Policies & strategies

Accreditation

In deploying its resources, the Green Climate Fund works through a wide range of institutions to finance projects and programmes. To access funding, these institutions go through a process of “accreditation,” designed to assess whether they are capable of strong financial management and of safeguarding GCF funded projects and programmes.  

Accreditation policies govern the GCF’s accreditation process, and they consist of the Initial guiding framework for the Accreditation Process, policies on re-accreditation, policies on fees for Accredited Entities (AEs) and policies defining the legal and operational relationship between GCF and AEs.

Policies and decisions

Initial guiding framework for the accreditation process
6 policies
Adopted by decision B.31/06. Updates the initial accreditation framework of the GCF and adopted a new project specific assessment approach. To be effective from 1 April 2023.
Adopted by decision B.07/02. Sets out the initial framework of the accreditation process as well as initial fiduciary principles and standards, interim performance standards, and establishes the Accrediation Panel and Accreditation Committee.
Adopted by decision B.07/02. Sets out the initial basic fiduciary standards for administrative and financial capacities.
Adopted by decision B.08/02. Sets out how the Fund's fiduciary standards and ESS will be assessed through a fit-for-purpose accreditation process.
Adopted by decision B.08/03. Establishes the fast-track accreditation process to expedite the accreditation of certain institutions accredited by other relevant funds and defines the related assessment process, including gap analysis.
Adopted by decision B.08/06. Defines the information an applicant entity is required to complete.
Re-accrediation process
1 policy
Adopted by decision B.24/13. Sets out the required standards, approach and process for the re-accreditation of AEs, including approach for upgrades in accreditation scope.  
Decision B.37/18 (q), temporary extending accreditation terms
Modifies the monitoring and accountability framework and the re-accreditation process for Accredited Entities (AEs) to extend the accreditation term of AEs by three (3) years while the Board is considering accreditation framework reform.
Policy on fees
2 policies
Adopted by decision B.08/04; superseded by decision B.19/09. Defined the payments to be made by entities seeking accreditation.
Adopted by decision B.19/09. Outlines the general principles and an indicative list of eligible costs to be covered under accredited entity fees and project management costs.  
Legal and formal arrangements with Accredited Entities
2 policies
Adopted by decision B.09/08 (a). Sets out how the Fund shall enter into agreements or other arrangements with entities upon their accreditation.
Adopted by decision B.12/31. Provides additional guidance on liability, due diligence, confidentiality, grievance mechanism, time frame for funding approval.
Monitoring and accountability framework
1 policy
Adopted by decision B.11/10. Defines the responsibilities of AEs in relation to their institutional and project-by-project relationship with the GCF, including reporting, risk-based monitoring, remedial measures, re-accreditation. Adopts the monitoring and accountability framework for AEs, including monitoring of GCF funded activities.
Retired
3 policies, 7 decisions
Business model framework: access modalities – Accreditation
Adopted by decision B.05/08; superseded by decision B.07/02. Acknowledged that best-practice fiduciary principles as the basis for developing the Fund's own criteria and standards.
Decision B.14/08, retired as at the end of 2017
Prioritized for 2016 and 2017, the following entities for accreditation: NDAs, AEs in Asia Pacific and Eastern Europe, Private Sector Entities, RfP respondents, those seeking fulfillment of accreditation and those requesting upgrades.
Decision B.18/04, retired as at of B.19
Extended the prioritization under decision B.14/08 until the end of the 19th Board Meeting.
Decision B.19/03, retired as of B.20
Extended the prioritization under decision B.14/08 until the end of the 20th Board Meeting.
Decision B.21/16 (e), retired as of end of B.23
Decided to prioritize up to the end of the twenty-third meeting of the Board: national DAEs in countries that don’t have an accredited DAE; private sector entities in particular those in developing countries, RfP respondents, AEs seeking fulfilment of their conditions for accreditation; and AEs requesting upgrades in their accreditation scope.
Decision B.23/11, retired as of end of B.24
Extended the decision B.21/16 (e) prioritization until end of B.24.
Decision B.24/11, retired as of end of B.25
Extended the decision B.21/16 (e) prioritization until end of B.25.
Interim policy on fees for Accredited Entities
Adopted by decision B.11/10; superseded by decision B.19/09. Proposed an interim fee structure.
Initial monitoring and accountability framework for Accredited Entities
Adopted by decision B.10/07; superseded by decision B.11/10. Set out what the initial monitoring and accountability framework will focus on; including compliance with ESS, fiduciary standards and gender policy.