About this opportunity
Canopy Trust, implemented by the Catalytic Finance Foundation with the support of its funding partners, has launched a call for expressions of interest to identify impact investment funds seeking catalytic capital to scale sustainable businesses and reduce deforestation across Central Africa. The instrument is spelled out in the launch: the initiative intends to deploy up to USD 20 million in junior capital across up to four investment funds, with individual commitments ranging from USD 2 million to USD 10 million.
By providing concessional, risk absorbing capital, Canopy Trust aims to unlock additional private investment in businesses that address key drivers of deforestation while generating positive environmental and socioeconomic impacts. The geography and sectors are fixed.
The focus countries are the Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Gabon and Central African Republic, and the priority sectors are sustainable agriculture and agroforestry, deforestation free value chains, sustainable forestry, alternatives to wood based cooking energy, and other businesses contributing to forest conservation. The programme site adds that projects must be located in the Congo Basin, and describes the initiative as complementary to the broader Central African Forest Initiative while aligning with national strategies in the target countries and the region's sustainable development goals.
Eligible applicants are fund managers rather than companies. The call invites experienced and emerging fund managers with relevant investment strategies, strong regional engagement and credible investment pipelines to submit expressions of interest, and notes that applications failing to meet all the stated criteria will not be considered.
Expressions of interest go by email to the printed address secretariat@catalyticfinance. org, and the fourteen page full call document is published on the Canopy Trust site.
The submission
Application timeline
is 11 December 2026 at 23:59 CET. The round is regional in its target geography, so African fund managers outside the Congo Basin can take part where their strategies and pipelines serve these markets.
What you receive
- Up to USD 20 million in concessional junior capital deployed across up to four investment funds
- Individual fund commitments ranging from USD 2 million to USD 10 million
- Risk-absorbing capital designed to unlock additional private investment in forest-friendly businesses
Who can apply
- Experienced and emerging fund managers with relevant investment strategies, strong regional engagement and credible investment pipelines
- Projects must sit in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Gabon or Central African Republic, within the Congo Basin
- Sectors covered are sustainable agriculture and agroforestry, deforestation-free value chains, sustainable forestry, alternatives to wood-based cooking energy, and other businesses contributing to forest conservation
- Submissions that fail to meet all the stated criteria will not be considered
Documents to prepare
- The expression of interest package described in the fourteen page full call document published on the Canopy Trust site
How to apply
- Read the full call for expression of interest PDF on the Canopy Trust submission page
- Prepare the expression of interest against the printed criteria and pipeline requirements
- Email the submission to secretariat@catalyticfinance.org by 11 December 2026 at 23:59 CET
Sources and verification
Related opportunities
- Yves Rocher Foundation Terre De Femmes International Award 2027, €10,000 For Women Leading Urban Tree Projects
The Yves Rocher Foundation has opened applications for the 2027 Terre de Femmes International Award on the theme Trees in the City. Two projects led by women anywhere in the world each receive a €10,000 grant, provided the work runs through a non profit organisation that has existed for at least one year. Applications close at midnight on 30 November 2026.
Questions applicants ask
Who should apply to the Canopy Trust call?
Fund managers rather than companies. The call invites experienced and emerging fund managers with relevant strategies, regional engagement and credible pipelines to submit expressions of interest.
Which countries must the investments cover?
The Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Gabon and Central African Republic, with projects located in the Congo Basin.
Important disclaimer
Nextali researches and curates useful opportunities to make discovery easier. Before applying, verify every timeline, requirement, fee and application link on the official provider website. Do your own research into the organisation, its background and the authenticity of the offer. Nextali does not guarantee selection, funding or the conduct of third party providers.
