The Carbon Accelerator Programme for the Environment (CAPE) is inviting applications from high-integrity and high-impactful nature-based carbon projects across Africa to be part of its cohort 2. Selected projects will receive tailored transaction advisory support and project development funding to strengthen their technical, financial and impact foundations, and prepare them for investment. Applications are considered on a first-come, first-served, rolling basis. We encourage you to apply at the earliest opportunity.
APPLICATIONS
NOW OPEN
The Carbon Accelerator Programme for the Environment (CAPE) is inviting applications from high-integrity and high-impactful nature-based carbon projects across Africa to be part of its cohort 2. Selected projects will receive tailored transaction advisory support and project development funding to strengthen their technical, financial and impact foundations, and prepare them for investment. Applications are considered on a first-come, first-served, rolling basis. We encourage you to apply at the earliest opportunity.
Carefully review the eligibility criteria below to ensure your project is a fit.
Is Your Project a
Fit for CAPE?
We are looking for nature-based carbon projects that have a completed feasibility study and can demonstrate strong biodiversity outcomes, integrated ecosystem approaches, and meaningful local community impact.
Location
Across Africa.
Project Type
Projects may include but are not limited to: Rangelands management, Regenerative agriculture, Agroforestry, Forest restoration and Mangrove conservation, and other landscape-scale nature-based projects.
Development Stage
Projects must have a completed feasibility study and identified carbon revenue opportunities
CAPE supports projects that
- Have a clear pathway to financial viability and evidence of buyer demand.
- Consider biodiversity and social impact beyond standard requirements (e.g. CCB).
- Intend to use a robust standard for validation (e.g. Verra, Gold Standard, Plan Vivo).
- Can be scaled and/or replicated.
- Operate within an enabling jurisdiction.
Before you apply
FSD Africa runs two complementary programmes supporting Africa's nature-positive economy, each backing a different financing pathway. Your project will likely fit one more naturally than the other.
CAPE supports nature-based projects where carbon revenues are currently the primary revenue stream and a central part of the investment case. These projects often generate broader commercial revenues, biodiversity outcomes, livelihood benefits and ecosystem resilience, and may develop additional ecosystem service revenues over time.
Nature First Innovation Lab (NFIL) supports nature-positive opportunities built on non-carbon nature finance pathways; biodiversity credits, ecosystem service payments, regenerative agriculture, sustainable supply chains, aquaculture, sustainable forestry and similar enterprises.
Practical test
What is the primary revenue stream and the strongest, most investable pathway for mobilising capital into your project today? If it's carbon, CAPE is the right fit. If it's broader nature-finance mechanisms, NFIL is.
Check out our FAQs for more details around CAPE vs NFIL.In-Scope Project Types Include:
ARR (Afforestation, Reforestation & Revegetation)
Blue Carbon
Peatlands & Wetlands
Projects generating Biodiversity outcomes
FAQs
All projects that go through CAPE will be expected to provide an adequate level of input and engagement to allow the agreed project development support and transaction expertise to take place. This will vary depending on stage and capacity of each project and will form an important part of the co-design phase. There may be scope for CAPE to fund some of this operational time.
CAPE is designed to support projects at various stages,but projects must have a completed feasibility study to be eligible.
Selected cohort participants receive tailored transaction advisory support alongside project development capital allocations to build capacity, address legal structuring, and scale ground execution technicalities.
CAPE is more appropriate where carbon revenue is the primary revenue opportunity and lead investability pathway for tour project. By contrast, NFIL is focused on enterprises where Investors are underwriting a broader combination of nature-finance mechanisms, ecosystem service payments, biodiversity opportunities, enterprise models and future revenue pathways where carbon is not the primary investability mechanism today.