GCF readiness and preparatory programme projects

The Green Climate Fund’s Readiness and Preparatory and Support Programme (the Readiness Programme) supports nationally-led initiatives in developing countries to strengthen institutional capacity, governance mechanisms, and planning frameworks for transformational climate action.

We have been engaged in consultancy assignments since 2013 in vulnerable countries, with the aim to enhance the capacity of nationally designated authorities - organisations that coordinate national activities with the Green Climate Fund - to effectively access climate finance.

Countries we have worked in

The Bahamas, Barbados, Benin, Burkina Faso, Grenada, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Senegal, Togo, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia.

Main project outcomes

1. Strengthened capacities within the nationally designated authorities to facilitate efficient planning and administration of fund-related responsibilities, and
2. National priorities elaborated through the development and implementation of a country strategic framework to the Green Climate Fund. Our approach focuses on delivering tailored and practical outcomes that will demonstrably facilitate each country’s access to the GCF resources in a country-driven and ambitious manner.

What we deliver

Strategy and action planning to deploy, manage and report on climate finances

• Analysis from in-country visits with recommendations for activities
• Enhancing strategic access to public (bilateral and multilateral) and private sector funding
• Supporting the development, review and approval processes of requests for funding from the GCF’s Readiness Programme

Interinstitutional coordinating mechanisms - building the nationally designated authorities’ capacity

• Guidelines for structuring and resourcing the nationally designated authority
• Protocols for assessing projects against national priorities and the GCF criteria, and the methodological selection of partners to ensure transparency and inclusive decision making
• Gap assessments of policy, legislative and institutional frameworks
• Toolkits containing operational guidelines for national engagement with the nationally designated authority and accessing resources from the GCF
• Training workshops on the use of the GCF Gender Mainstreaming Manual and investment criteria and indicators toolkit for project screening and development

Country programming processes

• Climate science rationale and data analysis
• Consultative stakeholder validation workshops
• Identifying funding priorities in the short and longer term for key sectors, including an indicative pipeline of projects
• Stocktake of funding priorities
• Strategic plan for private sector to execute programme activities
• Development of concept notes

Readiness proposals

• Development, and review of, readiness proposal’s alignment with the Green Climate Fund Readiness Programme Strategy and objectives, and the GCF Guidebook
• Compiling lessons learned and best practices, including from previous readiness support

Monitoring, Reporting and Verification Systems (MRVS)

• Establishment of a web-based MRVS (with manual) to track, monitor and report on finance flows and activities of the GCF and other relevant international climate finance institutions
• Training workshops for the nationally designated authority and key stakeholders on the MRVS and climate finance systems

Stakeholder engagement and consultative processes

• Comprehensive stakeholder communication strategy and action plan
• Communications scoping and research analysis to identify existing communication channels and document best practices
• Structured communication strategy including knowledge and awareness-raising products such as the development of a website to communicate climate change issues and national Green Climate Fund activities