| Fund Name |
Type |
Size |
Investment Stage ** |
Sector * |
Geography |
Application |
Examples of GDC investees |
|
Fund Name:
Acumen Fund
|
Type:
Patient capital (equity, quasi-equity or debt capital) |
Size:
$250K - $3M
|
Investment Stage:
Seed- to early-stage social enterprises. Funding to enable social enterprises to validate assumptions, bring products and services to market, and begin to scale. |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Health, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar, Water & sanitation and hygiene (WASH) |
Geography:
Africa, Asia, East Africa, Global, Latin America, North America, Sub-Saharan Africa, West Africa |
Application:
Open (through referrals) |
Examples of GDC investees:
Easy Solar, Frontier Markets, Solaris Off-grid, Simusolar, Tulaa |
|
Fund Name:
AECF/REACT
|
Type:
Grants or repayable grants |
Size:
$50K - $500K
|
Investment Stage:
Seed |
Sector:
All, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Sub-Saharan Africa |
Application:
Several windows a year |
Examples of GDC investees:
Inyenyeri, Vitalite Zambia, Zonful Energy |
|
Fund Name:
ALIVE (Acumen LatAm Impact Ventures)
|
Type:
Equity or mezzanine financing |
Size:
$500K - $5M
|
Investment Stage:
Early growth companies (series A) |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Latin America, with a focus on Colombia and Peru |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
|
|
Fund Name:
AlphaJiri fund (AlphaMundi)
|
Type:
Equity, Debt |
Size:
$250K - $2M
|
Investment Stage:
Invest in emerging and established market leaders with annual sales of $500k to $10m |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Sub-Saharan Africa |
Application:
|
Examples of GDC investees:
|
|
Fund Name:
ARAF (Acumen resilient agriculture fund)
|
Type:
Equity |
Size:
$100K - $5M
|
Investment Stage:
Early and early-growth stage |
Sector:
Agriculture, All |
Geography:
Africa |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
|
|
Fund Name:
Beneficial Returns
|
Type:
Debt |
Size:
$50K - $500K
|
Investment Stage:
Seed |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Health, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar, Water & sanitation and hygiene (WASH) |
Geography:
Latin America and South East Asia |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Ecofiltro, Ilumexico, Sistema.bio, Nazava, ATEC* |
|
Fund Name:
bettervest GmbH
|
Type:
Crowdfunded loans |
Size:
$100K - $2.5M
€100k-2.5m |
Investment Stage:
Early growth; Slower growth |
Sector:
All, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Borrower registered in Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Singapore. |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Vitalite Senegal, Bonergie, Bidhaa Sasa, WidEnergy Africa Ltd, Pawame |
|
Fund Name:
Beyond Capital Fund
|
Type:
Early stage capital (equity and debt) |
Size:
$25K - $200K
|
Investment Stage:
Seed. Post-revenue, defined business model, likely raising first professional capital round in conjunction with seeking grants or repayable loan funding. |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Health, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar, Water & sanitation and hygiene (WASH) |
Geography:
India and East Africa |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Tulaa, Frontier Markets |
|
Fund Name:
Charm Impact
|
Type:
Crowdfunded loans |
Size:
$10K - $250K
|
Investment Stage:
Between pre-seed and series A. Invest in companies that have commercially viable models and some proof of concept but are yet to achieve scale. This funding will help grow and scale their businesses. |
Sector:
All, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Sub-Saharan Africa |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Solibrium |
|
Fund Name:
Clean Cooking Alliance
|
Type:
Grants |
Size:
$50K - $500K
Depends on the competition |
Investment Stage:
Early growth, Pre-seed, Seed, Slower growth |
Sector:
All, Improved cooking |
Geography:
Global |
Application:
Several windows a year |
Examples of GDC investees:
Potential Energy, Bidhaa Sasa, UpEnergy, Livelyhoods |
|
Fund Name:
Cordaid Investment Management (CIM) - West Africa Bright Future Fund
|
Type:
Capex and working capital loans |
Size:
$535K - $2.14M
€500k-2m |
Investment Stage:
Growth capital |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
West Africa (Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Guinea, Sierra Leone) |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Energy+, Easy solar |
|
Fund Name:
D-Prize
|
Type:
Grants |
Size:
up to $20K
|
Investment Stage:
Invest in new ventures that distribute proven poverty interventions. |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Health, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar, Water & sanitation and hygiene (WASH) |
Geography:
Global |
Application:
Bi-annual competition |
Examples of GDC investees:
Altech, Mukuru Clean Stoves, Endurance Electric, Harness Energy, Deevabits Green Energy, Livelyhoods, Essmart |
|
Fund Name:
DOEN Foundation
|
Type:
Grants and debt (convertible notes and equity also possible) |
Size:
$25K - $250K
|
Investment Stage:
Give special attention to initiatives which are in a pilot and/or starting stage. |
Sector:
All, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda) and India |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Pollinate Group, Frontier Markets and Livelyhoods, Inyeneri, Jiro-Ve, Offgrid Box, Shine, Simusolar, Sistema.bio |
|
Fund Name:
Drapers Richards Kaplan Foundation
|
Type:
Debt (unrestricted capital) |
Size:
up to $300K
|
Investment Stage:
Invest in early-stage companies (often their first institutional investor, as well as their first “outside” board member) |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Health, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar, Water & sanitation and hygiene (WASH) |
Geography:
Global |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Solar Sister, Pollinate Group, Livelyhoods |
|
Fund Name:
elea foundation
|
Type:
Grants, convertible grants and equity for early-stage companies |
Size:
$50K - $500K
|
Investment Stage:
Mostly invest in early-stage companies (between pre seed and series A). After proof of concept, companies need to prove unit economics and clear path to profitability. |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Health, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar, Water & sanitation and hygiene (WASH) |
Geography:
Global |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Essmart, ATEC |
|
Fund Name:
ElectriFI
|
Type:
Debt and equity |
Size:
$535K - $10.7M
€500k-10m |
Investment Stage:
Invest in early-stage companies, but do not fund pilots nor provide seed funding. Any investment must be financially viable with a clear path to profitability. |
Sector:
All, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Global |
Application:
Regular calls |
Examples of GDC investees:
Sistema.bio, Solarworks! |
|
Fund Name:
Energise Africa
|
Type:
Crowdfunded loans |
Size:
$1.5M - $10M
per year (tranche based) |
Investment Stage:
Early growth; Accelerated growth |
Sector:
All, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Africa |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Altech, Oolu, Simusolar, UpOwa, SolarWorks! |
|
Fund Name:
Energy and Environment Partnership Southern & Eastern Africa (EEP)
|
Type:
Grants |
Size:
$200K - $1M
|
Investment Stage:
Pre-seed, Seed |
Sector:
All, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Southern and East Africa |
Application:
Annual calls (2020 now closed) |
Examples of GDC investees:
Inyenyeri, Livelyhoods, Solarworks!, Vitalite Zambia, Mukuru Clean Stoves, Offgrid Box, Sistema.bio, Zonful Energy |
|
Fund Name:
ENGIE Rassembleurs d'Energies Solidarity Investiment Fund
|
Type:
Equity (minority stake) |
Size:
$100K - $1M
Minority stake |
Investment Stage:
Early growth |
Sector:
All, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Sub-Saharan Africa |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Ilumexico, Frontier Markets, Sistema.bio, ATEC* |
|
Fund Name:
Facility for Energy Inclusion Off-Grid Energy Access Fund (FEI-OGEF)
|
Type:
Local currency loans to companies and SPVs |
Size:
$2M - $10M
|
Investment Stage:
Early growth, Accelerated growth |
Sector:
All, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Africa |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Easy Solar |
|
Fund Name:
Factor[e] ventures
|
Type:
Venture builders. Provide non-dilutive grant funding where appropriate, and help companies become investment-ready for the next rounds of equity funding by helping them build a “ventureable package.” |
Size:
$250K - $750K
|
Investment Stage:
Equip early-stage companies with more than just capital. Hands-on at the seed stage and provide companies with unparalleled support to scale their businesses and impact. |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Emerging markets. Concentrated presence in East Africa and India |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Sistema.bio |
|
Fund Name:
FINCA Ventures
|
Type:
Equity or convertible notes |
Size:
$100K - $500K
|
Investment Stage:
Seed / Series A investment, with additional capital reserved for follow-on. |
Sector:
All |
Geography:
Sub-Saharan Africa |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
|
|
Fund Name:
Gaia Impact Fund
|
Type:
Equity |
Size:
$150K - $500K
|
Investment Stage:
Early stage (Seed capital, series A-C), post successful pilot stage, companies that already have a core team. |
Sector:
All, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Global (sub-Saharan Africa preference) |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Easy Solar, UpOwa, Solaris Off-grid, Oolu, Hybrid Social Solutions |
|
Fund Name:
GrowFin Small and Growing Businesses Fund
|
Type:
Debt |
Size:
$100K - $1.5M
|
Investment Stage:
Slower growth |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Health, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar, Water & sanitation and hygiene (WASH) |
Geography:
South Africa, Zambia, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Oman |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
|
|
Fund Name:
I&P (Investisseurs et Partenaires)
|
Type:
Debt, Equity |
Size:
$50K - $3M
|
Investment Stage:
Offer a continuum of investment ranging from several thousand euros to €3m. Employ a variety of finance instruments (minority equity or quasi-equity investments, seed financing, loans, etc.) according to the partner company’s size and maturity. |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Health, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar, Water & sanitation and hygiene (WASH) |
