This report offers a selection of key learnings from grantees of Convergence’s Global Emerging Markets Design Funding Portfolio, funded by Global Affairs Canada. Convergence’s design funding program provides early-stage grants to develop innovative blended finance structures that look to mobilize private capital for sustainable development at scale. Since its inception, Convergence’s Global Emerging Markets Window has supported over 18 solutions, awarding just over $6 million to vehicles that have mobilized over $650 million in total capital to date. Within this report, Convergence aims to provide guidance for blended finance practitioners seeking to develop and launch investment structures at scale. Key questions framing this report include:

i) What factors have contributed to the success of design funding recipients as they design, structure, fundraise, and launch blended finance vehicles?
ii) What are the primary barriers faced in bringing early-stage blended vehicles to market? What are the key pivots in the process?
iii) How can findings from Convergence’s design funding grantees better equip blended finance practitioners to launch vehicles and support market-wide learnings?

This report summarizes learnings across four stages of the design process: Structuring, Fundraising, Investment Activity, and Impact Reporting. 

Designing Blended Finance Vehicles: Learnings from Convergence's Design Funding Program

Convergence