Innovative Finance

The fight against malnutrition demands a significant increase in funding from current levels of investment. GAIN, through its Innovative Finance Program, is committed to pioneering new innovations in financing structures to attract capital to address malnutrition.  This includes finding new ways to leverage capital markets to encourage food and beverage companies to implement best practices.

For example, GAIN is adding its resources to those of financial institutions, not-for-profit global venture funds and venture capitalists to establish funds that encourage local businesses to develop new products, distribution channels and marketing approaches. These products are aimed at improving the nutrition of low-income families, particularly among infants and young children in target countries.  To date, GAIN has launched funds in partnership with both Acumen Fund (GAIN-Acumen Nutrition Portfolio) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC-GAIN Nutrition Trust) to support GAIN’s Infant and Young Child Nutrition Program.

In addition, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Wellcome Trust have jointly awarded a grant to GAIN to explore approaches that will influence the food and beverage industry to implement best practices towards improving nutrition. Industry research currently underway for the Access to Nutrition Initiative Project will produce a landscape analysis of the food and beverage industry, including best and worst practices in addressing nutrition issues. This research, along with information gathered from a wide range of stakeholders, will underpin the development of new activities to attract additional private capital to the fight against malnutrition.