Caribbean Biodiversity Fund

What Caribbean Biodiversity Fund does

The Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) is a regional environmental trust fund established in 2012 following a direct call from Caribbean governments to support the region's 20x20 conservation goals. Operating across 14 Caribbean countries, CBF functions as an umbrella financing vehicle that channels donor capital to National Conservation Trust Funds (NCTFs) and directly to community-based conservation projects. The organization maintains an operational presence in Kingston, Jamaica, and a corporate secretary office in Altrincham, United Kingdom. As of late 2025, CBF reports mobilizing over USD 35 million to environmental initiatives and funding 100+ projects since inception, with 34 ecosystem-based adaptation projects alone protecting or improving more than 60,000 hectares of coastal and marine habitat.

CBF's product portfolio spans grant facilities, regional projects, and digital platforms. The flagship offerings are the Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) Facility — backed by EUR 55 million from Germany's BMUKN through IKI and KfW plus a EUR 10 million 2023 top-up — and the Advancing Circular Economy (ACE) Facility. The Caribbean BluEFin Project (financed by GEF, implemented through UNEP) deploys innovative blue economy financing instruments, while the CRAB Project (funded by AFD and FFEM) builds regional biodiversity architecture. On the digital side, the Blue Economy Hub is a structured regional platform connecting ocean-based entrepreneurs with technical expertise, data, and potential investors, and Digital Payment Systems have been deployed in Marine Protected Areas in Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines for electronic fee collection. Sub-brands include the EbA Facility, Blue Economy Hub, and CBF Grievance Mechanisms portal.

CBF's business model is donor-funded rather than commercially priced. The fund mobilizes resources through endowment funding, competitive grant cycles, and strategic partnerships with sovereign and multilateral donors (BMUKN, KfW, Global Affairs Canada, GEF, UNEP, AFD, FFEM, UNDP, World Bank). There are no fees charged to grantees; instead, CBF monetizes its role via grant administration, program management, and overhead on donor facilities. The go-to-market combines sales-led distribution (competitive calls for proposals, NCTF partnerships) with event-driven capacity building (Blue Economy Hub workshops in multiple Caribbean countries). End customers are Caribbean national governments, NCTFs, MPAs, and coastal communities; end beneficiaries include over 36,000 direct beneficiaries of EbA projects, more than 16,000 of whom are women.

Name

Caribbean Biodiversity Fund

Legal name

Caribbean Biodiversity Fund

Website

https://caribbeanbiodiversityfund.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Caribbean Biodiversity Fund is a regional environmental trust fund providing continuous financing for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem-based adaptation across 14 Caribbean countries through grant facilities, an endowment, and digital platforms connecting conservation projects with investors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation and Environmental Finance

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity, Conservation & Natural Capital Funds (FSANAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Programs (Water, Biodiversity Credits, PES) (IMAMAJAK), Climate Finance Funds & Green Investment Facilities (BPADACAH), Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

Keywords

• Conservation finance
• Biodiversity funding
• Environmental trust fund
• Marine protected areas
• Climate adaptation finance

Headquarters

HQ city

Altrincham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Conservation Finance Programs: CBF mobilizes and delivers financial and technical support to environmental initiatives through endowment funding, grants, and innovative financing mechanisms for biodiversity conservation.
2. Endowment Fund: Long-term endowment fund that provides continuous funding for conservation and sustainable development across Caribbean countries.
3. Ecosystem-based Adaptation Facility: Grant facility funded by German government (BMUKN through IKI and KfW) providing EUR 55 million for ecosystem-based adaptation projects across the Caribbean.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) is a regional environmental trust fund established in 2012 that mobilizes, channels, and delivers long-term financing for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development across 14 Caribbean countries. It operates as an umbrella pooled-financing mechanism that disburses grants and structured funding to National Conservation Trust Funds, governments, marine protected areas, and community organizations, while administering endowment and project-specific facilities (e.g., EbA Facility, ACE Facility, Blue Economy Hub) directed at ecosystem-based adaptation and marine conservation outcomes.

Product overview

The Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) operates as a regional umbrella environmental fund that implements innovative solutions and consolidates regional conservation impacts through a range of financial instruments and programs. The organization offers a portfolio of products including the Blue Economy Hub digital platform, multiple grant facilities (EbA Facility, ACE Facility), the CRAB Project for regional biodiversity architecture, and Digital Payment Systems for Marine Protected Areas. The Blue Economy Hub serves as the primary digital platform connecting sustainable ocean projects with investors, while the EbA Facility provides ecosystem-based adaptation grants and the Caribbean BluEFin Project deploys innovative financing mechanisms. Together, these products form a comprehensive conservation finance ecosystem that channels global resources to local Caribbean conservation initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EbA Facility: Ecosystem-based Adaptation Facility that awards grants to support climate adaptation measures in the marine and coastal zones of the insular Caribbean.
• Blue Economy Hub
• CBF Grievance Mechanisms

