The SDG Impact Finance Initiative (SIFI) invites proposals from impact investment fund managers seeking to scale commercially viable investment solutions that strengthen the resilience of agricultural, forest and land-use systems in emerging and developing economies.

This is SIFI's fifth Call for Proposals under its Investment Window. The initiative provides first-loss equity investments into impact investment funds to help mobilise private capital, support measurable progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and address development challenges in ODA-eligible countries.

The call seeks innovative investment strategies that restore degraded land and ecosystems, protect biodiversity, improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and rural communities, and reduce vulnerability to climate risks.

Funding and Support

• Total investment available: Up to CHF 10 million.
• Number of awardees: One or up to two candidates.
• Financing instrument: First-loss equity investment into impact investment funds.
• Target fund size: At least USD 50 million.
• Eligible fund asset classes: Private equity, private debt, venture capital or guarantees.

SIFI may allocate the full CHF 10 million to one selected candidate or divide the investment between up to two candidates. Applicants may propose a new fund or an existing fund and must indicate the minimum investment amount required from SIFI for the proposed fund to be viable.

The first-loss structure is designed to absorb initial investment risk and help attract additional private-sector capital into development-focused investment opportunities.

This is not a direct grant programme for individual farmers or agricultural businesses. Applications are intended for qualified impact fund managers proposing investment funds.

Purpose and Objectives

The call aims to:

• Mobilise private capital for resilient agriculture, sustainable forestry and land-use solutions.
• Restore degraded land and ecosystems and protect biodiversity.
• Improve the livelihoods and economic opportunities of smallholder farmers and rural communities.
• Reduce exposure to climate risks through commercially viable investment solutions.
• Strengthen impact investment markets in developing economies.
• Promote gender equality and improve women's access to finance, agricultural inputs, land, technology and markets.

Priority Areas and Scope

Proposed investment funds must address at least one of the following thematic areas:

Agroforestry and Sustainable Forest Management

Investments that improve forest management, support agroforestry systems and promote sustainable use of forest resources.

Land Restoration, Conservation and Biodiversity

Investments in restoring degraded land, conserving ecosystems and promoting biodiversity-positive land use.

Climate-Smart and Regenerative Agriculture

Investment strategies that support regenerative production systems, improve agricultural resilience and strengthen sustainable land management.

Climate-Resilient Agricultural Value Chains

Investments that strengthen agricultural value chains and improve access to finance for smallholder farmers and agricultural SMEs.

Proposals should demonstrate commercially viable investment opportunities, measurable environmental and social impact, and a clear strategy for mobilising private capital.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must be legally established entities and must satisfy all minimum eligibility criteria in the Stage-1 Request for Proposals. Failure to meet any single criterion or provide adequate supporting evidence may result in disqualification.

Minimum requirements include:

• Assets under management: At least USD 50 million, either in the current fund or through previous senior asset-management roles.
• Management experience: At least 10 years of senior-level experience within the management team in asset management or other relevant roles, including private equity, private debt, venture capital, impact investment, investment banking or strategic consultancy.
• Eligible asset classes: Private equity, private debt, venture capital or guarantees.
• Target fund size: At least USD 50 million.
• Fund manager commitment: At least 1% of the fund at all times.
• Fund lifetime: A maximum of 12 years. Evergreen funds are permitted provided SIFI receives its invested capital within 12 years.
• Environmental and social standards: At least the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Fundamental Conventions.
• First close: Planned within 12 months of the award announcement.
• Geographic allocation: At least 70% of the fund allocated to ODA-eligible countries.
• SDG alignment: At least 60% of the fund aligned with SDG 13 and/or SDG 15.
• Documentation: If selected for Stage 2, the fund must confirm that all documentation, including the financial model, has been updated within the preceding 12 months.

Applicants must also meet applicable tax, integrity, governance, environmental and social requirements. Development finance institutions, multilateral development banks, similar institutions and individuals are excluded from eligibility.

Geographic Scope

The fund must allocate at least 70% of its investments geographically to countries on the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) List of ODA Recipients.

Potential target countries may be located across Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, the Caucasus and Central Asia, and Eastern Europe.

The proposed fund must clearly define its investment geographies and demonstrate how its strategy contributes to measurable development outcomes in ODA-eligible markets.

Target Sustainable Development Goals

The proposed fund must align with at least one of the following SDGs:

• SDG 13 – Climate Action: Address climate change and its impacts.
• SDG 15 – Life on Land: Protect and restore terrestrial ecosystems, promote sustainable forest management, combat desertification and reverse land degradation and biodiversity loss.

Preference will be given to funds that integrate SDG 5 – Gender Equality as a cross-cutting objective, particularly through improving women's access to finance, inputs, land, technology and markets.

Application Process

The call follows a two-stage competitive selection process.

Stage 1: Request for Proposals

Applicants must submit a technical proposal, a financial model and the prescribed forms and appendices.

The technical proposal must have a maximum of 10 pages for the main proposal text, excluding the cover sheet, appendices and forms. The cover sheet, technical proposal, appendices and forms must be combined into a single PDF file not exceeding 10 MB. The financial model must be submitted separately in Excel format.

Required technical proposal appendices include team CVs, the fund pipeline, investment track record, investor presentation, theory of change and impact framework, capital structure and SIFI's role, and fundraising status overview.

Stage 2: Further evaluation

Shortlisted candidates will receive tailored clarification questions, participate in a clarification call and be interviewed by members of the Investment Committee.

Applicants should ensure that their proposed investment strategy, fund structure, financial model, pipeline, impact measurement framework and fundraising strategy are clearly articulated.

Important Dates

• Call launched: 2 November 2026.
• Deadline for clarification requests: 16 November 2026 at 12:00 noon CET.
• Main application deadline: 30 November 2026 at 18:00 CET.
• Main contact registration: Contact details must be provided to the Tender Agent at least seven calendar days before the application deadline.

The application deadline is 19:00 South African time. Clarification requests close at 13:00 South African time.

Industry / Sector

Impact investment, financial services, sustainable agriculture, forestry, land restoration, biodiversity conservation and climate finance.

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South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, Senegal, Zambia, Malawi, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brazil, Colombia, Morocco.