Partnering to Advance Women in the Sustainable Economy (WISE)
Summary
In 2024, the Women in the Sustainable Economy (WISE) initiative, a flagship effort of the U.S. Government, committed to mobilize an additional $392 million to expand women’s access to employment, training, leadership roles, and financial resources in the green and blue sectors–bringing total investment to the initiative to $1.84 billion. This commitment, undertaken with other governments and private sector partners, includes three areas of work– the Climate Gender Equity Fund (CGEF) to reduce gender gaps in climate finance through direct funding of women entrepreneurs and fund managers; Advancing Women for Resilient Agricultural Supply Chains, USAID’s new public-private partnership to advance gender-responsive approaches in corporate supply chains to further achievement of sustainability targets; and the WISE Community of Practice to amplify proven approaches to advance gender equality in the response to climate change. Taken together, these efforts will directly affect millions of women around the world, enhancing their participation in the fight against climate change.
Approach
The Women in the Sustainable Economy (WISE) Initiative, a flagship effort of the U.S. government, commits to increase women’s access to jobs, training, leadership opportunities, and finance in the green and blue sectors. Through partnerships across governments, the private sector, foundations, non-profits, and multilateral organizations, WISE seeks to strengthen women’s economic security by focusing on three pillars: (1) promoting well-paying, quality jobs for women; (2) supporting women-owned, -led, and -managed businesses; and (3) eliminating barriers to women’s economic participation in green and blue sectors.
Through this commitment, the U.S. government is mobilizing new investments in three ways. First, the U.S. government is announcing $392 million in new partner commitments to WISE, bringing the initiative’s total investment to $1.84 billion. Second, USAID is announcing its newest donor to the Climate Gender Equity Fund (CGEF) , which aims to reduce gender gaps in climate finance, and the second cohort of grantees to receive financial support from CGEF. Third, USAID is announcing a new public-private partnership with PepsiCo, Unilever, Danone, McCormick & Company, and Nespresso that seeks to advance gender integration in agribusiness supply chain strategies, Advancing Women for Resilient Agricultural Supply Chains.
USAID will implement WISE through a Community of Practice; CGEF through additional Requests for Proposals and fundraising; and Advancing Women for Resilient Agricultural Supply Chains as a five-year project starting September 2024. USAID contributes its headquarters and mission technical expertise, convening power, and experience for these initiatives. For the partnership, corporate partners bring their knowledge, insight, resources, country-level teams, and access to their supply chains and local programming.
Action Plan
In September-December 2024, planned deliverables include: for WISE, the inaugural WISE high-level annual meeting, Year One annual report, and initial WISE Community of Practice (CoP) meetings; for CGEF, the announcement of Round Two grantees and a new donor at NYC Climate Week, a session featuring a CGEF grantee at SOCAP24, and strategic events and communications to expand fundraising efforts and geographic footprint, and raise awareness and support; for the new partnership, the launch with USAID announcements of Advancing Women for Resilient Agricultural Supply Chains with new company partners, separate agreements with USAID under the same structure with 1:2 financing (USAID: partner) through a combination of cash and in-kind resources, and cash contributions to support an implementing partner to deliver technical assistance, manage grants to local organizations, and support cross-partnership monitoring, evaluation, and learning.
In January-March 2025, pending availability of funds, planned deliverables include: for WISE, two CoP sessions; for CGEF, preparation to launch round four grants; for the new partnership, engagement with USAID missions and in-country corporate offices to begin initial country-level and partner-specific work, including establishing individual country work plans and mobilizing staff, and publishing a first quarterly report.
In April-June 2025, pending availability of funds, planned deliverables include: for WISE, two CoP Sessions; for CGEF, announcement of new grantees from round four; for the partnership, first round of data collection, second quarterly report; and potentially launch new in-country activities with work plan development and staff.
In July-December 2025, pending availability of funds, planned deliverables include: for WISE, continued CoP sessions; for CGEF, preparation to launch of round five grants; for the new partnership, activities will continue with potential to launch new in-country activities as relevant, and welcome new brand partners through September 2025.
In 2026, pending availability of funds, CGEF will continue to release RFPs and grow the fund and its portfolio of grantees and the new partnership will continue implementation.
Background
Advancing women in the sustainable economy, particularly in green and blue sectors, is crucial for achieving comprehensive economic development and environmental sustainability. Women’s economic opportunities are closely linked to their ability to control, access, and use essential resources like land, energy, and water. While women are responsible for half of the world’s food production, women farmers have significantly less access to, control over, or ownership of land and other productive assets, with women making up less than 15 percent of landholders worldwide (FAO, 2018) . In addition, women are increasingly at risk of job losses due to their high participation in sectors, such as agrifood systems, impacted by climate change, and often face challenges accessing financial capital and markets.
Exacerbated by social and legal inequalities and power imbalances, marginalized or disenfranchised communities – including women, youth, LGBTQ+ individuals, and minority populations – are often disproportionately vulnerable to and impacted by climate extremes (USAID, 2020) . For example, heat stress widens the income gap between female-headed and male-headed households by $37 billion a year, and floods by $16 billion a year in rural areas across low and middle-income countries (FAO, 2024) .
Women and girls are pivotal in creating and leading climate solutions within their communities as innovators, leaders, entrepreneurs, workers, and consumers. Green economies, which focus on renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and conservation, along with blue economies, which center on the sustainable use of ocean resources, offer significant opportunities for innovation and growth. Promoting gender equality in these fields can drive inclusive economic development, enhance innovation, strengthen supply chains, and address labor shortages. Furthermore, women’s participation in decision-making roles within these industries can lead to more equitable and effective environmental policies and practices.
Progress Update
Partnership Opportunities
USAID is seeking partners to join them in pooling funds through CGEF that can then support global CGEF grantees, as well as corporations that are eager to join the new partnership, Advancing Women for Resilient Agricultural Supply Chains, to provide their knowledge, insight, and access to local programming along their supply chains and in local communities. They seek engagement from headquarters and field-level teams from corporations joining USAID in Advancing Women for Resilient Agricultural Supply Chains as partners who seek to advance gender integration in corporate sustainability strategies., USAID headquarters, mission staff, and all USG are contributing best practices and expertise. USAID headquarters and mission staff are contributing financial resources and directly working with an implementing partner and potential subcontractors. USAID’s media and communications team will also provide expert communication oversight.