Worldwide—INVEST

INVEST was a flexible, efficient buy-in mechanism implemented over seven years that helped the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) mobilize private capital for development results. Increasingly, private investors and businesses are looking to emerging markets for better returns and new market opportunities. This represents an opportunity for USAID, but it requires new forms of collaboration with the private sector.

INVEST was designed to address challenges and make it easier for USAID to work alongside the investment community. It ensured rapid procurement—under 12 weeks—so USAID could act within investors’ timelines. It enabled flexible, specialized project design and implementation. And, it focused on learning and adaptation to drive innovation in mobilizing private capital.

Based in Washington, D.C., INVEST was USAID’s first major blended finance initiative and included subcontractors such as CrossBoundary, Open Capital Advisors, and Dalberg. It built a network of more than 600 partners that provide the niche, technical expertise USAID needs on-demand. INVEST created and grew the Finance and Investment Network to help USAID access new and underutilized partners with the expertise it needs, including support for investment assessments, structuring funds, and transaction advisory services.

INVEST supported transactions in enterprise development, infrastructure, and financing instruments or funds, and worked in more than 80 countries, including Colombia, Haiti, India, Kenya, Tunisia, and Vietnam.

Sample Activities

• Perform investment opportunity assessments to help USAID understand market conditions and identify investment opportunities.
• Design or structure blended finance funds, investment platforms, and other financial products.
• Link capital suppliers to businesses that need investment to grow through transaction advisory services.
• Help strengthen the commercial viability of a project at pre-or post-investment stages by developing the capabilities of fund managers or the businesses and projects in which they invest.

Select Results

• Mobilized more than $1.61 billion in capital and closed 156 transactions.
• Grown the USAID Finance and Investment Network from 26 members in 2017 to 598 members in 2024. This diverse network has expertise in a wide range of sectors and works in 195 countries.
• Implemented activities with 39 USAID missions, bureaus, and independent offices in more than 80 countries across a range of sectors, including finance, clean energy, and agriculture.
• Issued 260 subcontracts to develop and implement technical activities. Two-thirds of the subcontract value was issued to new or non-traditional partners for USAID.