Adaptation and Resilience Fund

Adaptation and Resilience Fund is a grant from ClimateWorks Foundation, Howden Foundation, Laudes Foundation, Quadrature Climate Foundation, and The Rockefeller Foundation that funds locally led efforts to reduce climate risk and strengthen community well-being in low- and middle-income countries.

The fund accelerates solutions across multiple climate hazards, from early warning systems to innovative finance tools, and directs capital to communities on the frontlines of climate change impacts. The fund's initial priority responds to the UN secretary-general's call to action on extreme heat. Total philanthropic commitment exceeds $50 million.

Eligible applicants are organizations implementing climate adaptation and resilience projects, particularly those operating at the community level in climate-vulnerable regions.

Adaptation and Resilience Fund - ClimateWorks Foundation Adaptation and Resilience Fund The Adaptation and Resilience Fund is a bold philanthropic commitment to accelerate solutions that build resilience to climate change in low- and middle-income countries.

ClimateWorks Foundation , with the support of a coalition of global foundations, including Howden Foundation , Laudes Foundation , Quadrature Climate Foundation , and The Rockefeller Foundation , has launched the Adaptation and Resilience Fund (A&R Fund) to support locally led efforts that reduce climate risk and strengthen community well-being.

From early warning systems to innovative finance tools, the A&R Fund directs capital where it’s most needed: communities on the frontlines of climate impacts. The Adaptation & Resilience Fund is designed to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of a changing climate.

The Fund brings together philanthropic funding and expertise to address multiple climate hazards, and accelerate and catalyze systems transformation to support people facing the greatest climate impacts.

In response to the United Nations secretary-general’s urgent July 25 Call to Action on Extreme Heat, the fund’s first wave of grants will focus on helping cities and communities build resilience to extreme heat in urban areas in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa, prioritizing cities with high levels of informal labor and housing, inward migration pressure, and exposure to extreme heat.

With nearly two-thirds of the global workforce employed in the informal economy – often outdoors and without social safety nets – communities around the world already face health risks, economic hardship, and social inequities, all of which are exacerbated by exposure to extreme heat.

The A&R Fund will support locally-driven solutions that protect people, strengthen systems, and create pathways for a more resilient future, focusing on four pillars: Building the evidence base We fund research, climate information systems, and communications that help policymakers and communities understand and respond to climate hazards.

This includes context-specific health and labor productivity data, early warning systems, and localized modeling tools. Strengthening institutional capacity We support cities and local governments in planning for and implementing resilience-building measures, from heat action plans to improved infrastructure. We also invest in community-based organizations to ensure voices from the community shape local decision making.

Unlocking innovative finance We help develop and pilot financial approaches and social protection mechanisms that make adaptation investments possible, from helping to unlock municipal debt financing to piloting community-based parametric insurance. We invest in the civil society ecosystem to advance locally-led adaptation and resilience, from grassroots groups to city networks.

By fostering coalitions and peer learning, our partners lay the groundwork for shared agendas and greater collective impact.

Learn about our Adaptation and Resilience program Request for proposals: Solutions for urban resilience to extreme heat Note: This RFP is closed as of September 19, 2025 These Requests for Proposals (RFPs) were launched to confront one of the most urgent climate challenges of our time: extreme heat in urban areas across South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Total available funding: up to $9 million RFP 1: Innovative finance for urban resilience How can we unlock the billions of dollars needed for climate adaptation? This RFP seeks bold financial solutions — from municipal debt swaps and resilience bonds to community-based insurance and microfinance — to catalyze public and private investment to protect the most climate-vulnerable communities.

RFP 2: Strengthening institutions and civil society Great plans need strong systems. This RFP supports city governments, civil society organizations, and community leaders to embed heat resilience into urban planning, policies, and budgets. Proposals should center local voices — especially women, informal workers, and marginalized groups — while building the capacity of cities to plan and act for long-term resilience.

Locally-led climate adaptation and resilience Foundation funding for climate change adaptation and resilience 2025 Funding for climate adaptation and resilience hits record of $870 million