The establishment of the Convergence Blended Finance platform (RDFI phase III)

This project aims to support the establishment of a new not-for-profit organization called Convergence Blended Finance Inc. to implement and manage the Convergence platform. Convergence is a platform that brings together public and private investors for blended finance investments in emerging and frontier markets. Blended finance refers to the strategic use of public and philanthropic funding to mobilize private capital that supports development in emerging and frontier markets. Project activities include: (1) developing a database called Investor Marketplace to connect public philanthropic and private investors interested in co-investing in development projects in emerging and frontier markets; (2) creating a library called Market Building Tools to provide information tools and training on blended finance; and (3) creating an incubator called New Product Design Facility to pilot new blended finance models.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) enhanced delivery of development financing to support social goods infrastructure and sustainable enterprises in developing countries; and (2) increased collaboration and alignment of capital by public private and philanthropic actors to support environmentally sound and gender-sensitive social goods infrastructure and enterprises in developing countries.