Shifting climate adaptation finance to local communities through effective intermediaries

Climate adaptation finance is failing to reach marginalised communities that are most vulnerable to climate impacts – including women, girls and Indigenous Peoples.

This briefing sets out how to direct climate finance, and specifically financing for locally led adaptation (LLA), effectively to local communities and organisations engaged in climate action. We focus on the role and purpose of intermediary funders to examine the important attributes they need to be effective.

Drawing on the lessons of the Global Alliance for Green and Gender Action, a pioneering alliance channelling climate finance to women-led community-based organisations, we see how intermediaries can transform locally driven climate action and invest in long-term capacity building, by getting funds where they are needed most.

The briefing contributes to a further refinement of LLA methodologies and practices to better realise its promise of climate justice.