Belize, like many other Small Island Developing States (SIDS), is particularly vulnerable to climate change with limited access to national financial, technological, and technical resources to build the country’s resilience. Ranking 9th on the Climate Change Vulnerability Index for the Latin American and Caribbean Region, Belize recognizes the need to take proactive actions towards a climate resilient development pathway. However, addressing the growing impacts of climate change poses a major challenge to national organizations, given their limited financial resources. It is vital that Belize tackles climate resiliency by strengthening the capacity of national agencies across sectors to access, manage and monitor climate financed project/programs, which can only be achieved through support from key Funding Agencies, such as the GCF. 

This Readiness Grant seeks to strengthen internal capacities and function of the Belize Social Investment Fund (BSIF) to attain GCF Accreditation. In so doing, Belize will be able to access international climate finance via an entity engaged in the provision of basic climate resilient social infrastructure and related human development interventions across the Health, Education, Water and Sanitation sectors particularly in rural communities throughout the country.