Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) Green Fund

Enriched – · Found: 2026-03-13 16:41

South Africa-based catalytic finance fund for green economy projects including waste management and plastic waste value chains. Provides up to R25m for project preparation and R70m for investment funding. Supports NGOs, SMEs, municipalities, and research institutions in circular economy transitions.

Source: https://www.dbsa.org/solutions/climate-financing/green-fund

Funding Details

Funder

Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)

Funding Goal

Facilitate South Africa's transition to a green economy by funding innovative and high-impact green economy projects including waste management and recycling infrastructure, low-carbon energy, sustainable transport, water and sanitation, and youth development within a greening context.

Funding Amount

Up to ZAR 25 million (approx. EUR 1.2 million) for project preparation and feasibility studies; up to ZAR 70 million (approx. EUR 3.4 million) for investment funding. Partial co-funding only.

Deadline

Rolling basis - Green Fund accepts applications on an ongoing basis (Rolling)

How to Apply

Contact DBSA via dbsa.org/contact-us or the Apply for Funding page. Initial screening and feasibility review by DBSA Green Fund team. Applications assessed against key selection criteria including national priority alignment, sector fit, leverage, scalability, and development impact.

Target Region

South Africa

Contact

DBSA contact: dbsa.org/contact-us

Last Checked

2026-05-07 02:09

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Applicant must be South Africa-registered (companies, NGOs, municipalities, SOEs, research institutions)

Project Scope

• Project must demonstrate alignment with South Africa's NDC and SDG targets
• Waste management focus: MRFs, solid waste programmes, waste pelletisation are priority areas

Required Documents

• Show financial and management capacity to implement and maintain the project

Constraints

• Co-funding required — Green Fund provides partial funding only
• Project preparation funding up to ZAR 25m; investment funding up to ZAR 70m
• Tenure up to 15 years; funding products matched to project stage

Summary

The DBSA Green Fund is a catalytic finance facility managed by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), established in 2012 to facilitate South Africa's transition to a green economy. With initial capitalisation of ZAR 1.1 billion from National Treasury, it provides blended finance support for innovative green economy projects that are underserved by conventional markets. The fund's thematic priorities include: supporting a just transition to a low-carbon economy through new energy technologies, building materials innovation, and transport greening; aligning with the government's District Development Model and the DFFE Waste Phakisa Programme — specifically supporting material recovery facilities (MRFs), national solid waste programmes in municipalities, and waste pelletisation; promoting biogas technologies for SMEs; and supporting youth skills development within a greening context. Eligible activities include: waste management infrastructure development (MRFs, composting, waste processing), low-carbon energy generation and storage technologies, sustainable human settlements, green transport, water and wastewater treatment, and capacity building for green economy skills. The geographic scope is South Africa only. All funded projects must demonstrate alignment with national climate commitments (NDCs) and Sustainable Development Goals. Eligible applicants include private companies, SMEs, tier 2/3 municipalities, metropolitan municipalities, provincial governments, state-owned enterprises, NGOs, research institutions, and universities. Applicants must demonstrate project management capacity, co-funding commitment, and financial viability. The fund provides partial co-funding only, requiring applicant co-investment. Funding products are matched to project stage: project preparation support (up to ZAR 25 million) and investment funding (up to ZAR 70 million), with tenure up to 15 years. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis through DBSA's contact process.

Historical Context

The Green Fund was established in 2012 through a Memorandum of Agreement between DBSA and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE). Initial funding of ZAR 1.1 billion was allocated by National Treasury through DFFE. Assets and operational management were transferred to DBSA from 1 April 2020. DFFE remains on the strategic steering committee.

Sources

• https://www.dbsa.org/solutions/climate-financing/green-fund

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