PFAN in Latin America and the Caribbean

The Private Financing Advisory Network in Latin America and the Caribbean (PFAN-LAC) is a network of climate and clean energy financing experts which offers one-to-one business coaching and investment facilitation services to promising climate adaptation and clean energy projects, at no cost to the entrepreneur.

PFAN-LAC is currently operating the Caribbean Climate Investment Program (CCIP)’s project preparation facility (PPF) under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Climate Finance for Development Accelerator (CFDA).

Through CCIP’s PPF, PFAN-LAC is developing a pipeline of projects at different stages of development to usher them through the pre-investment cycle. Selected projects will be taken through the PFAN Journey, the three-step process which prepares entrepreneurs to attract investment to their climate and clean energy projects and provides them with targeted investor introductions. New to the PPF, PFAN-LAC is adding an extra step of assistance – pipeline development for pre-application support to projects. During this stage, our network of locally-based Advisors will assist eligible projects in preparing their application for PFAN-LAC’s services.

Over the course of the three-year programme, running from March 2023 until 2027, PFAN-LAC will hold several roadshows and investor outreach events, financing forums and other in-person and virtual events. Follow PFAN on LinkedIn and X for up-to-date information on upcoming events.

 

About the CCIP

CCIP is a four-year activity under the USAID CFDA that aims to unlock private sector investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, adaptation actions and natural climate solutions across 14 Caribbean countries. Through an integrated three-pronged approach consisting of the PPF, a grants mechanism, and on-demand technical assistance, CCIP strengthens the capacity of climate finance seekers and facilitates matchmaking with climate finance providers to generate catalytic actions that put climate front and centre. More information about CCIP can be found here.

CCIP’s PPF is implemented by a consortium between PFAN-LAC; the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), an international non-profit organisation that develops clean energy markets in low- and middle-income countries; and Innovacíon Social y Ambiental (ISA), a non-profit organisation under GreenMomentum.

PFAN - Latin America and the Caribbean in Numbers

Total investment leveraged (USD millions)

45.13

Projects which mobilised finance

10

Projects supported

39

Total Advisors in the region

29

Locally-based Advisors

76%

Clean energy capacity added by projects which mobilised finance (MW)

104

Type of projects in PFAN-LAC Pipeline

Eligibility Criteria

PFAN-LAC accepts applications from projects and businesses in low- and middle-income countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

PFAN has supported projects across the Caribbean region including in Barbados, Belize, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

PFAN also has a diverse project pipeline in Latin America, with projects in Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama.

Eligible countries for PFAN-LAC are:

The Caribbean

    • Barbados
    • Dominica
    • Dominican Republic
    • Grenada
    • Guyana
    • Haiti
    • Jamaica
    • Saint Kitts and Nevis
    • Saint Lucia
    • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
    • Suriname
    • Trinidad and Tobago

To be eligible for PFAN-LAC support, your project or business must:

  • provide climate change adaptation benefits and/or
  • offer or use clean energy technologies, products or services that fall within our areas of work.

Proposals should demonstrate that the project is commercially and technically viable and requires no or only minimal grant funding. If your project currently receives grant funding or has done so in the past, that does not affect eligibility.

For more information about the selection and scoring criteria used by PFAN, please click here.

Eligible Sectors

PFAN is technology neutral, which means we do not prefer any technology over any other. Please click here for a list of eligible sectors and technologies.

PFAN-LAC has a diverse project pipeline, with projects deploying a diverse range of technologies appropriate to specific economic sectors. In the Caribbean, PFAN-LAC has a special focus on the tourism sector as well as circular economy and climate adaptation.

Technologies and sectors where PFAN-LAC has worked with can be seen below:

Renewable Energy

Rural Electrification

Tourism

Waste to Energy

Climate Resilient Infrastructure

Climate Adaptation

Energy Efficiency

Clean Technology

The PFAN Journey

When working with PFAN-LAC, climate adaptation and clean energy projects receive one-to-one business coaching and investment facilitation support from our skilled business advisors and partners in the region. PFAN has developed a unique process designed to provide tailored support to the projects to become ready to meet investors and pitch their projects.

To learn more about the PFAN Journey, click the button below.

Gender Mainstreaming at PFAN

PFAN-LAC places high importance not only on minimizing the environmental impact of our projects, but also on understanding their social impacts, such as gender awareness and gender empowerment. Our program ensures that our network members are equipped with the required knowledge and tools in order to support our projects in maximizing their positive social impact as much as possible.

PFAN has recently launched a Gender Action Plan Toolkit for our network members, which was implemented with the purpose of supporting our advisors’ work, enabling entrepreneurs to develop a roadmap of their intended gender journey and to support their investment readiness.

For more information on the importance of Gender and PFAN’s work on Gender Mainstreaming, please click below.

Gender Mainstreaming at PFAN

Gender at PFAN

Our Network in LAC

PFAN-LAC has a locally based network of skilled and business advisors with deep experience in the development and financing of clean and climate technology projects across Latin America and the Caribbean.

For the full list of PFAN Network Members in Latin America and the Caribbean, please click below.

