Apparel Impact Institute Announces Strategic Realignment of Climate Solutions Portfolio to Accelerate Decarbonization

SAN FRANCISCO, JANUARY 27, 2026 - Today, Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) announced the strategic realignment of its Climate Solutions Portfolio (CSP) grant program to prioritize funding for projects that accelerate supplier-focused electrification.

First introduced in 2023, Climate Solutions Portfolio grants fund scalable fashion decarbonization solutions, with individual awards of up to $250,000 per project. The grant program has been realigned to focus on projects accelerating the electrification of Tier 2 factories in the apparel sector. This targeted approach will sharpen the fund’s impact and accelerate progress on one of the industry’s most urgent sustainability challenges: supplier decarbonization.

Key CSP Grant Program Enhancements

• Supplier-Focused Applications: The program will shift to a supplier-led application process, ensuring proposed technologies are pilot-ready with engaged supplier partners. 
• Stronger Industry Engagement: In collaboration with lead funders and global partners, Aii will communicate funding opportunities to build a robust pipeline of suppliers ready to test and adopt proven and promising solutions.
• Streamlined Application and Review: A simplified application and scoring system and standardized guidelines enhance the application process.

“Refocusing the CSP Grant Program to align with a core industry challenge helps ensure that every grant moves us closer to supporting the sector’s transition to electrification,” said Pauline Op de Beeck, Aii climate portfolio director. “This evolution strengthens the program’s ability to identify, test, and scale the most promising solutions in partnership with suppliers.”

The realigned CSP program will continue piloting innovative decarbonization technologies, creating a pipeline of solutions for Aii’s Deployment Gap Grant (DGG) program. With $1.25 million available in grant funding, the DGG accelerates the deployment of vetted solutions by leveraging brand co-funding across shared suppliers.

Applications for 2026 CSP Grants will be open April 1 - May 15 and October 1 - November 13. Applications for 2026 Deployment Gap Grants will be open February 2 - March 13 and July 1 - August 1.