From 2016 to 2020 the LLF will make up to US$2.5 billion available for poverty alleviation projects to Governments of the eligible IsDB Member countries. These projects will help the poorest people in the least developed countries in the IsDB’s membership to lead healthier and more productive lives, enabling them to lift themselves out of poverty.

In many countries, diseases, compounded by weak healthcare systems, food insecurity, lack of basic infrastructure, including roads and sanitation, are the norm. Additionally, war, famine and natural disasters beset the people who are least able to face these challenges. Vulnerable countries become caught in a spiral of poor human development outcomes and political instability. 

The LLF invests in key drivers of poverty in these contexts. The focus areas of the Fund are Health (20% - 60% of funding allocation), Agriculture (20% - 60% of funding allocation) and Basic Infrastructure (maximum 20% of funding allocation). Eligible investment areas within these broad domains are:

Health projects targeting:  

• Combating infectious diseases like malaria, HIV/AIDS, polio and neglected tropical diseases
• Ensuring routine immunization coverage
• Reducing childhood mortality
• Strengthening primary healthcare systems for equitable access to quality healthcare services. 

Agriculture projects targeting:   

• Boosting production of staple crops and livestock by smallholder farmers and pastoralists 
• Providing smallholder farmers and producers with better access to markets, innovation and technology
• Increasing income stability among smallholder farmers, including through favoring entrepreneurship.

Basic Infrastructure projects targeting:   

• Off-grid rural power generation, transmission and distribution for poor communities.
• Small scale water supply and sanitation projects for poor and currently unconnected communities.
• Rural infrastructures to promote digital financial inclusion.