Azure Blended Finance

Azure is a global initiative led by CRS to expand and rehabilitate water supply services in secondary cities, peri-urban areas, and rural communities by supporting small-scale drinking water and sanitation service providers through access to high-quality technical assistance and affordable financing. The Azure initiative aims to improve resilience and quality of life of under-served rural and urban communities by strengthening the capacities of community-based and municipal Water Services Providers (WSPs) to sustainably deliver water and sanitation services..

The Azure initiative is unique in how it leverages private finance by working with local finance institutions and impact investors to provide affordable loan capital to community-run WSPs to improve and expand their water and sanitation systems.