In 1995, the Dutch Government launched the Green Funds Scheme providing tax incentives to encourage environmentally-friendly initiatives. It was arranged that tax exemptions be granted for investments by individual taxpayers in investment funds that mainly (at least 70%) invest in "green projects".

The green categories range from projects for the development and maintenance of nature, forest and landscape to projects for sustainable aquaculture, the generation of renewable energy and the sustainable construction of dwellings and utility buildings.
Since the scheme's inception, around 44 000 individuals have invested €6.8 billion in green projects, enabling the funding over the years of 5000 green projects (Groen Beleggen, annual report 2008).