IUCN Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility (BNCFF)
Enriched Impact Investor · Found: 2026-03-10 21:36
IUCN BNCFF prepares pipeline of investable projects in natural coastal systems, offering project development support for nature-based solutions.
Source: https://www.iucn.org/theme/marine-and-polar/our-work/blue-natural-capital-financing-facility
Funding Details
- Funder
- IUCN Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility (BNCFF)
- Funding Goal
- Support the development of sound, investable Blue Natural Capital (BNC) projects with clear ecosystem service benefits, based on multiple income streams and appropriate risk-return profiles. Helps project developers build business cases for coastal and marine conservation projects that can attract private investment.
- Funding Amount
- Project development support grants provided; specific amounts not published on the website
- Deadline
- Unknown (periodic)
- How to Apply
- Sign up for email alerts at bluenaturalcapital.org/opportunities to be notified of the next call for proposals. There are currently no open calls. Email: bluenaturalcapital@iucn.org for inquiries.
- Target Region
- Global — projects in developing countries including Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia), South Asia (India), Africa (Sierra Leone), and Latin America (Peru, Colombia)
- Contact
- IUCN, Rue Mauverney 28, 1196 Gland, Switzerland | bluenaturalcapital@iucn.org | +41 (0)22 999 02 17
- Official Page
- https://bluenaturalcapital.org/bncff
- Last Checked
- 2026-03-15 13:12
Application Checklist
Eligibility
Project Scope
Required Documents
Constraints
Summary
The Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility (BNCFF), managed by IUCN and funded by the Government of Luxembourg and UBS Optimus Foundation, is a facility that provides project development support to help developers of coastal and marine conservation projects build investable business cases and attract private sector finance. The programme's objective is to bridge the gap between the conservation community and private investors by developing a pipeline of bankable Blue Natural Capital (BNC) projects. The thematic scope covers coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, and other coastal and marine ecosystems that provide ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, coastal protection, biodiversity refuges, and sustainable livelihoods. Eligible activities include project scoping and feasibility studies, business case development, financial structuring for multi-income-stream projects, connecting projects with private investors, and knowledge production on lessons learned. The facility supports Nature-based Solutions that can generate returns and attract private investment alongside conservation outcomes. Geographic scope is global, with a strong emphasis on developing countries. Previous BNCFF-supported projects span Southeast Asia (Indonesia: Raja Ampat, Banggai Province, Southeast Sulawesi; Philippines: Tañon Strait; Malaysia: Rajang-Belawai delta), South Asia (India: Palk Bay Dugong Conservation Reserve), Africa (Sierra Leone: Yawri Bay), and Latin America (Peru: Manglares de Tumbes; Colombia). Eligible applicants include project developers, conservation organisations, NGOs, and enterprises working on coastal and marine ecosystem projects. Projects must demonstrate potential for sustainable financing and clear ecosystem service benefits. The BNCFF does not directly fund implementation but supports the development of investable projects. The facility operates on a periodic call-for-proposals basis. As of early 2026, there are no open calls for proposals; interested parties are encouraged to register for email alerts on the BNCFF opportunities page. The facility has been active since 2018 and has supported 16 projects across 12 countries to date.
Historical Context
The BNCFF was launched in 2018 and is managed by IUCN, funded by the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg with support from UBS Optimus Foundation. It has supported 16 impactful projects across 12 countries. Project examples include mangrove restoration in Indonesia, coral reef MPA financing in Indonesia, seagrass protection, mangrove conservation in Malaysia, Peru, and Sierra Leone, and conservation financing in India's Palk Bay Dugong Reserve.
Why it was added
FI5: IUCN BNCFF blue natural capital project pipeline facility
Sources
- https://bluenaturalcapital.org/
- https://bluenaturalcapital.org/bncff
- https://bluenaturalcapital.org/opportunities
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