Annual progress report (October 2020 – September 2021) - Feed the Future: Building a Resilient Future

GRP's vision is to create a world where these individuals and communities can thrive in the face of shocks, uncertainty, and change. The partnership is built on four Value Additions (VAs): Innovate, Share, Convene, and Advance. Innovate is one of the key Value Additions, which provides a safe space to innovate, test, and rapidly scale solutions. GRP has been working with AXA XL and Ocean Unite to launch six projects to build coastal resilience and reduce ocean risk in vulnerable countries. The Ocean Resilience Innovation Challenge (ORIC) has also been launched, which is surfacing innovative and scalable finance and insurance products that drive investment in coastal natural capital and increase resilience while delivering a return on investment. Four winning applicants have been mentored for 7 months and have participated in a Leadership Academy, resulting in more developed and refined presentations that are now being used for fundraising and matchmaking activities. Another significant development is the launch of a call for Expression of Interest (EoI) to identify and nurture novel, viable, and fundable initiatives that address gaps in local finance for adaptation needs in fragile and conflict-prone areas. The call resulted in 32 entries, with two projects shortlisted for final endorsement by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The three-year support envisioned includes low-value grants and mentoring and capacity-building support for the organizations. The Incubator has also engaged with Exeter University to co-design and run a Community Entrepreneurship Program, which is still ongoing. Additionally, the Incubator has co-organized a virtual pitching session with IMD Business School, highlighting 6 companies to an audience of impact investors and IMD Business School Alumni. GRP is also promoting shared learning and capacity development through the Resilience Knowledge Coalition, which is hosted by GRP and co-led by the Climate Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) and the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCAD). The coalition's purpose is to get the best knowledge and practice on resilience used to shape policies, plans, and investments to deliver a resilient future. GRP is continuing to expand the Resilience platform to become a "go-to" online space to capture, access, co-create, and advance the latest resilience knowledge, lessons, and solutions. The COVID-19 pandemic has provided a stark reminder that we are living in a world with increasing uncertainty and turbulence. It has exposed the vulnerability of our global, interconnected society to systemic risks and shown that many of the gains we have made are fragile to shocks and stresses. The pandemic has also reaffirmed the importance of resilience, which is neither desirable nor sufficient to just recover from these shocks only to be susceptible to future ones. GRP's accomplishments in building a resilient future are only possible thanks to the combined efforts of its partners. As a partnership, GRP truly is more than the sum of its parts, and though many challenges remain ahead, the organization remains hopeful and optimistic for the future.