Common Fund for Commodities
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Common Fund for Commodities firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Common Fund for Commodities
- Legal name
- Common Fund for Commodities
- Website
- https://common-fund.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Common Fund for Commodities industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Development Finance / Impact Investment
- NAICS
- Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)
- SIC
- Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Impact Investment & Development Investment Funds (BPADACAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Funds (FSANAJAE), Trust Funds & Multi-Donor Pooled Funds (BPADAOAE), Biodiversity, Conservation & Natural Capital Funds (FSANAJAG), Commodity Trade Finance (Soft/Hard Commodities) (FSABAHAI)
Keywords
Where Common Fund for Commodities is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amsterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Common Fund for Commodities business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Impact Investment Financing: CFC provides financing through loans, grants, and equity investments to commodity value chain projects. The fund operates as an intergovernmental financial institution providing impact-oriented investments rather than generating commercial revenue.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Common Fund for Commodities product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Common Fund for Commodities is a UN-affiliated intergovernmental financial institution that provides impact-oriented financing (loans, grants, and equity investments) and technical assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises, cooperatives, smallholder farmers, and governments across commodity value chains in developing countries. Its core offerings center on commodity-sector impact finance combined with capacity building, deployed through vehicles such as the ACT Fund, the Technical Assistance Facility, and the CFC-FCDO Trust Fund.
Product overview
The Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) is a UN-affiliated international financial institution that operates as an impact investment fund focused on alleviating poverty through commodity value chain development. Its core offerings include the ACT Fund (providing USD 1.5-5 million debt financing to agri-SMEs), the Technical Assistance Facility (providing capacity development support), and the CFC-FCDO Trust Fund (providing small-ticket financing below USD 500,000). The organization combines financing instruments with technical assistance, climate finance mechanisms (including PES and results-based payments), and impact measurement frameworks (using IRIS+) to support smallholder farmers and SMEs across Africa, Latin America, and Asia. The Technical Assistance Facility manages specialized programs including the AATIF TA Facility and ATAF (Agroforestry Technical Assistance Facility) for Moringa Fund.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ACT Fund: Agricultural Commodity Transformation Fund - a private credit fund providing trade finance, working capital and long-term debt financing to SMEs in agricultural commodity value chains across Africa, Latin America and Asia
- Humanizing the Value Chains (HVC)
- CFC-FCDO Trust Fund
- Technical Assistance Facility
- Graduation Fund
Products and services
- ACT Fund (Agricultural Commodity Transformation Fund) A private credit fund providing trade finance, working capital, and long-term debt financing to SMEs in agricultural commodity value chains across Africa, Latin America, and Asia. The fund targets USD 75 million in total capital and typically provides between USD 1.5 million and USD 5 million per company.
- Technical Assistance Facility Provides expert consultancy and capacity development support to agribusinesses and partner institutions, with focus on smallholder supply chains and sourcing models. Currently manages the AATIF Technical Assistance Facility and the Moringa Investment Fund Agroforestry Technical Assistance Facility (ATAF).
- CFC-FCDO Trust Fund A GBP 5.4 million trust fund providing small-ticket financing (below USD 500,000) for small and medium-sized agri-businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa, paired with robust Technical Assistance packages focusing on farmer livelihoods, climate resilience, and nature protection.
- Graduation Pathways Financing Model Financing model supporting SMEs and cooperatives from project inception through scaling up, combining catalytic investment and technical assistance to strengthen enterprise capacity and enable sustainable growth in agricultural value chains. Designed to unlock financing for agri-SMEs that are too large for microfinance yet too small for traditional investors.
- Nature-Based Solutions and Climate Finance Programs Initiatives combining regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, sustainable forestry, and Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) to generate environmental assets for smallholders in commodity value chains across the Congo Basin, Peru, and other developing countries.
Quantifiable outcome
- 275,000 farmers to be reached through ACT Fund investments
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Common Fund for Commodities
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Common Fund for Commodities technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Common Fund for Commodities partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief)minorExplored partnership to link humanitarian aid with sustainable commodity development, particularly for vulnerable communities.
- Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI)coreCFC partners with CAFI to advance deforestation-free and inclusive value chains across the Congo Basin. CAFI Executive Board requested CFC to develop a USD 60 million regional private-sector investment programme for six CAFI partner countries.
- Africa Agriculture Trade and Investment Fund (AATIF)coreCFC has managed the AATIF Technical Assistance Facility since 2012, with €8.7 million in total TA funds pledged, supporting 45 agribusinesses and 138 TA projects across 19 African countries.
- Moringa Investment Fund / ATAFcoreCFC manages the Agroforestry Technical Assistance Facility (ATAF) for the Moringa Investment Fund, with €2.1 million pledged across projects in 10 countries in Africa and Latin America, completing 18 TA projects between 2016-2025.
- International Labor Organization (ILO)coreCFC partnered with ILO to develop its Social and Environmental Management System (SEMS), creating tools and procedures for systematic social and environmental risk assessment of potential projects.
- Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN)minorCFC adopted IRIS+ as its main reporting tool for impact measurement, managed by the Global Impact Investing Network.
- UNCTADcorePartnership with UNCTAD on productive capacities and sustainable development, including joint study on EUDR compliance and launch of CFC-UNCTAD study at 37th Governing Council.
- Rwanda Cooperative AgencyminorCollaboration with Rwanda Cooperative Agency to strengthen local partnerships and maximize development impact through field-level presence.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Common Fund for Commodities competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- International Finance Corporation (IFC): The World Bank Group's private-sector development finance arm, operating as the largest DFI globally. IFC invests across sectors including agribusiness and SMEs in emerging markets, directly comparable to CFC's mandate of catalysing private investment in commodity value chains in developing countries.
Direct peers
- FMO (Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank): The Netherlands' DFI, headquartered in The Hague and focused on agribusiness, financial inclusion, and SMEs in developing countries. FMO is a direct DFI peer to CFC given overlapping geography (Netherlands HQ, Africa/Latam/Asia focus) and overlapping agri-SME debt and equity activities.
- DEG (Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft): German development finance institution providing long-term debt and equity to private enterprises in developing and emerging markets, including agribusiness value chains. DEG is a direct DFI peer to CFC, with comparable ticket sizes, concessional/private blends, and SME/agriculture focus.
- British International Investment (BII): UK's development finance institution (formerly CDC Group), investing in businesses across Africa and South Asia. BII is a direct DFI peer given overlapping UK-government linkages (BII is also linked to FCDO, which co-funds the CFC-FCDO Trust Fund) and shared focus on agribusiness and smallholder value chains.
- Proparco: French DFI subsidiary of Agence Française de Développement, financing private-sector projects in developing countries with strong agribusiness and SME exposure. Proparco is a direct DFI peer, with comparable agri-SME debt funds and a strong Africa footprint that overlaps with CFC's ACT Fund and TA facility strategy.
- Incofin Investment Management: Belgium-based impact investment manager focused on financial inclusion and agri-SME debt in emerging markets (e.g., the Fairtrade Access Fund, agRIF fund). Incofin is a direct peer to CFC's ACT Fund, given a nearly identical focus on smallholder-linked agri-SME debt in similar geographies.
- Root Capital: US-based non-profit impact investor providing credit and capacity building to small and growing agricultural businesses in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Root Capital is a direct peer to CFC's graduation/agri-SME lending model, with overlapping coffee/cocoa/cashew value chains and similar end-clients (e.g., COOPAC-equivalent cooperatives).
- Oikocredit: Global cooperative and impact investor providing debt and equity to financial inclusion and agri-SME partners in developing countries. Oikocredit is a direct peer in agri-SME lending, with comparable smallholder supply-chain exposure and similar member/donor-aligned governance structure.
Emerging players
- Moringa Fund (Moringa Partnership): An agroforestry investment fund for which CFC manages the Agroforestry Technical Assistance Facility (ATAF). Moringa is a partial peer and existing partner, with comparable Latin America/Sub-Saharan Africa agroforestry thesis but a narrower tree-crop focus than CFC's broader commodity mandate.
- Small Foundation: Philanthropy-focused foundation working to strengthen smallholder-linked agri-SME ecosystems in Sub-Saharan Africa. Small Foundation is an emerging/adjacent peer in CFC's target ecosystem, with a grant and convening role that complements CFC's investment-led approach to the same smallholder agenda.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Common Fund for Commodities social profiles
Digital presenceCommon Fund for Commodities financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Common Fund for Commodities leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Common Fund for Commodities subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Common Fund for Commodities funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Common Fund for Commodities M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Common Fund for Commodities
What does Common Fund for Commodities do?
The Common Fund for Commodities is a UN-affiliated intergovernmental financial institution that provides impact-oriented financing (loans, grants, and equity investments) and technical assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises, cooperatives, smallholder farmers, and governments across commodity value chains in developing countries. Its core offerings center on commodity-sector impact finance combined with capacity building, deployed through vehicles such as the ACT Fund, the Technical Assistance Facility, and the CFC-FCDO Trust Fund.
Is Common Fund for Commodities a public or private company?
Common Fund for Commodities is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Common Fund for Commodities founded?
Common Fund for Commodities was founded in 1989. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Common Fund for Commodities based?
Common Fund for Commodities is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Common Fund for Commodities make money?
One revenue line is on record: impact Investment Financing.
Who are Common Fund for Commodities's main competitors?
International Finance Corporation (IFC) is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are FMO (Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank), DEG (Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft), British International Investment (BII), Proparco, Incofin Investment Management, Root Capital and Oikocredit. Emerging players are Moringa Fund (Moringa Partnership) and Small Foundation.
Does Common Fund for Commodities have an API?
No public API is recorded for Common Fund for Commodities.
What industry is Common Fund for Commodities in?
Common Fund for Commodities's product category is Development Finance / Impact Investment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADACAO, Impact Investment & Development Investment Funds, with a secondary code of FSANAJAE, Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Funds. Its NAICS code is 5259 and its SIC code is 6111.