Geography:
Sub-Saharan Africa (with a focus on West Africa, Indian Ocean, and Central Africa) |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Jiro-Ve |
|
Fund Name:
KawiSafi Ventures
|
Type:
Equity |
Size:
$1M - $10M
|
Investment Stage:
Series A-C. High-growth, ready-to-scale companies with proven business models, growing revenues. |
Sector:
All, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
East Africa |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Sistema.bio |
|
Fund Name:
Kiva
|
Type:
Crowdfunded loans |
Size:
$1 - $500K
|
Investment Stage:
Seed, Slower growth |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Health, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar, Water & sanitation and hygiene (WASH) |
Geography:
Global |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Bidhaa Sasa, Solar Solutions PNG, Hydrologic Social Enterprise Co. Ltd, EcoGen, Livelyhoods, Ilumexico, Solubrite, ATEC*, Nazava, Vitalite, Zonful, Rent to Own, Soluz Honduras |
|
Fund Name:
Lendahand
|
Type:
Crowdfunded loans |
Size:
$1.5M - $5M
Tranche-based credit facility over 1 to 1.5 years, 100K-1M per tranche |
Investment Stage:
Early growth, Accelerated growth |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Global |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
upOwa, SolarWorks!, Sistema.bio, Vitalite, Oolu, Simusolar, Altech |
|
Fund Name:
MercyCorps Ventures
|
Type:
Early-stage equity (pre-seed or seed round) |
Size:
up to $500K
|
Investment Stage:
Early-stage equity investment (pre-seed or seed round) in companies that have the potential to directly impacts tens of thousands of individuals |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Health, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar, Water & sanitation and hygiene (WASH) |
Geography:
East Africa, West Africa, Latam or Southeast Asia |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
|
|
Fund Name:
Mulago Foundation
|
Type:
Grants, debt or equity |
Size:
$100K - $1M
|
Investment Stage:
Provide unrestricted funding to early-stage organizations and organizations taking proven solutions to scale. |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Health, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar, Water & sanitation and hygiene (WASH) |
Geography:
Global |
Application:
Source through their own network |
Examples of GDC investees:
MyAgro, Proximity Designs |
|
Fund Name:
Nexus for Development (Pioneer Facility)
|
Type:
Debt (uncollateralized) |
Size:
$100K - $500K
|
Investment Stage:
Growth stage. Offer scale-up capital, via working capital or capex loans. Company completed pilots, has a business plan, and is ready to scale its activities. |
Sector:
All, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar, Water & sanitation and hygiene (WASH) |
Geography:
Southeast Asia. Focus countries: Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
|
|
Fund Name:
Nithio FI
|
Type:
Receivables and inventory backed financing |
Size:
$250K - $1M
|
Investment Stage:
Companies of all sizes looking to grow their operations |
Sector:
All, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
East Africa, Nigeria |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
|
|
Fund Name:
Oikocredit
|
Type:
Working capital, convertible loans, equity |
Size:
$535K - $10.7M
€500k-10m |
Investment Stage:
Early growth, Accelerated growth |
Sector:
All, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Global |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Inyenyeri |
|
Fund Name:
OPES-LCEF
|
Type:
Patient capital |
Size:
$50K - $400K
|
Investment Stage:
Seed |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Health, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar, Water & sanitation and hygiene (WASH) |
Geography:
Predominantly East Africa and India |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Sistema.bio, Nazava |
|
Fund Name:
Persistent
|
Type:
Early stage equity / mezzanine debt |
Size:
$50K - $500K
Also invests human capital alongside financial capital |
Investment Stage:
Ideation to early growth stage. Typically seed and series A funding. |
Sector:
All, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Sub-Saharan Africa |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Oolu Solar, Solarworks!, upOwa, Zonful Energy |
|
Fund Name:
Renewable Energy Performance Platform (REPP)
|
Type:
Debt, Equity |
Size:
$200K - $5M
|
Investment Stage:
Early growth, Seed |
Sector:
All, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Sub-Saharan Africa |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
UpOwa |
|
Fund Name:
ResponsAbility Energy Access Fund
|
Type:
Debt |
Size:
$500K - $3M
|
Investment Stage:
Early growth, Accelerated growth |
Sector:
All, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
|
|
Fund Name:
Roddenberry Foundation Catalyst Fund
|
Type:
Grants |
Size:
$2.5K - $15K
|
Investment Stage:
Small and/or early-stage ideas and projects that need a capital infusion to launch or prove viability. Catalyst awardees are typically piloting a program, venturing into new territory, on the cusp of launching, or pivoting in a new direction. |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Health, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar, Water & sanitation and hygiene (WASH) |
