The Climate Innovation for Adaptation and Resilience (CIFAR) Alliance has officially joined the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE), marking a strategic step to scale inclusive climate finance and innovation across emerging markets.

As Graham Wright, Group Managing Director of MicroSave Consulting and Co-chair of the Alliance, has said, “Adaptation is no longer optional for climate vulnerable communities— it’s a question of economic survival. By integrating with the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, the CIFAR Alliance is scaling a powerful ecosystem connecting capital, innovation, and communities on the frontlines of climate change.”

The decision follows months of internal strategic review, external options engagement, a prospective partner due diligence process, and a formal member vote, and reflects CIFAR’s evolution from an early-stage ecosystem builder to a mature, globally embedded platform for climate adaptation and resilience finance. Since its founding, CIFAR has worked to strengthen the ecosystem for inclusive climate finance innovation by bringing together financial service providers, investors, development agencies, innovators, and policymakers to advance solutions for vulnerable, low-income communities.

From its conceptual inception in early 2021, and incubated by BFA Global, the CIFAR Alliance has rapidly evolved into a member-driven platform with 22 formal institutions spanning finance, climate, and development including PayPal, the UN Race to Resilience, World Resources Institute, CGAP, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, British International Investment, Mercy Corps Ventures, BFA Global, FSD Africa, and MSC (MicroSave Consulting), among others. 

Through its collaborative solutions and knowledge generating Co-Labs, including Climate Adaptation Metrics, Carbon Finance, Climate-Resilient Agriculture, Climate Tech Venture Investors, and Elevating the Voice of Affected People, CIFAR has translated collaboration into action by convening over 100 organizations in the adaptation and resilience finance space, producing 15+ practical knowledge products, spotlighting investor-ready pathways to resilience, and convening more than 2,500 participants across Regional Climate Weeks and COP27–COP29. 

CIFAR’s member partnerships have moved collaboration into practice, with institutions such as MicroSave Consulting, PayPal, Mercy Corps Ventures, and Women’s World Banking advancing climate adaptation initiatives across markets. The Alliance’s venture-building model has also produced Atram.ai, first incubated through a CIFAR Co-Lab and now operating as an independent startup supported by FSD Africa, MicroSave Consulting, and MercyCorp Ventures, underscoring CIFAR’s ability to generate scalable solutions for anticipatory action and climate-vulnerable communities.

Why ANDE and Why Now

Adaptation and resilience are no longer side issues. They are core constraints on livelihoods, enterprise continuity, and economic development. Yet many climate-resilience solutions still struggle with the same barriers: weak investment pipelines, thin venture support, and limited flows of fit-for-purpose capital. CIFAR’s integration into ANDE is designed to reduce that friction by making it easier for members to collaborate, co-design initiatives, and mobilize resources across regions and sectors. 

ANDE brings the scale and institutional durability to take this work further. ANDE’s network includes 200+ member organizations operating in 150+ countries, which in turn support 200,000+ small and growing businesses, each year through finance, business support, and ecosystem initiatives. In recent years, ANDE has strengthened its strategy and regional leadership model, and expanded its convening reach, including by hosting its Global Annual Conference in cities around the world. 

CIFAR brings specialized expertise in climate adaptation and resilience finance, a proven ecosystem-building methodology grounded in trust, collaboration, and the “Sensemake–Connect–Launch–Grow” pillars, and a strong track record of translating knowledge into action. 

The integration will embed CIFAR’s climate finance specialization into ANDE’s global entrepreneurship network — creating a stronger pipeline of climate-resilient small and growing businesses and accelerating capital flows to climate-vulnerable communities.

What Happens Next

Beginning in Q3 of 2026, CIFAR programming will operate within ANDE’s global platform through a dedicated Climate Working Group, integration of CIFAR Co-Labs into ANDE’s Action Labs, climate-focused tracks at ANDE’s global convenings, and expanded access to ANDE’s 100+ annual events and regional chapters, while CIFAR’s mission, brand identity, and focus on vulnerable communities remain unchanged. 

COP30 underscored the urgent need to close the adaptation finance gap and mobilize private capital for resilience, and CIFAR’s integration into ANDE positions the Alliance to help drive that shift by supporting climate-resilient MSMEs, bridging early-stage and growth capital gaps, developing practical climate finance toolkits, and connecting innovators with investors at scale. As CIFAR enters this next phase, its founding thesis remains clear: climate resilience requires coordinated ecosystems, not isolated actors. With ANDE, CIFAR moves from building momentum to embedding climate innovation within global entrepreneurial infrastructure, accelerating solutions for people and communities most affected by climate change.

About CIFAR Alliance

The CIFAR Alliance is a global member-driven community advancing inclusive climate finance, adaptation innovation, and resilience-building strategies. Founded and incubated by BFA Global along with a core group of early member partners, including PayPal, World Resources Institute, CGAP, Better Than Cash Alliance, and the UN Race to Resilience, CIFAR convenes institutions and practitioners committed to bridging climate and finance systems to support vulnerable communities and enterprises.

About ANDE

The Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) is a global network of organizations that propel entrepreneurship in developing economies. ANDE members provide critical financial, educational, and business support services to small and growing businesses, promoting sustainable development and inclusive growth worldwide.

For further information, 

CIFAR Alliance: www.cifaralliance.org

ANDE: www.andeglobal.org