During New York Climate Week 2026, WOCAN and the W+ Standard convened a stakeholder dialogue on outcomes-based finance for gender and climate. Leaders from Convergence, Climate Policy Initiative, The Nature Conservancy, One Acre Fund, the Gates Foundation and CGAP joined us in Midtown Manhattan.

The evidence for women-led climate action is strong, but the money isn't following. Women's empowerment outcomes can be measured, verified and financed. Now we need to scale them.

Speakers

• Tanushree Bagh Mukherjee, Board Member, WOCAN
• Jeannette Gurung, WOCAN
• Max Mattern, CGAP
• Holly Wyld, One Acre Fund
• Ayesha Bery, Convergence
• Clare Shakya, The Nature Conservancy
• Joe Leavenworth Bakali, Climate Policy Initiative
• Ana Maria Loboguerrero, Gates Foundation

What we heard

The evidence is strong, but the money isn't following.
The discussion highlighted a key shift in gender-climate finance: investors aren't necessarily avoiding gender-focused climate investments because of low returns, but because they lack the knowledge, tools and standards to confidently assess and finance gender outcomes.

Measurement matters — and it needs to be funded.
Rigorous measurement and verification can make gender outcomes investable, but project developers need technical assistance and funding to cover these costs without compromising quality.

Shared standards can help unlock capital.
Fragmented metrics make it harder for investors and buyers to compare outcomes. A credible, shared standard can give the market the confidence it needs to scale.

Gender-intentional design has to start from day one.
From land tenure and financial access to sex-disaggregated data and intersectional analysis, projects need to be designed so that benefits actually reach women — and women can shape how those benefits are used.

Read the full NYCW 2026 takeaways. →

‍Explore the discussion in more detail, including insights from our speakers and the actions we’re calling for.

‍