Deadline Date: May 25, 2026
The Blended Finance Accelerator for Fund Managers (A4FM) is a global initiative designed to enable fund and asset managers to develop, structure, and scale blended finance vehicles that mobilize institutional capital into emerging and developing markets.
The focus areas, objectives, priorities, and themes of this initiative include expanding capital flows into emerging and developing economies (including LMICs and LDCs), strengthening blended finance structuring capabilities, supporting fund and asset managers in designing scalable investment vehicles, and mobilizing institutional investors toward high-growth markets. It also emphasizes catalytic capital deployment, development impact across sectors such as climate, healthcare, education, gender equality, and financial inclusion, alongside strengthening governance, legal structuring, investment pipeline development, impact measurement frameworks, and scalable fund design. Additional priorities include skill building, investor engagement, piloting investments, and enabling replication of blended finance models across geographies.
The A4FM program addresses the persistent gap between global institutional capital and investment flows into emerging and developing economies by supporting investment managers in building bankable blended finance structures that reduce risk, align incentives, and improve investability of frontier market strategies. It focuses on enabling scalable financial solutions that can attract long-term institutional investment while delivering measurable development impact.
The program provides catalytic grant funding across different stages of vehicle development. At the scoping stage, applicants can receive up to CAD $260,000 (approximately USD 190,000) in non-repayable grants to support feasibility studies, market analysis, legal and financial structuring, and stakeholder engagement. At the proof-of-concept or pilot stage, funding of up to CAD $500,000 (approximately USD 365,000) is available as conditionally repayable grants to support fundraising, investor outreach, pipeline development, and initial investment piloting. These funding windows are designed to reduce early-stage risks and help managers move toward investable and scalable financial vehicles. In addition, all applicants are required to contribute at least 10% of total project costs through cash or in-kind contributions, ensuring shared commitment to vehicle development and sustainability.
Beyond funding, A4FM also provides structured acceleration support, including virtual and in-person training, access to global market data, peer learning, and technical guidance from blended finance practitioners. It further connects fund managers with catalytic capital providers and ecosystem partners, enabling stronger alignment between commercial investors and development impact objectives. The program helps refine investment models, improve governance frameworks, and support managers in meeting the requirements of institutional investors.
Ultimately, A4FM is designed to unlock large-scale institutional capital for emerging and developing markets by supporting fund managers in building scalable blended finance vehicles. Through a combination of catalytic funding, technical assistance, and global partnerships, the program strengthens the ability of investment managers to create replicable models that drive both financial returns and sustainable development impact.
For more information, visit Convergence Blended Finance.
