Apply for the WFP Innovation Accelerator x Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator (AFCIA) 2027 - the third WFP-implemented AFCIA cohort, now open for Latin America and the Caribbean. The call targets climate-adaptation ventures that can strengthen food security and resilience in the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Peru.
Applications close 6 September 2026 at 11:59 pm UTC. About 10 - 12 teams are expected to be invited to a January 2027 innovation bootcamp. After the bootcamp, teams may compete for the nine-month Sprint, where selected ventures can receive grants of up to USD $250,000 (phased against performance) plus hands-on support from the World Food Programme Innovation Accelerator.
This Opportunity Station guide is original copy written from the official WFP Innovation Accelerator programme page, the English/Spanish call for applications, and WFP's own AFCIA announcement. It is not a reprint of any third-party blog.
Quick Facts - WFP AFCIA 2027 (LAC Edition)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Programme | Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator (AFCIA) - 3rd WFP edition |
| Implementer | UN World Food Programme Innovation Accelerator |
| Funder | Adaptation Fund (US$10 million AFCIA partnership running through 2029) |
| Focus countries | Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Peru |
| Who applies | Established legal entities (for-profit, nonprofit, social business, NGO, INGO) |
| Innovation stage | Seed stage or later - idea / research / early pre-seed is not eligible |
| Tech type | Low-tech and high-tech climate adaptation solutions |
| Language | English applications only (Spanish CFA and FAQ are available for reading) |
| Deadline | 6 September 2026, 11:59 pm UTC |
| Shortlist | November 2026 (about 10 - 12 teams) |
| Bootcamp | January 2027 |
| Sprint | Nine months after bootcamp selection; grants up to USD $250,000 |
| Official page | innovation.wfp.org - AFCIA |
| Apply | AFCIA application form (Airtable) |
What AFCIA Is - and What This Call Is Not
AFCIA is a small-grant climate-innovation programme of the Adaptation Fund. WFP runs its own AFCIA stream: MENA (2024), Asia-Pacific (2025), and now Latin America and the Caribbean. The 2026 - 2027 LAC call is not the UNDP or UNEP/CTCN AFCIA windows. If you want WFP mentoring plus a pathway into WFP country operations, this is the right door.
The first application does not pay the grant. WFP first shortlists teams for bootcamp. Only Sprint participants receive the phased funding. Build your file for the open call, then be ready to compete again after January 2027.
Priority Challenges by Country
WFP wants solutions that already fit one of the three country problem-sets. Pick the country where you have a real presence and write to that brief.
Dominican Republic
- Climate-responsive support and delivery (linking forecasts, risk data, registries and assistance)
- Local climate information, hazard monitoring and early-warning systems
- Anticipatory financing and fast delivery of support
- Inclusive climate alerts for low-connectivity communities
- Productive adaptation for smallholders (finance, climate-resilient tech, advisory, markets)
El Salvador
- Disaster-risk management tools (including remote sensing and AI)
- Climate-smart agricultural advisory and climate-resilient farming services
- Climate and market intelligence for producers
- Post-harvest loss reduction, storage and climate-resilient logistics
- Climate-risk financing (parametric or microinsurance and related instruments)
Peru
- Market and climate information that works in low-connectivity settings
- Climate-risk financing, insurance and anticipatory finance
- Scalable early-warning communication channels
- Water management for farmers and food-system actors
- Value-chain technologies that cut climate-related losses in storage, processing and transport
Who Can Apply
- You must be an established legal entity - company, nonprofit, social enterprise, NGO or INGO. Individuals cannot apply in their own name.
- You need a presence in at least one of Dominican Republic, El Salvador or Peru: country office, subsidiary, long-term operations, or a genuine local partnership. Headquarters can sit elsewhere if that in-country footprint is real.
- The product or service must already be at least seed stage. Concept notes and lab-only research will not pass eligibility.
- You must show a nine-month Sprint plan, a route to scale, and enough team capacity to implement with the grant.
- WFP expects you to work with humanitarian actors, WFP country offices, and local innovation ecosystems - not to treat the grant as a standalone R&D cheque.
How WFP Scores Files
After eligibility, reviewers look at:
- Innovativeness - a genuine climate-adaptation advance, not a rebrand of business-as-usual
- Country fit - the solution maps to a listed priority and to real users in DR, El Salvador or Peru
- Business model - a revenue or sustainability story that matches your maturity
- Team - technical skill, commitment, entrepreneurial drive, and an inclusive team
- Adaptation impact - resilience, resource efficiency, and adaptive capacity for climate-exposed communities
- Evidence of impact - what you have already delivered and what you can credibly scale after the grant
- Adaptation Fund environmental and social principles
- Gender and inclusion - diverse users, inclusive design, and disaggregated data/feedback
What Selected Teams Can Receive
- Invitation to the January 2027 innovation bootcamp (Munich-based WFP Innovation Accelerator format in previous AFCIA cohorts)
- A chance to enter the nine-month Sprint with tailored technical support
- Grants of up to USD $250,000, released in phases against results (up to about ten Sprint ventures, per WFP LAC announcement)
- Access to WFP country offices, humanitarian partners, and the wider WFP innovation network
- Mentorship to test hypotheses, strengthen evidence, and plan scale
Progress from bootcamp to Sprint is competitive. Completing the open call does not guarantee funding.
How to Apply
- Read the official page and download the English call for applications (Spanish CFA is here).
- Check the English FAQ or Spanish FAQ.
- Confirm legal status, in-country presence, seed-stage proof, and the country priority you will address.
- Submit in English via the official Airtable form by 6 September 2026, 11:59 pm UTC.
- Only shortlisted teams are contacted. Plan for a November 2026 decision and a January 2027 bootcamp if selected.
Programme hub: WFP Innovation Accelerator - AFCIA. Other WFP Innovation calls: innovation.wfp.org/apply. Background on this LAC opening: WFP Innovation Accelerator announcement.
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FAQs - WFP AFCIA 2027
Is this a scholarship for students?
No. AFCIA funds organisations with a climate-adaptation product or service. Students and unaffiliated individuals are not the applicant type.
Can a startup based outside Latin America apply?
Yes, if you already have a durable presence or partnership in the Dominican Republic, El Salvador or Peru and the solution is built for one of those markets. A "we will open an office later" line is not enough.
Do I get USD $250,000 automatically if I am shortlisted?
No. Shortlisting leads to bootcamp. Sprint grants are a later, competitive step and are paid in phases against results.
Can I apply in Spanish?
The call and FAQ exist in Spanish, but WFP states that only English form submissions are accepted for this round.
Are low-tech solutions welcome?
Yes. WFP asked for both low-tech and high-tech answers. What matters is seed-stage proof, country fit, and a path to scale.
When is the deadline?
6 September 2026 at 11:59 pm UTC. Submit early - last-hour Airtable traffic is a common way to miss a call.
