Development Bank of Southern Africa
DBSA Climate Finance
What DBSA actually does in climate finance
DBSA is not a green fund of its own; it is an accredited entity that mobilises capital from four large multilateral pools and blends it with its own balance sheet, guarantees, and grants. If your project is too concessional for a commercial bank but too commercial for pure grant finance, DBSA is often the counterparty that can make it work.
The four flows behind the balance sheet
DBSA is an accredited GCF entity. GCF resources come as senior loans, grants, and equity for climate-mitigation and adaptation projects.
The JET-IP is South Africa's climate transition compact with France, Germany, the UK, US, Netherlands, Denmark, and the EU. DBSA channels concessional loans and grants into coal-transition regions.
The Clean Technology Fund and CIF Coal Transition Programme co-invest alongside DBSA in renewable generation and storage. Blends grant with senior debt.
Norway, KfW, Agence Française de Développement, and JBIC provide project-preparation grants and guarantees managed alongside DBSA lending.
Instrument mix on offer
Types of projects DBSA is financing in 2026
Who can apply
- South African state-owned entities, municipalities, or development finance institutions
- Independent power producers (IPPs) with a bankable off-take agreement
- Private companies where the project delivers measurable climate outcomes
- Public-private partnerships with a project size of at least R50 million
- Applicants able to co-fund at least 10-20% of the capital stack
How to open a conversation
DBSA climate desk: email [email protected] with a two-page concept note. Head office: 011 313 3911. Programme overview at dbsa.org.