The C40 Cities Finance Facility (CFF) supports cities in mobilizing finance for climate action at the city level. While CFF does not provide direct project financing, it supports cities with the tools and expertise needed to attract investment.
CFF’s focus is projects that have reached the project scoping phase and are seeking support directed at business case development, financial structuring and financing option assessments. CFF also provides limited support on technical structuring and design.
The 2025 call for proposals follows the following process:
- Eligibility check
- Desk-based assessment
- Assessment in the city
- Donor approval
The application portal will remain open throughout 2025. The selection process will be staggered with different cohorts. An initial cohort of shortlisted applications will be prepared by mid February 2025, and a second cohort will be prepared by mid-2025.
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Applicant: Municipal administrations or their subsidiaries/corporations.
- Completeness of application: Complete application form including the contact person
- Project maturity: Feasibility or pre feasibility in an advanced stage with project scoping.
- Project objective / Eligible sectors: The project address climate adaptation and/or mitigation efforts.
- Urban infrastructure project: Tangible infrastructure project that will lead to emission reductions and/or greater resilience for urban population.
- Differentiation from previous CFF project: Project applications that are materially distinct from previous CFF support in the city.
- Eligible entity: City located in an ODA eligible country, with or without C40 membership.
An eligible application gets further assessed guided by the following criteria:
- Climate and environmental benefits
- Political context & city engagement
- Project related financial feasibility
- Environmental and social risks
- Institutional capacities
- Scalability potential
- Social benefits