Bring the Global Cities Fund for Migrants and Refugees to $50M

Mayors Migration Council

Start of Project

2023

End of Project

Ongoing

Overview

The Mayors Migration Council (MMC) commits to bring the Global Cities Fund for Migrants and Refugees (GCF) to reach $50 million – starting with $25 million by 2025 – so it can support more cities and deepen its impact through multi-year grants and more predictable funding rounds.

The GCF responds to the unmet needs of cities as they support migrants, refugees, and internally displaced people (IDPs) in the face of pressing challenges, from global pandemics to the climate crisis. By directly funding cities to implement inclusive programs of their own design, the GCF builds precedents of fiscal feasibility in city governments that are often disregarded by donors with low risk tolerance. This pledge builds on three years of impact highlighted in the GCF Progress Report released in December 2023. Created by the MMC in 2021 with a $1 million seed investment to support five cities in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, in just three years the GCF has become an $8 million fund supported by five donors with a pipeline of 28 city grantees delivering solutions on health, economic inclusion, climate migration, early childhood development, and more.

Priority Objectives

Improving local migration and forced displacement governance

Engaging in regional and multilateral partnerships and increase city-to-city cooperation