Spotlight on Advisors

Loreto Duffy-Mayers

Loreto is a tourism, environment, and energy specialist with 30 years’ of experience throughout the Caribbean, with a major focus on emission reduction and climate change. Loreto has worked with many donor organizations, climate-focused agencies and government agencies to develop tourism-energy-environmental projects in the private sector and has overseen two energy efficiency projects for the Caribbean Hotel sector as Programme Manager (CHENACT and CHENACT Advanced Programme) and UN Caribbean Cooling Initiative (CCOOL) as the Project Lead.

She is also the Tourism Consultant for the EU COSME Programme and Barbados Offshore Renewable Energy Consultancy and managed environment programmes in seven award-winning green hotels in Barbados and St. Lucia.

Patrick Longmire

Patrick is an independent consultant, advising energy project developers on raising financing from international institutions. Patrick holds a B.A. in International Relations from Stanford University, a Masters in Social Change and Development from the Johns Hopkins School of International Studies and an MBA in International Finance from the Wharton School of Business, with over 30 years of experience in finance in the United States, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Patrick has experience working with SEAF, Castalia’s Clean Energy Transaction Advisory practice, Chase Manhattan Bank, Lehman Brothers, IFC Power Department, and as a Managing Director for power sector investments with a $1 billion private equity fund.

Jorge Barrigh

Jorge has over twenty-five years of experience in field and leadership positions in impact investing, renewable & traditional energy, climate, conservation, and agriculture finance.  He has worked with national governments, international development finance institutions as well as private equity investors, impact funds, startups, developers of new ventures and established corporates in the design, development, measuring, and efficient implementation of opportunities in sustainability as applied to finance, operations, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Jorge is currently Regional Director Impact Investment Americas for a rural development Impact capital fund focused on entrepreneurs and SMEs scaling up productive value chains in the agri-food production & exports sectors in the region.  He is a Board member and former Chair of the Latin America and Caribbean Council On Renewable Energy (LAC-CORE) and the Transaction Manager for PFAN-LAC. He was Team Leader for the $12 M US government CEFF-CCA project preparation grant facility, administered by USAID.

He has a BS in Economics, an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Temple University in Philadelphia, and a follow-on certificate in Advanced Innovation Management from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkely.

Talya Mohammed

Talya has over 17 years of experience performing in environmental compliance, monitoring and analysis, H.S.E. system approaches, capacity building and training, as well as project design and management to promote sustainable climate-smart action.

Talya is currently the Director of Ideas I Foundation, a local social enterprise focused on youth and community development and empowerment; as well as technical consulting on sustainable waste management and operationalization to support the sustained recovery of recyclables. Her work in recent years includes project coordination and facilitation and supporting grant funding applications for NGOs and CBOs.

She has also contributed to local NGO consortium projects with CANARI and the Cropper Foundation, as well as supporting the Caribbean Philanthropic Alliance and working with the Bridge Foundation as project lead with an umbrella of environmental CSOs and experts in Trinidad and Tobago.

Success stories

PFAN-LAC has supported over 50 clean energy and climate-friendly projects in the region through the PFAN Journey, by assisting in preparation of project documents such as the business plan and financial model, as well as in investor introductions and engagements. PFAN-LAC’s portfolio in Latin America and the Caribbean is quite diverse, with projects based in Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and more.

As a result of the support from our locally based and highly skilled advisors, several projects in the region have successfully reached financial closure. Please click on the respective links below to find out more information on the successes of these projects, and how the support from our PFAN advisors assisted them in reaching investors and securing financing:

Finance mobilised by PFAN-supported projects in LAC

Closures in Latin America and the Caribbean (USD millions)

Events

Our programme also places high importance on having in-person visibility in the region. PFAN-LAC has organized and participated in multiple successful events, ranging from advisor meet-ups, forums and conferences. See the links below for a selection of recent PFAN.LAC events in the region.

Partnerships

In addition to maintaining strong relations with our PFAN network members based in the Caribbean and their engagements with potential investors, PFAN’s overarching aim for the region continues to involve developing relationships with our new and existing partners in the region. PFAN in the Latin America and the Caribbean region currently has over 20 partners, including Fundación Solar, Interamerican Development Bank (IDB) and CCREEE. At present we are actively in the process of engaging with new partners, OECS and Dominica Credit Union. Visit the full list of PFAN Partners.

Funder

USAID / CFDA

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Climate Finance for Development Accelerator (CFDA) is a $250 million initiative designed to mobilize $2.5 billion in public and private climate investments by 2030. It will fund a range of climate change mitigation and low carbon adaptation projects led by project developers focused on scaling up the transition to an equitable and resilient net-zero economy.

Featured partners

Interamerican Development Bank (IDB)

IDB is the leading source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean. They provide loans, grants and technical assistance and conduct extensive research. Through financial and technical support for countries working to reduce poverty and inequality, they help to improve health and education, and advance infrastructure.

CCREEE

The CCREEE is working to improve access to modern, affordable and reliable energy services, energy security and mitigation of negative externalities of the energy system (e.g. local pollution and GHG emissions) by promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency investments, markets and industries in the Caribbean. The CCREEE’s strategic priorities are to create, optimise, embed and transform the energy sector, resulting in a transformed region.