MENUMENU
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).
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.
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).
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:
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:
The diverse activities funded by NCTFs address a wide range of conservation needs:
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 its impact on ecosystems.
Sustainable tourism practices are encouraged, generating economic benefits for local communities while protecting natural resources.
Degraded lands are given a new lease on life through restoration projects funded by NCTFs.
NCTFs support scientific research that provides crucial data for informed conservation decision-making.
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.
The Caribbean Sustainable Finance Architecture (CSFA) is the network formed by the CBF and its partner 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:
For a comprehensive understanding of this program, we invite you to explore the following resources:
The Conservation Finance Program focuses on the provision of funding towards the protection and management of biodiversity and natural resources and is mainly supported through the Endowment Fund. The proceeds of this Fund are invested in country-based sub-accounts and are channeled through partner National Conservation Trust Funds (NCTFs), who in turn lead grant-making programs at the national level.
