finance your cities

URBAN CLIMATE FINANCE 2024

Finance your cities

Innovation Awards – 1st Edition

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About

Urban Climate Finance Innovation Awards 2024

Pioneered by FMDV – Global Fund for Cities Development, within its Finance Your Cities platform umbrella, the Finance Your Cities Innovation Awards identify, connect and promote financial innovations in favor of the sustainable and resilient transition of cities and regions, with a specific emphasis on financing adaptation.
Through the FYC Innovation Awards, we invite you to celebrate categories of players rather than specific sectors.
The candidates are actors from the urban financing value chain that have designed and implemented innovative financial mechanisms, whether they are the main financial partner or the host institution.

finance your cities awards

Calendar

Milestones

June - Aug 2024

Call for submissions
Support from the Secretariat

September 2024

Analysis of the Innovations & Shortlist by the Innovation Awards Technical Committee

Presentation of the Finalists to the Jury & Public Announcement

October 2024

Coaching of the Finalists by FMDV for pitching

Presentation of the Solutions to the Jury

November 2024

Innovation Awards Ceremony & Side-events during International High-Level Forums (WUF12, COP29)

Dec 2024 - Nov 2025

Promotion of the Winners during One Year

Deadline for submission of proposals

Jour(s)

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Heure(s)

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Minute(s)

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Seconde(s)

Categories

A Leaders League of Urban Finance Innovators

With a global audience, this 1st Edition of the Finance Your Cities Innovation Awards recognise 4 winners:

Local and Regional Governments and their utilities

Ministries and National Public Agencies and utilities

A Jury Special “Grand Prix », emphasizing the urgent need for financing adaptation

Public Development Banks

Criteria

What inspires us ?

We are interested in receiving submissions on five different categories of actors, intervening at all/any level of the financing value chain :

Be equipped

Be reactive to a constantly evolving ecosystem

Be impactful

Lift barriers of sustainable urban development financing

Be committed

Drive positive transformative change

Be unique

Move away from business as usual

Rewards

Your benefits

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GAIN VISIBILITY & RECOGNITION

Be labelled as a leader, a game-changer and a source of outstanding innovative solutions.

BENEFIT FROM SCALING UP & SCALING OUT

Bring your model to the next milestones.

NETWORK & DISSEMINATE

Be in the radar and connect with development and financing partners worldwide.

Submit

How to share your innovation ?

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Step 1

Go through the form to get an overview of the information needed for a complete application.

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Step 2

Gather all the éléments required for the submission.

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Step 3

Fill in the form, either online or offline, and submit your application.

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Step 4

Receive a confirmation email and wait for the results!

First tip

Keep your submission focused and concise – avoid buzzwords– the focus of the award is on financing models that have demonstrated measurable impact.

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Any doubt ?

You can go through the Q&A section below in order to enlighten your doubts. If you still have questions, you can contact the Innovation Awards Secretariat.

Contact

FYCInnovationAwards@FMDV.net

Jury Panel

AKOA Philippe

General Director,
FEICOM

HOEFLICH Sara

Director, Area of Learning,
UCLG

JUNIUS Anne

Deputy Director, Europe & International Action,
French Ministry of Ecological Transition

MASSET Philippe

Director, Europe & International
ADEME

NASSE-BRIDIER Emmanuelle

Senior Expert,
Private Financing

SAMUELS Barbara

Senior Expert,
FMDV

« Climate emergency make public and private stakeholders design, in partnership,
innovative finance mechanisms to enhance territories’ climate change adaptation. »
Philippe Masset, Director Europe & International, ADEME

« Sustainable development requires sustainable cities: FEICOM and the African Alliance of Subnational Development Banks salute this promotion of best practices through the introduction of awards to reward and encourage excellence in local authority management. »
Philippe AKOA, General Director, FEICOM

« Access to financing is a crucial condition for enabling cities and territories to achieve a sustainable, low-carbon urban transition.
To address this challenge, the French Ministry of Ecological Transition is partnering with FMDV to
launch the first Innovation Awards for Urban Climate Finance. »

Anne JUNIUS, Deputy-Director, Europe & International Action, French Ministry of Ecological Transition

« Virtually all experts worldwide agree that the required finance is severely lacking to attain the Paris Climate Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals. Innovation in finance mechanisms, deal structures, frameworks, and sources coupled with rapid dissemination and widespread adoption is the only means of avoiding impeding climate and social disasters in both developing and developed countries.
The FYC Innovation Awards will serve as a catalytic effective mechanism to bring together the private and public sectors in identifying and promoting innovative finance approaches that can be embraced, adapted, and scaled up worldwide for the public global good.
« 
Barbara SAMUELS, Senior Expert, FMDV

« The processes, learning and exchanges that will come out of these Innovation Awards should concretely highlight and inspire others with experiences and initiatives that are helping to advance the sustainable transition and the implementation of
the Pact for the Future of Humanity. Aligned with specific commitments of the Pact for the Planet, the Innovation Awards will help
showcase and encourage financing solutions that contribute to re-engineer urban planning; foster new indicators for local economic development policies; empower local communities to play a central role in protecting the planet; provide essential services
accessible to all in proximities; and transition from destructive to restorative economic models.
« 
Sara HOEFLICH, Director, Area of Learning, UCLG

Secretariat

FMDV’s Headquarters
Tour Maine Montparnasse
33 Avenue du Maine, BP316
75755 Paris Cedex 15
FRANCE

FYCInnovationAwards@FMDV.net

Organizers

Pioneered by FMDV – Global Fund for Cities Development

French Ministry of Ecological Transition

French Ministry of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion

French Environment and Energy Management Agency

UCLG – United Cities and Local Governments

Q&A

All you need to know

WHAT IS A FINANCIAL INNOVATION?