Geography:
Global |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Energy One Africa |
|
Fund Name:
SEED
|
Type:
Grants for SEED awardees only |
Size:
up to $25K
|
Investment Stage:
Invest in companies that have potential to scale-up and/or be replicated in other contexts, have intention and potential to become financially stable, are at early stages of implementation |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar, Water & sanitation and hygiene (WASH) |
Geography:
Ghana, India, Indonesia, Malawi, South Africa, Thailand, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe |
Application:
Annual awards scheme |
Examples of GDC investees:
Green Impact Technologies, SPOUTS of Water, Kukula Solar, Pollinate Group, Solar Sister, Natfort Energy, Sunny Money |
|
Fund Name:
Segal Family Foundation
|
Type:
Grants (for non-profit organizations) and debt or equity (for early-stage social enterprises) |
Size:
$15K - $1M
$15K (average grant) |
Investment Stage:
Pre-seed, Seed |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Health, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar, Water & sanitation and hygiene (WASH) |
Geography:
Africa (mostly East Africa) |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Livelyhoods, Vitalite, Simusolar |
|
Fund Name:
SIMA Angaza Distributor Finance Fund
|
Type:
Loans for users of Angaza platform |
Size:
$100K - $500K
|
Investment Stage:
Seed, Slower growth |
Sector:
All, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Global |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Altech Group, Deevabits Green Energy, Easy Solar |
|
Fund Name:
SocialAlpha-Bastion fund (AlphaMundi)
|
Type:
Equity, debt |
Size:
$250K - $2M
|
Investment Stage:
Invest in emerging and established market leaders with annual sales of $500k to $10m |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Health, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar, Water & sanitation and hygiene (WASH) |
Geography:
Latin America and East Africa |
Application:
|
Examples of GDC investees:
|
|
Fund Name:
SPARK+ Africa
|
Type:
Debt and mezzanine capital for early-stage post-revenue companies |
Size:
$500K - $7M
|
Investment Stage:
Early to late stage of growth (series A to series D). Unable to invest at a seed round stage / in a start-up. Post-revenue with demonstrated proof-of-concept. Companies that have commercialized their product or service and have traction in their market(s). |
Sector:
All, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Africa |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
|
|
Fund Name:
SunFunder
|
Type:
Debt |
Size:
$250K - $5M
|
Investment Stage:
Accelerated growth, Early growth |
Sector:
All, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Sub-Saharan Africa and India |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
SolarWorks! |
|
Fund Name:
Trine
|
Type:
Debt |
Size:
$100K - $10M
Framework agreements of €1K minimum, broken down into tranches of €100K-750K) |
Investment Stage:
Accelerated growth, Early growth |
Sector:
All, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Yellow solar, Vitalite |
|
Fund Name:
Triple Jump (Energy Entrepreneurs Growth Fund, EEGF)
|
Type:
Mezzanine, equity and debt for early and growth-stage companies |
Size:
$100K - $10M
|
Investment Stage:
Provide catalytic financing for early and growth-stage companies (series A-C). Bridge towards bringing in commercial scale-up investors. |
Sector:
All, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Sub-Saharan Africa |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
|
|
Fund Name:
USADF
|
Type:
Grants |
Size:
up to $250K
|
Investment Stage:
Provide seed capital and full technical assistance to develop grassroots enterprises, such as cooperatives, and entrepreneurs from start-up to scale up. |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Africa |
Application:
Several windows a year |
Examples of GDC investees:
Sky Power, Ecobora, M&NDA Company, Natfort Energy |
|
Fund Name:
USAID Development Innovation Ventures
|
Type:
Grants |
Size:
$100K - $5M
|
Investment Stage:
Fund different stages of growth: Stage 1 grants: pilot (up to $200k); stage 2 grants: test and position for scale (up to $1.5m); stage 3 grants: transition to scale (up to $15m) |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Health, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar, Water & sanitation and hygiene (WASH) |
Geography:
Global |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
Essmart, Elephant Energy, Tulaa, Nafa Naana, Potential Energy and Solar Sister |
|
Fund Name:
VentureBuilder
|
Type:
Early stage capital (equity and quasi equity) |
Size:
$50K - $500K
Early stage capital |
Investment Stage:
Seed |
Sector:
All, Off-grid solar |
Geography:
Africa |
Application:
|
Examples of GDC investees:
Energy+ |
|
Fund Name:
Wajenzi
|
Type:
Crowdfunded equity investments for early-stage (post proof of concept) |
Size:
$50K - $250K
|
Investment Stage:
Seed |
Sector:
Agriculture, All, Health, Improved cooking, Off-grid solar, Water & sanitation and hygiene (WASH) |
Geography:
Africa |
Application:
Open |
Examples of GDC investees:
|
