MAR+Invest is a blended finance mechanism with strong monitoring and evaluation of impacts, business acceleration and a capacity building program to enable conditions for a sustainable ocean-based economy in the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR). It will invest in market-based initiatives that make a positive contribution to the health and resilience of the coral reef ecosystems and communities of the MAR. This will require raising additional philanthropic capital. The ultimate goal is to unlock private capital for investment in reef conservation in this ecoregion. The four MAR+Invest partners are: New Ventures & Viwala, Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature & Sureste Sostenible, Healthy Reefs Initiative and the Mesoamerican Reef Fund (MAR Fund).
The MAR+Invest acceleration program promotes for-profit projects (early stage businesses, or businesses in growth stage) that contribute to the protection, conservation and restoration of the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR) and nearby ecosystems and communities. Projects must have operations in Mexico (Quintana Roo), Belize, Honduras or Guatemala.
This initiative, supported by the Global Fund for Coral Reefs, will carry out calls for proposals to identify potential market initiatives in different stages of development, with a reef positive end result in the MAR.
The first call for proposals will focus on identifying revenue generating interventions in 18 Coastal and Marine Protected Areas (CMPA) previously prioritized in the region.
The inception phase for MAR+Invest will establish the technical assistance facility (MARTAF), managed by MAR Fund, and the Financing Facility, managed by New Ventures. These two structures will attract catalytic and commercial capital to the ecoregion to build the resilience of MAR coral reefs via blended finance.
The Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature and Sureste Sostenible will enable conditions for positive reef innovation, investment and public policy in the four countries in the MAR through a capacity-building program. The Healthy Reefs Initiative will lead the impact evaluation and monitoring throughout the project. MAR+Invest will identify, incubate, and finance solutions that offer a scale of impact capable of reducing local threats to the reef, generating alternative livelihoods, increasing financial sustainability for CMPAs in the MAR, grow an Emergency Fund managed by MAR Fund, and ultimately attract capital to develop a coral positive investment portfolio.
The Global Fund for Coral Reefs
The Global Fund for Coral Reefs is a blended finance instrument to mobilise action and resources to protect and restore coral reef ecosystems. It’s members are a coalition of UN Agencies, nations, philanthropies, private investors and organisations have joined the Global Fund for Coral Reefs Coalition to deliver on ecological, social and economic resilience.
The Global Fund for Coral Reefs is creating a new paradigm for protection of an ecosystem on the brink of extinction with a myriad of implications, while enhancing resilience of coral reef countries and communities. Through blended finance and innovative public-private partnership, the Fund is catalysing a sustainable financial ecosystem for conservation and development of coral reefs.