  • Climate Taxation for Subnational Action, Fiscal Decentralization, Financial Incentive mechanism,
  • Dedicated Market-Rate or Concessional Loans (Provision or Mobilization),
  • Toolkit or approach to Risk Assessment,
  • Specific Guarantees, Credit Enhancement and Risk Mitigation Processes,
  • Subnational/Local Project Green Bond,
  • Subnational Project Preparation Facility, 
  • Vehicle mobilizing Impact Investors,
  • Revolving Fund,
  • Refinancing or Repayment Scheme,
  • Subnational Carbon Finance, and channels to Carbon Finance,
  • Pooling (or Aggregation/Bundling) mechanism for Small Projects,
  • As well as many other solutions we have not heard of yet!

Where and when will this 1st Edition of the Finance Your Cities Innovation Awards take place?

The Ceremony of the 1st Edition of the Finance Your Cities Innovation Awards will take place in November during an international high-level event at the World Urban Forum 12 in Cairo, Egypt. More details to come.

WHAT IS THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE AND IS IT POSSIBLE TO REQUEST AN EXTENSION?

Applications can be submitted until the 30th of August, 2024, at 23:59 EST. 
If you cannot meet the submission deadline, we are unable to accommodate extension requests for submissions beyond the specified deadline. To ensure your application or nomination is considered, we highly advise initiating the process early.

 

Is it possible to submit an application in a language other than English, Spanish or French?

Yes. You can write your application in a different language, however be aware that we may use translation softwares which may undermine the quality of the information.

Is it possible to submit an offline application if my internet bandwidth is weak?

Yes. You can submit an offline application by downloading the offline version, completing all sections and sending everything by email to the Secretariat of the Finance Your Cities Innovation Awards, namely FMDV. In the case of a postal application, kindly be aware that only applications postmarked on or prior to the application deadline will be taken into consideration, and it is the responsibility of the applicant to cover any postal fees associated with the submission.

Is it possible to make edits to my application after it has been submitted?

Once applicants submit their applications or nominations, they are unable to make any further edits or modifications. It is important to review and finalize all information before the submission to ensure accuracy and completeness.

My application is no longer visible. Where is it?

Applications which have been submitted will no longer be visible to applicants, but you will receive an email confirming that your application has successfully been submitted. As the confirmation email may go to your spam folder, please check all your folders.

ARE APPLICATIONS OPEN TO ALL SECTORS? WHAT ARE THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA?

All sectors are encouraged to apply, but applicant organizations must answer the eligibility criteria.
Applicant organizations must belong to one of the 3 categories, and all submissions must be either at the final stage of implementation or implemented in the last three years with evidence-based reporting material.

WHAT DO THE CATEGORY NAMES REFER TO ?

 The category “Local and Regional Governments” refers to the governing bodies at the local and regional levels, such as city councils, mayors, and regional administrations. They are responsible for making decisions and implementing policies that directly impact urban development within their jurisdictions. They play a crucial role in managing infrastructure, land use, zoning regulations, and public services to shape the growth and well-being of cities and regions.

Ministries and National Agencies” are government bodies at the national level that are responsible for overseeing and coordinating various sectors of urban development. They formulate policies, develop strategic plans, and provide regulatory frameworks related to areas like housing, transportation, environment, urban planning, and economic development. These entities work closely with local governments and other stakeholders to ensure effective governance and implementation of urban development initiatives.

Public Development Banks” are financial institutions, often owned or controlled by the government, that provide long-term financing and investment for development projects. They focus on funding initiatives that promote economic growth, infrastructure development, and social welfare. In the context of urban development, public development banks play a vital role in providing loans, grants, and technical assistance to support urban infrastructure projects, affordable housing programs, and sustainable urbanization efforts.

Is it possible to submit applications in several categories?

Submissions are exclusively applied to one category.

HOW WILL THE SUBMISSIONS BE ASSESSED? WHAT WILL OCCUR IF MY APPLICATION IS SELECTED?

Firstly, the entries will be reviewed by the Technical Committee, including a round of feedback with the focal points of the submitted projects when necessary. Following this shortlisting, the deliberation will be made by the Jury.
The final nominees will be called back following the announcement so as to prepare an online pitching session with the jury panel members that will occur mid-October, 2024.

How can I be awarded with the Grand Prix?

All submissions dedicated to the specific issue of adaptation will be considered for the Grand Prix. The recipient of the Grand Prix will not receive an award for the category it had originally entered. It is not possible to apply specifically for the Grand Prix.

Where and when will the finalists be announced?

The announcement of the finalists will take place individually through an email sent by the Secretariat of the Innovation Awards.