Cities can be cradles and ecosystems for the circular economy, working as engines of circular transition to tackle environmental and social challenges associated with the linear economy. They can also act as circular catalysts when public authorities lead and accelerate the transition, optimise infrastructure and logistics networks, connect stakeholders, provide and procure circular assets and services, create incentives and facilitate circular initiatives.

To help cities become circular and improve access to finance for circular economy projects, our experts worked with consultants and a dedicated working group of urban and circular economy stakeholders to create the Circular City Funding Guide.

The Guide is an online resource that helps municipalities, businesses, and other urban actors build circular cities. It highlights the benefits of the circular economy in an urban context and includes both information about funding and guidelines to set up funding programmes for the transition to a circular economy.

The Guide features hundreds of financing and funding sources for circular initiatives and projects, circular case studies, and circular city information, references and resources. The funding sources cover grants, subsidies, debt, equity and guarantees.

The Guide is addressed to fund-seekers (local governments, businesses, and other urban actors) and funders of circular projects in cities such as financial entities and public authorities.