Building a Climate-Smart Zone Together

Thanks to the momentum from early 2025 and your steadfast support, we are driving meaningful gains in strengthening the region’s climate resilience. We remain profoundly appreciative of your partnership as we advance high-impact initiatives that protect our communities, ecosystems, and economies from rising climate risks. Your continued engagement makes this progress possible. As we advance our shared vision for a climate-smart Caribbean, we’re pleased to provide an update on our recent activities, many of which have been made possible through the generous support of the donor community. Thank you for being an essential part of this journey.

 Growing Resilience: Advancing Climate-Smart Agriculture Across the Caribbean

• This quarter marked a new phase of growth and recognition for CCSA’s Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) project. With installations completed for Pilot 2 across Bermuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and St. Kitts and Nevis, the programme is now demonstrating tangible results in strengthening food security and climate resilience.
• Between May and September, participating countries harvested over 700 heads of produce, showcasing the real-time impact of hydroponic innovation in local contexts.  
• In St. Kitts and Nevis, the new unit was featured during the Global Sustainable Islands Summit in May, where it served as a live demonstration of the programme’s promise to deliver practical, scalable solutions.
• With support from our partners, the CSA programme is not only producing food but also building skills, strengthening community resilience, and creating new pathways for climate-smart innovation.

 Powering Early-Stage Ventures with Catalytic Support

• CCSA’s Innovation Fund shifted from vision to execution, driving tangible momentum in advancing Caribbean-led climate solutions.  In August, the Innovation Fund launched its first Project Preparation Facility cohort, advancing eight high-potential ventures across the blue economy, green economy, and circular economy sectors. 
• Each entrepreneur confirmed their commitment through a refundable deposit and received a scholarship valued at US$750 to ensure equitable access to the programme.
• Delivered in partnership with RevUP Caribbean and the Caribbean Development Bank, the preparation programme spans four months of intensive engagement. Entrepreneurs meet twice per week for structured sessions, receive dedicated mentor support, and complete targeted assignments to strengthen their business models, financial structures, and market strategies. 
• To further enhance this ecosystem, CCSA signed an MOU with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean (ICAC), enabling pro bono financial services from a network of Accountants across the region.
• Corporate engagement for Innovation Fund Caribbean is also gaining momentum. Funding proposals are currently being considered by regional companies, paving the way for sponsorships and long-term partnerships. 
• This layered approach, combining donor support, corporate backing, and technical expertise, ensures the Fund not only accelerates project readiness but also builds a stronger, more connected innovation ecosystem for the Caribbean.

Enhancing Data-Driven Decision Support in the Climate-Smart Map

• With support from our data partners, we are advancing the Climate Smart Map’s technical development by increasing data granularity, integrating new geospatial and socioeconomic layers, and sharpening analytical capabilities. 
• These enhancements strengthen the platform as a decision-support tool, enabling more precise risk assessments, investment planning, and policy design. The expanded data infrastructure now drives targeted, evidence-based reporting that fuels innovation, climate resilience, and sustainable economic growth across the Caribbean’s climate-smart zone.

 Advocacy for Financial Innovation

• In March 2025, a major step forward for climate finance in the Caribbean was realized with the official launch of the GFANZ Caribbean Chapter. CCSA played a key role in supporting the development of the chapter. From early coordination to shaping the regional focus, CCSA helped ensure the chapter’s design reflected the Caribbean’s unique financing needs and opportunities. 
• CCSA CEO Racquel Moses was appointed Chair of the GFANZ Caribbean Chapter’s Consultative Group, underscoring CCSA’s trusted position as a regional convenor and bridge-builder between sectors.
• CCSA subsequently signed a grant agreement with Bloomberg Philanthropies for funding to enable the establishment of the Secretariat for the Caribbean Chapter. 
• A critical enabler of this grant was the organization’s successful Equivalency Determination Certification, achieved in July, which affirms CCSA’s status as equivalent to a U.S. public charity through March 2027. This milestone strengthens donor confidence and opens access to a wider pool of U.S.-based philanthropic support.
• CCSA continues to strengthen its voice and role in the global climate dialogue, by positioning itself to foster collaboration tailored to Caribbean-specific needs. Through our participation in the many events around New York Climate Week 2025, CCSA  emphasised that a focus on Caribbean-themed fellowships and programs ensures that advocacy and climate solutions are contextually relevant, building local expertise and resilience. 
• Dovetailing with participation in Climate Week New York 2025 was the launch of the InterAmerican Development Bank’s (IDB) REINVEST+ initiative. This provides the opportunity for participation by regional financial institutions in selling performing assets in climate and resilience to IBD for packaging as investment grade securities. This program frees up space on balance sheets providing the opportunity for banks to reinvest in areas aligned with NDCs. 
• CCSA will focus on socialisation of REINVEST+ with members of GFANZ Caribbean Chapter Consultative Group to support uptake that unlocks additional capital for adaptation and mitigation
• CCSA  nominated a winner of the 2025 Earthshot Prize award in the Protect and Restore Nature category! This recognition is not just a milestone for the CCSA  but a reflection of the collective belief that drives all of our work, that climate innovation from our regions can compete and win on the world stage.
• Our nominee, re.green, is transforming the way the world views nature, not as something to be sacrificed for progress, but as essential infrastructure for our future. Operating across four Brazilian states, re.green’s approach to restoring the Atlantic Forest and the Amazon combines AI, drones, and ecological intelligence to identify and restore land with the greatest potential for regeneration.
• re.green has planted over six million seedlings, created more than 230 jobs, and trained nearly 300 people, while partnering with leading global investors like Nestlé, Microsoft, Agro Penido, and BNDES. With an ambition to restore one million hectares and capture 15 million tonnes of CO each year, they are proving that protecting nature can be both profitable and profoundly impactful.

 Looking Ahead

Join us in shaping a brighter future for the Caribbean by helping us achieve our final goal of $15,000. Your support will:

• ignite transformative, data-driven tools that empower smarter decision-making across the region.
• drive innovative farming initiatives that strengthen communities, enhance food security, and build lasting climate resilience.
• champion forward-thinking financial solutions that meet the Caribbean’s unique needs and unlock new opportunities.

 Together, we can create a thriving, resilient Caribbean one bold step at a time. Let’s harness our shared commitment to build a stronger, more sustainable future. Help turn climate-smart solutions into action today!

Links:

• CCSA Signs MOU with ICAC