Development Finance Institution (DFI) Overview and Data

This database has been prepared with public information and is not meant to be official guidance.

It will be updated regularly.

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All data can be downloaded using the “download to CSV” option.

  • Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) are government-backed financing organizations that invest in private sector projects to promote sustainable development and economic growth, particularly in emerging and developing markets.

  • While DFIs can fund civil society organizations, research institutes, academic organizations or even other governments, they traditionally act as an alternative to commercial banks, providing financing to companies that have a sustainability or social impact investment in an emerging or developing country. Often these investments are around themes like climate change, renewable energy, transport, financial services, gender equity and health, but vary by DFI.

  • DFIs provide different types of “blended” capital including through tools like concessional loans, equity investments, guarantees, or grant-to-debt financing structures. DFIs often co-invest alongside private capital to de-risk investments, catalyze additional funding, and support projects that would otherwise be too risky or underfunded.

  • While they rarely fund early-stage ideas, they are valuable partners for scaling impactful, commercially viable initiatives in challenging markets.

  • DFIs tend to fund mostly in emerging markets and developing economies with some exceptions depending on the financing entity and the program in question.

  • Please send any questions to Joanne at js@joannesonenshine.com