FGDI DEVELOPMENT FUND

Financing the Foundations of Sustainable Development

FGDI Development Fund aims to mobilise CSR, philanthropic, institutional, development and private funding for high-impact projects in underserved, fragile and post-conflict regions.

OUR 5 FOCUS AREAS

1. ESSENTIAL SERVICES
Energy • Water • Healthcare • Connectivity

2. HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Education • Skills • Livelihoods

3. ECONOMIC RECOVERY
Agriculture • SMEs • Local Enterprise

4. RECONSTRUCTION
Housing • Roads • Essential Infrastructure

5. SUSTAINABILITY
Renewable Energy • Environment • Climate Resilience

OUR MODEL

Identify → Develop → Fund → Implement → Measure

From Essential Services to Economic Independence.

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT CAPITAL

A Trillion-Dollar Ecosystem of Giving, Philanthropy & Development Finance

The world has a substantial and growing pool of capital dedicated to improving lives, strengthening communities and supporting sustainable development.

GivingTuesday estimates that approximately US$1.95 trillion flows worldwide each year through monetary giving and related forms of generosity. Its 2025 analysis includes approximately US$44 billion of US corporate philanthropy, US$110 billion of US foundation grantmaking and US$174 billion of official development assistance. 

Global corporate giving is also expanding. Research by The Bridgespan Group found that the 20 largest corporate funders globally increased their annual charitable contributions by 80% between 2020 and 2024. 

This represents a significant opportunity to connect credible development projects with appropriate sources of capital.

THE GLOBAL FUNDING ECOSYSTEM

FGDI Development Fund can seek to work across multiple funding channels:

CORPORATE CSR & PHILANTHROPY

Global corporations increasingly allocate capital to social, environmental and community programmes.

GLOBAL FOUNDATIONS

Large philanthropic institutions provide grants and strategic funding for health, education, poverty reduction, climate, agriculture and development.

SOVEREIGN DEVELOPMENT FUNDS

Governments and sovereign institutions provide development finance for infrastructure and economic development.

MULTILATERAL DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTIONS

World Bank, IFC, regional development banks and other institutions provide loans, guarantees, grants and blended finance.

GULF DEVELOPMENT CAPITAL

UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf institutions have significant international development programmes.

IMPACT & PRIVATE CAPITAL

Impact investors, family offices, institutional investors and private companies can participate where projects have appropriate commercial or impact structures.

EXAMPLES OF GLOBAL FUNDING SOURCES

BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION

The Gates Foundation provided US$8.47 billion in charitable support in 2025, including:

US$2.175B — Global Development
US$1.897B — Global Health
US$952M — Gender Equality
US$925M — Global Growth & Opportunity

Since inception, the Foundation reports US$90 billion in grant payments and US$110.9 billion in charitable distributions through the end of 2025. 

This demonstrates the scale at which major philanthropic institutions can support global development.

UAE — ABU DHABI FUND FOR DEVELOPMENT

The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development has provided cumulative development financing of approximately AED 216.5 billion, benefiting 107 countries by the end of 2024. 

Its development activities span areas such as:

Infrastructure • Energy • Water • Transport • Housing • Education • Technology • Sustainable Development

SAUDI FUND FOR DEVELOPMENT

The Saudi Fund for Development has supported more than 800 development projects and programmes in over 100 countries, with total financing exceeding US$22 billion.

Its portfolio includes:

Healthcare • Education • Water & Sanitation • Energy • Agriculture • Transport • Communications • Infrastructure

More than 30% of its overall funding has been allocated to social infrastructure. 

QATAR & OTHER GULF DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS

Qatar Fund for Development, UAE development institutions, Saudi development finance institutions and other Gulf-based organisations form an important part of the international development-finance ecosystem.

FGDI can identify projects that align with the geographic, sectoral and funding mandates of these institutions and help develop appropriate project documentation and partnerships.

MULTILATERAL DEVELOPMENT FINANCE

The opportunity extends beyond philanthropy.

In FY2025, the World Bank Group reported US$118.5 billion in loans, grants, equity investments and guarantees supporting partner countries and private businesses. 

IFC and other development-finance institutions can also participate through:

Loans • Guarantees • Equity • Risk-sharing • Blended Finance • Technical Assistance

This creates the possibility of combining different forms of capital around one development programme.

A POWERFUL MODEL

ONE PROJECT. MULTIPLE SOURCES OF CAPITAL.

For example:

Government

Identifies a regional development priority

↓

FGDI DEVELOPMENT FUND

Develops the project, feasibility, DPR, funding structure and implementation framework

↓

CSR / FOUNDATION

Provides grant or philanthropic capital

• ●

DEVELOPMENT BANK

Provides concessional or development finance

• ●

GULF DEVELOPMENT FUND

Provides development financing

• ●

PRIVATE CAPITAL

Provides commercial or impact capital

↓

DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

Energy • Water • Healthcare • Connectivity • Education • Livelihoods

↓

MEASURABLE IMPACT

People Served • Jobs Created • Infrastructure Delivered • Services Improved

WHY FGDI?

CAPITAL EXISTS.

DEVELOPMENT NEED EXISTS.

QUALITY PROJECT PIPELINES ARE LIMITED.

The OECD estimates that private philanthropy contributed US$68.2 billion to development between 2020 and 2023, including US$52.8 billion in cross-border philanthropic flows. Africa alone received US$17.6 billion of those cross-border flows. 

The challenge is therefore not simply finding money.

The challenge is developing credible, fundable and measurable projects that match the mandates of capital providers.

FGDI’S ROLE

FGDI Development Fund can help bridge the gap between:

GOVERNMENTS
Development priorities

PROJECT OWNERS
Local opportunities

TECHNICAL PARTNERS
Project execution

CSR & FOUNDATIONS
Grant & philanthropic capital

DFIs & DEVELOPMENT BANKS
Development finance

GULF INSTITUTIONS
Sovereign development capital

PRIVATE INVESTORS
Impact & commercial capital

FROM NEED TO INVESTMENT-READY PROJECT

01 — IDENTIFY

Understand the development requirement.

02 — DEVELOP

Prepare the project concept, feasibility, DPR and preliminary financial structure.

03 — VALIDATE

Assess technical, financial, legal, environmental and social considerations.

04 — MATCH

Identify funding institutions whose mandates align with the project.

05 — MOBILISE

Coordinate discussions with appropriate funding and implementation partners.

06 — IMPLEMENT

Support coordination, monitoring and impact reporting through qualified partners.

OUR FIVE GLOBAL PRIORITIES

01 — ESSENTIAL SERVICES
Energy • Water • Healthcare • Connectivity

02 — HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Education • Skills • Livelihoods

03 — ECONOMIC RECOVERY
Agriculture • SMEs • Local Enterprise

04 — RECONSTRUCTION
Housing • Roads • Essential Infrastructure

05 — SUSTAINABILITY
Renewable Energy • Environment • Climate Resilience

THE FGDI DEVELOPMENT FUND

DEVELOPING PROJECTS THAT CAPITAL CAN BELIEVE IN.

We don’t simply look for funding.
We help develop the projects that funding can support.

FGDI Development Fund
Global Capital • Development • Impact

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