation efforts.
  3. Local Empowerment and Ownership: CTFs are usually established and managed locally or regionally, fostering a sense of ownership and empowerment among local communities and stakeholders in conservation initiatives.
  4. Flexibility and Adaptability: CTFs can adapt to changing conservation priorities and needs over time, providing flexibility in allocating funds to address emerging threats or opportunities.
  5. Partnership Facilitation: CTFs often act as intermediaries, facilitating partnerships between various stakeholders such as governments, NGOs, private sector entities, and local communities, fostering collaboration and collective action for conservation goals.
  6. Risk Mitigation: By diversifying funding sources and investment portfolios, CTFs can help mitigate financial risks associated with conservation projects, ensuring more stable and resilient funding streams.
  7. Capacity Building: CTFs may engage in capacity-building activities to strengthen the skills and knowledge of local conservation organizations and practitioners, enhancing their ability to implement effective conservation projects.

Impact of 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:

Projects Funded
Supporting innovative solutions across the Caribbean
+ 0
Million Disbursed
Directly impacting communities and ecosystems
US$ 0
Beneficiary Countries
Building resilience together
0

Activities Supported by NCTFs

The diverse activities funded by NCTFs address a wide range of conservation needs:

Protected Area Management & Establishment

NCTFs support the effective management and creation of protected areas, safeguarding critical habitats for future generations.

Infrastructure Development

Funding goes towards building sustainable infrastructure within and around protected areas, supporting access and conservation efforts.

Environmental Education

NCTFs invest in educational programs that empower communities and foster a deeper appreciation for the environment.

Community Engagement

Active community participation is crucial. NCTFs support initiatives that engage local stakeholders in conservation efforts.

Environmental Policy & Climate Action

NCTFs support the development and implementation of effective environmental policies that address climate change and its impact on ecosystems.

Ecotourism

Sustainable tourism practices are encouraged, generating economic benefits for local communities while protecting natural resources.

Land Restoration

Degraded lands are given a new lease on life through restoration projects funded by NCTFs.

Research

NCTFs support scientific research that provides crucial data for informed conservation decision-making.

Our National Conservation Trust Funds

To date, the CBF has 10 partner national conservation trust funds. These NCTFs are responsible for the selection and monitoring of projects on the ground to support local NGOs, community organizations, government, and academia that are aligned with the CBF´s objectives. Supporting biodiversity conservation goes hand-in-hand with livelihood improvement for local communities, and also supporting and influencing national and regional policy frameworks.

Dominica National Conservation Trust Fund
Bahamas Protected Areas Fund
St.Vincent and the Grenadines Conservation Fund
Saint Lucia National Conservation Fund
St. Christopher and Nevis Conservation Foundation
National Conservation Trust Fund of Jamaica
Haiti Biodiversity Fund
Guyana Protected Areas Trust
Grenada Sustainable Development Trust Fund

Caribbean Sustainable Financing Architecture

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 tackle two key challenges pertaining to financial flows for conservation in the Caribbean:

  1. Establishing a central hub of attraction and reference for financial and technical partners, providing favorable financial terms, diversification, and investment security to instill confidence in potential donors and partners.
  2. Strengthening the absorptive capacity of Conservation Trust Funds in the region within the biodiversity sector, enabling them to efficiently utilize financial resources and achieve tangible outcomes with heightened impact on biodiversity conservation.

Grenada Forum Summary Report (PDF)

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.

Key outcomes included a consensus on establishing a regional Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Financing Facility and a Blue Economy Hub to strengthen sustainable marine management. Participants emphasized that success requires inclusive governance, aligning efforts with national priorities, and embedding equity and community participation at the core of conservation strategies.

Recommendations urged countries to institutionalize biodiversity integration into national policies and budgets and standardize regional monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks for tracking 30×30 commitments. The CBF reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining collaborative momentum toward achieving regional and global conservation goals.

Achieved Networking Initiatives for CSFA

Below are selected highlights of our annual networking forums and collaborative learning events that support the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF)-led Caribbean Sustainable Finance Architecture (CSFA) strategic agenda.

Additional resources from our 2024 and earlier events will be added here as they become available.

Program Resources

For a comprehensive understanding of this program, we invite you to explore the following resources:

Hurricane Beryl Relief Funds for 4 Countries Approved

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. Read more: Rising from the Storm | Mitigating Hurricane Debris Impact

Partnership between CBF and the Global Environmental Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP)

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. Read more: Preserving Paradise

Capacity Building for Partner Conservation Trust Funds

One of the CBF’s priorities is to support the growth of partner Conservation Trust Funds through capacity building initiatives. Read more: Talking Nature Makes Cents (Barbados, June 2023)

Conservation Trust Fund Capacity Building – St. Lucia, October 2024

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.

Conservation Trust Fund Capacity Building – Dominica, April 2024

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.