Climate change - Children's Investment Fund Foundation

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Enriched family-office · Found: 2026-03-11 08:10

CIFF is committed to accelerating solutions that will mitigate climate change. A climate-safe future promises multiple benefits such as cleaner air, energy ...

Source: https://ciff.org/priorities/climate-change/

Funding Details

Funder: Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF)
Funding Goal: Accelerating solutions to mitigate climate change and improve children's lives through systemic change in energy systems, industrial decarbonization, air quality, agriculture, and urbanization
Funding Amount: $808 million total climate change portfolio; $1.7 billion total across all priorities. Individual grants range from millions to over $100 million (e.g., Say on Climate $105M, EU Green Deal $44.2M).
How to Apply: CIFF does not accept unsolicited proposals. They proactively identify opportunities by engaging with individuals and organizations in their priority areas. When a fit is identified, CIFF invites the organization to submit a two-page Concept Note, developed collaboratively with CIFF staff. If approved by the Executive Team, applicants then develop a comprehensive Investment Memo for Board of Trustees review. The typical timeline from concept note to approval is 15-20 weeks.
Target Region: Global — active in Europe, China, India, Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America, Mexico
Contact: No direct contact details found on the website. CIFF is based in London, UK.
Last Checked: 2026-03-11 22:08

Application Checklist

Eligibility

CIFF does NOT accept unsolicited proposals — organizations must be identified and invited by CIFF
Project must align with one of CIFF's strategic priority areas (climate change, child health, SRHR, girl capital, child protection)

Project Scope

Must demonstrate potential for transformational, systemic change — not incremental improvements

Required Documents

Two-page Concept Note required as first submission (developed in collaboration with CIFF)
Comprehensive Investment Memo required for board approval after concept note stage

Constraints

Must include robust monitoring, evaluation, and measurement frameworks with independent third-party evaluation
Must demonstrate cost-effectiveness and social return on investment
Expect 15-20 week timeline from concept note to investment memo approval

Summary

The Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) is one of the world's largest philanthropic organizations focused on children, with $1.7 billion in current multi-year grant commitments. Climate change is their largest priority area at $808 million (47% of total funding), reflecting their view that climate change is "the single biggest threat to the future of today's children." They note that less than 2% of global philanthropic funding addresses climate mitigation, positioning their work as critical gap-filling. CIFF's climate portfolio targets energy system transformation (coal phase-out, renewable energy scaling), industrial decarbonization (cement, steel), air quality improvements, HFC phase-down in cooling equipment, and agriculture/land use emissions. They operate across Europe, China, India, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America, employing cross-cutting strategies including climate diplomacy, financial restructuring, and communications campaigns. Individual grants can be very large, with examples like "Say on Climate" at $105 million and EU Green Deal implementation at $44.2 million. Critically, CIFF does not accept unsolicited proposals. They proactively identify partners and invite them to apply. The application process involves a two-stage review: first a two-page Concept Note for executive review, then a comprehensive Investment Memo for board approval, typically taking 15-20 weeks. They evaluate proposals on transformational impact, evidence-based approach, cost-effectiveness, scale/sustainability, and measurement/evaluation frameworks.

Historical Context

CIFF has invested over $30 million since 2009 in HFC phase-down efforts. The foundation has $1.7 billion in current multi-year commitments, indicating a long-standing and ongoing funding program. Climate change has been their largest priority area representing 47% of total commitments.

Sources

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