In 2023, Concern Worldwide launched a pilot Community Resilience Fund (CRF) model in three communities in Nsanje District, southern Malawi. The CRF enables communities to propose and implement their own solutions to increase climate resilience, with technical guidance from civil society and local government. This policy brief outlines the CRF, and explores the challenges, lessons learned and key considerations for the design and implementation of future CRFs highlighted by this initiative.