IFU / Impact Fund Denmark — Green Investment in Developing Countries

Enriched government · Found: 2026-03-14 20:15

Danish state DFI. Invests in SDG projects in developing countries with Danish partners. Circular economy and green transition mandate. Rolling applications.

Source: https://impactfund.dk/apply-for-funding/

Funding Details

Funder

Impact Fund Denmark (formerly IFU) — Danish government-owned DFI

Funding Goal

Sustainable growth and high-impact solutions in developing countries; contribute to the green transition

Funding Amount

Equity, loans, venture capital, guarantees — project-by-project; past range EUR 500K – EUR 20M+

Deadline

Rolling applications via impactfund.dk/apply-for-funding/ (Rolling)

How to Apply

Submit application/investment proposal at impactfund.dk. Contact: contact@impactfund.dk

Target Region

146 eligible countries globally; strong presence in Africa, Asia, Latin America

Contact

contact@impactfund.dk

Last Checked

2026-03-14 20:16

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Danish entity involved in the project (confirmed — organisation is Danish)
• Project is in an IFU-eligible developing country (Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Indonesia, Vietnam, India all qualify)
• Project has commercial orientation (revenue from plastic recycling/product sales)
• Viable business plan and financial projections

Project Scope

• Green investment with climate co-benefits
• Employment creation and local value addition
• SDG contribution documented

Constraints

• Commercial return requirement (concessional rates available but not grant)
• Danish co-investor/developer required
• Project size minimum likely USD 500K+

Summary

Impact Fund Denmark (IFU) is the closest thing to a home funder for this organisations developing-country plastic waste work. As a Danish government-owned DFI, it specifically seeks to co-invest alongside Danish companies and organisations in commercial projects in developing countries. The alignment is strong: Danish NGO + commercial recycling value chains + Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Indonesia, Vietnam, India. The pathway requires commercial structuring. IFU cannot invest in pure NGO grant projects. However, many of the organisations value chains — particularly in Indonesia and Vietnam where plastic recycling has clearer commercial economics — could be structured as investable businesses. The NGO could act as a technical partner or hold equity in a local SPV. A practical starting point would be a conversation with IFUs green investment team to understand whether any existing portfolio companies in the target countries are looking for technical partners in plastic waste. The newly launched strategy (2024) with its 80% climate mandate makes circular economy projects highly aligned. IFU also invests in funds — so if the organisation is building a network of local recycling operators, positioning this as an investable portfolio of impact assets (with the Danish NGO as fund manager) could be another entry point. This should be a high-priority relationship to develop in 2026 even if an investment application is not immediately viable.

Historical Context

IFU founded in 1967 as Danish government tool for private sector development. Has co-invested in over 1,300 companies in 100+ countries. EUR 31 billion contracted investments total. Rebranded as Impact Fund Denmark in 2024 with strengthened sustainability mandate. New investment strategy post-2024 increases minimum climate investment share.

Why it was added

grant-scan-2026-03-14-family-offices

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