CDB Launches € 700K Fund for Caribbean Women-Led Businesses

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is strengthening support for women-led businesses across the Caribbean with a new funding initiative focused on climate resilience, business continuity, and sustainable growth. Through the initiative, women-led micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (WMSMEs) will gain access to financial and technical assistance to better prepare for and recover from climate-related disruptions.

CDB, in partnership with the European Union's Latin America and Caribbean Investment Facility (LACIF) via its SheTrades Caribbean Hub, has activated the SheTrades Caribbean Women Entrepreneurs' Climate Impact Business Resilience (WE-CLIMB) Fund with €700,000 from the European Union's Latin America and Caribbean Investment Facility (LACIF) and through AFD.

The initiative aims to support women entrepreneurs, women-led businesses to be ready for, to protect against and to recover from climate-related disruption, and to enhance their preparedness to sustain operations and move toward long-term growth.

Key Highlights
 

• CDB launches funding to strengthen Caribbean women-led business resilience
• Women-led MSMEs gain grants, technical assistance and research support
• First WE-CLIMB funding applications are expected in December 2026

WMSMEs make up around 99.5 percent of businesses and nearly 60 percent of formal productive employment in Latin America and the Caribbean, the CDB said. The program also tackles the recurring financing issues for women entrepreneurs, including the estimated US$1.7 trillion financing gap for women entrepreneurs of MSMEs across the globe.

The WE-CLIMB Fund, managed by the CDB via the SheTrades Caribbean Hub, will include support in various categories such as climate risk assessment, climate resilient infrastructure and technology, research and development, awareness building activities, disaster preparedness and business continuity planning.

The women-led MSMEs in the CDB Borrowing Member Countries will be eligible beneficiaries and special focus will be placed on businesses in climate-sensitive and climate-relevant sectors. Funding will be made available by competitive application systems and qualified businesses will be able to apply for support for practical measures that can make them more resilient to shocks to the climate.

Commenting on the initiative, Lisa Harding, Private Sector Division Chief at the Caribbean Development Bank, said, “The WE-CLIMB Fund recognises that climate resilience is now central to business resilience.”

Lisa also emphasized the role of women-owned and women-led enterprises in economic development, innovation and community development throughout the Caribbean. The Fund will support entrepreneurs in strengthening their ability to predict, adapt and rebound from climate impacts, boost productivity, competitiveness and market access for regional and international markets, she said.

Mylene Lerigab, Regional Project Manager for Financial Institutions at AFD, said the organisation was “very proud to launch WE-CLIMB with CDB through the SheTrades Caribbean Hub,” noting AFD’s focus on strengthening women’s economic autonomy and access to resources.

Mylene further pointed to the connection between gender inequality and climate change, noting that women can face disproportionate exposure to climate-related risks. According to her, the Fund will use European Union funding under the LACIF program to provide targeted technical assistance that enables WMSMEs to adapt to climate risks and expand sustainable business practices.

Beyond direct grants and technical assistance, WE-CLIMB will support the development of research, knowledge resources, and awareness campaigns aimed at improving climate risk management among women entrepreneurs and encouraging climate-smart business practices across the Caribbean.

The first call for applications is expected in December 2026. Successful applicants will receive a combination of technical assistance and grant support to implement measures aimed at improving climate resilience and business continuity. Information on eligibility, application procedures, and program timelines will be released through the SheTrades Caribbean Hub and CDB's communication channels.