Regions4 has teamed up with the Finance Resource Database for Biodiversity (FIRE) to help close the financing gap for biodiversity conservation for regional government and other stakeholders 

In a move towards advancing common biodiversity conservation goals, Regions4 is partnering up with the Finance Resource Database for Biodiversity (FIRE) by UNDP-BIOFIN.  

FIRE was established to tackle a common challenge affecting a significant number of stakeholders in the biodiversity and environment sector. Despite many ideas and enthusiasm for conservation projects, these stakeholders often lack awareness of the available funding opportunities that can turn these ideas into reality. This gap can hinder the implementation of valuable projects. Furthermore, biodiversity conservation projects come in diverse forms, each with unique funding needs, be it grants, loans, equity investments, or guarantees. And identifying the appropriate funding opportunity can prove to be quite challenging. 

In this dynamic context, FIRE has established an extensive and evolving database where project owners can explore a wide range of funding opportunities that align with their specific project requirements. The database undergoes continuous development and enhancement, incorporating new features through systematic feedback mechanisms. This iterative process ensures the ongoing refinement and expansion of the database in response to user input and emerging requirements. Moreover, this resource not only facilitates the discovery of funding avenues but also contributes to a deeper understanding of existing financial resources dedicated to biodiversity conservation. 

Regions4 advocated for the inclusion of categories for different levels of government in FIRE’s filter, making the search for financial opportunities in which subnational governments are eligible for funding more transparent. The tool now offers a filter tailored to regional and subnational governments instead of a broad “public entity” category. 

This enhancement is great news for Regions4 members, as it means they can now easily identify funding opportunities available specifically to regional and subnational governments. With this tailored filter, our members can streamline their search for financial support, ensuring they can secure funding that aligns perfectly with their conservation projects and regional development goals. 

Furthermore, Regions4 intends to contribute to the enrichment of FIRE by sharing our own insights and mapping of funding opportunities relevant to the regional level. This collaborative knowledge exchange aims to unveil funding sources that might have otherwise gone unnoticed, enhancing FIRE as an even more invaluable resource for stakeholders and strengthening our collective efforts in biodiversity conservation worldwide. 

In addition to Regions4, other partners from FIRE, including UNEP-FI, Cornell University, Campaign for Nature, Conservation Finance Alliance, the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, and the governments of the UK, France, and Belgium, are working together bridge the financing gap for biodiversity conservation stakeholders. 

This resource promises to empower regional governments in their efforts to secure funding for vital conservation projects and regional development initiatives, and Regions4 is honoured to now be part of the team. 

We invite Regions4 members to explore the enhanced FIRE database, which now boasts over 250 resources, including 54 opportunities for which subnational governments are eligible for funding! 

To foster continuous improvement and expansion, the database actively invites valuable feedback, so we highly encourage our members to contribute with their insights, ideas and inputs. You can send them through our e-mail info@regions4.org or through FIRE’s dedicated form.