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The Climate Gender Equity Fund (CGEF) has awarded a transformative grant to Achieving Women’s Equity (AWE) Funds, marking a significant milestone in advancing gender-equitable solutions for climate and sustainability.
The CGEF grant will enable AWE Funds to scale its initiatives, bolster its portfolio companies, and strengthen the local ecosystem of climate and gender-smart enterprises. Key objectives include investing in six to eight women-led or women-benefiting climate companies, enhancing local accelerator programs with targeted support, and launching a fellowship program to nurture young women climate professionals.
CGEF, a public-private partnership spearheaded by USAID in collaboration with Amazon, Reckitt, Skoll Foundation, The UPS Foundation, and Visa Foundation, focuses on increasing access to climate finance for women-led and women-benefiting organisations globally. This initiative underscores CGEF’s commitment to fostering inclusive growth and innovation in regions severely affected by climate change, including India.
AWE Funds has established itself as a leader in driving gender equity and climate resilience in India by investing in technology-driven innovations across climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. The fund primarily focuses on ClimateTech sectors such as energy, mobility, and sustainable agriculture, along with HealthTech, Financial Inclusion, and the Future of Work.
Seema Chaturvedi, Founder and Managing Partner of AWE Funds, said, “This grant from CGEF validates our belief that empowering women as active participants in the discovery, invention, and adoption of climate solutions is crucial to solving the climate crisis. We are honored to receive this funding and are committed to transforming industries and communities in India through proactive climate action.”
AWE Funds’ award was one of two grants announced at COP29 during USAID’s event, Leading the Change: Mobilising Women-Led Climate Action. Kris Sarri, Acting Chief Climate Officer of USAID, highlighted the importance of investing in women as change agents in climate solutions, calling for collective action to amplify these efforts.
With CGEF’s strategic support, AWE Funds is poised to drive systemic change, empower women entrepreneurs, and address pressing climate challenges. This collaboration exemplifies the power of partnerships in advancing innovation, equity, and sustainability.