Products and services

• Blue Economy Hub A facility/channel that supports finance and project structuring for blue economy and marine biodiversity initiatives across Caribbean jurisdictions, used by national funds, governments, and marine protected area managers.
• Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) Facility A dedicated funding facility that channels grants for ecosystem-based climate adaptation projects to national conservation trust funds, governments, and community organizations in Caribbean countries.
• Agroecology and Climate-resilient Ecosystems (ACE) Facility A grant facility supporting agroecology and climate-resilient ecosystem projects, providing finance to implementing partners working on biodiversity-friendly production landscapes in the Caribbean.
• Caribbean Regional Architecture for Biodiversity (CRAB) Project A project/program providing technical and financial support to strengthen the regional network of National Conservation Trust Funds and their capacity to manage conservation finance.
• Digital Payment Systems for Marine Protected Areas Digital tools and payment systems deployed to streamline disbursement and tracking of conservation funding flows to marine protected area managers and beneficiary communities.
• Caribbean BluEFin Project A targeted marine conservation project focused on blue economy and blue finance outcomes in Caribbean fisheries and coastal ecosystems, delivered in partnership with regional stakeholders.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over USD 35 million mobilized and delivered to environmental initiatives
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementing agency for GEF-funded BluEFin Project, providing oversight and technical guidance.
• German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSupport partner for BluEFin Project providing technical cooperation services.
• Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIW: LEARN Twinning Exchange partner for knowledge sharing and capacity building in conservation financing between Caribbean and Amazon regions. CBF presented on Caribbean BluEFin Project emphasizing blue economy principles.
• Grenada Sustainable Development Trust Fund (GSDTF)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHost organization for CRAB Project internship, implementing 'Our Bay, Our Future' project within Woburn-Clarke's Court Bay Marine Protected Area.
• Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized 'Financing the Future' session at GCFI Conference and co-leading Cuba coastal resilience project with Wildlife Conservation Society.
• Wildlife Conservation SocietycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCo-leading project 'Applying nature-based solutions to increase coastal resilience and capacity for climate change adaptation in protected areas of Cuba' with EDF and Cuba's National Center for Protected Areas.
• Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation (WINDREF)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementing the Innovative Grey-Green Infrastructure (ING) Project in Grenada through EbA Facility funding, demonstrating hybrid coastal protection combining engineered structures with restored ecosystems.
• Ernst and Young (EY)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaborated on Blue Economy Hub workshop series providing sustainability expertise through EY Ripples corporate responsibility program.
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonor partner supporting CBF conservation initiatives.
• Conservation InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonor partner in conservation efforts.
• BIOPAMAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for protected area management and biodiversity information.
• Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation (C-CAM)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementing conservation garden and plant propagation activities in Portland Bight Protected Area, focusing on restoring dry forest plant species.
• I-SEEED Youths LimitedminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerYouth nursery operator in Jamaica supporting climate-smart agriculture and sustainable farming training programs.
• St. Lucia National Conservation Fund (SLUNCF)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner in implementing Digital Payment Systems in the Soufrière Marine Management Area under BluEFin Project.
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines Conservation Fund (SVGCF)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner in implementing Digital Payment Systems in the Tobago Cays Marine Park under BluEFin Project.
• ECO CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSigned MoU to strengthen environmental and circular economy initiatives in the Caribbean.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: A major global NGO operating conservation trust funds and regional financing vehicles across multiple geographies, including a documented donor partnership with CBF. Highly comparable business model of channeling international funds to local conservation outcomes.
• The Nature Conservancy: Global conservation organization that designs and operates conservation finance mechanisms (debt-for-nature swaps, impact bonds, trust funds). Documented as a CBF donor partner, and shares the endowment and trust-fund intermediation model.
• Global Environment Facility (GEF): The largest public donor vehicle for biodiversity and climate finance in developing countries. GEF is the primary funder of CBF's Caribbean BluEFin Project, making it both a partner and a structural comparable as a multilateral funding intermediary.
• Pew Charitable Trusts - Ocean Conservation: Operates a major global ocean-grantmaking program financing MPAs, including in the Caribbean. Pew is a comparable endowment-backed, science-led grantmaking peer focused on marine conservation outcomes.

Emerging players

• Bezos Earth Fund: Large private climate philanthropy disbursing multi-billion-dollar grants to conservation, biodiversity, and ocean programs — emerging as a potential funder category for vehicles like CBF and a comparable scale philanthropy entrant.
• Blue Nature Alliance: A targeted partnership focused on conserving 18 million km² of ocean via blended finance and MPA finance — overlapping directly with CBF's Caribbean BluEFin Project and Blue Economy Hub in marine biodiversity finance.

Direct peers

• Wildlife Conservation Society: Documented CBF core implementation partner co-leading the Cuba protected areas project. WCS runs comparable grant-funded marine and terrestrial conservation programs globally through country offices and trust fund partnerships.
• Environmental Defense Fund: Active CBF strategic partner co-leading the Cuba coastal resilience project with WCS and ACTO. EDF's oceans program shares CBF's blue economy, blue carbon, and MPA-focused thematic footprint.
• Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF): A global fund providing grants to civil society to safeguard biodiversity hotspots via intermediate organizations — the closest direct analog to CBF's regional umbrella-fund model with grantmaking to local NGOs.
• Global Fund for Coral Reefs: UN-backed blended finance vehicle specifically targeting coral reef conservation and MPA finance in developing countries. Direct competitor/collaborator for donor capital targeting Caribbean marine ecosystems alongside CBF.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/caribbiofund
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCMONZFp0qwHVNqVmYxsZhzQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/caribbiofund
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caribbean-biodiversity-fund
• Instagramlinkedin.com/company/caribbean-biodiversity-fund

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Caribbean Biodiversity Fund