Project-specific Assessment Approach - Get started

Any entity interested in seeking accreditation to the GCF for a one climate project/programme partnership should complete the PSAA questionnaire.

The Project-specific Assessment Approach (PSAA) Pilot is one of two approaches to GCF accreditation, approved through Board decision B.31/06. The PSAA is a capacity assessment of an entity to meet GCF accreditation standards to implement one innovative climate project/programme. The one project/programme is aligned with developing countries’ priorities and GCF’s strategic objectives.

The GCF PSAA Pilot framework will include the assessment of up to 10 funding proposals per year. The PSAA aims to streamline and broaden access to climate finance by working with new partners, countries, and technologies, that have been underserved by the existing GCF Accredited Entity network.

In the first year of PSAA, GCF will prioritize proposals from: 

1. Subnational, national, and regional entities based in developing countries, particularly those from developing countries that have yet to have an approved GCF-funded activity at the time of the launch of the PSAA; and  
2. Entities responding to Requests for Proposals (RFPs – in particular the MFS, MSMEs and EDA pilots) issued by GCF. 

Please note that the GCF only supports activities in developing country Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). GCF works directly with countries that are affected by climate change. This is done through a country's National Designated Authority (NDA) or Focal Point (FP), which are government agencies tasked to liaise with GCF in delivering climate solutions.

The PSAA questionnaire helps

• GCF assess 1) alignment of the proposed climate project with developing countries’ priorities and GCF’s strategic objectives, and 2) whether an entity has the potential to meet the basic requirements for accreditation via the PSAA.
• Entities understand the eligibility requirements to apply for the PSAA, and the entity obligations if accredited to the GCF.
• Entities and the GCF save time and resources by deciding at an early stage whether a one project/programme partnership is a good fit for both institutions.

The PSAA questionnaire consists of the 9 sections listed below:

1. Contact information
2. Legal status
3. Access modality
4. Country ownership and stakeholder engagement
5. GCF engagement
6. Potential for contribution to the GCF mandate
7. Project/programme summary
8. Track record
9. Eligibility and obligations

The PSAA questionnaire will take approximately 20 minutes to complete once all the required information is available. Please refer to a copy of the PSAA questionnaire on the Resources section to review the information required. While completing the online questionnaire, please also note saving your responses is not possible.

The following supporting documents are required:

Stakeholder engagement and country ownership summary. Please complete the template provided.

PSAA pitchbook for the proposed project/programme. Please complete the template provided.

Engagement with the relevant NDA(s) and/or FP(s) is required from the outset and should be clearly reflected in the submission. Applicants should ensure that country ownership and stakeholder engagement requirements are addressed at the initial stage, as they form an important part of the Secretariat’s preliminary review.

In consultation with the applicant, the Secretariat will review and verify the stakeholder engagement and country ownership information and, as applicable, relevant evidence of engagement, a letter of support/s, and/or a nomination/s or no-objection letter/s from the relevant NDA(s) and/or FP(s). Please note that the PSAA Questionnaire and its supporting documents may be shared with the relevant NDA(s) and/or FP(s) as part of this verification process.

Following the Secretariat’s preliminary review of a complete PSAA Questionnaire and supporting documents, and any subsequent engagement with the applicant, an entity may be granted access to GCF’s Digital Proposal Submission (DPS) system where it can demonstrate that the proposed project/programme is aligned with the priorities of the relevant developing country or countries and GCF’s strategic objectives, and where the Secretariat is able to verify country ownership. The entity would then be invited to submit a project/programme concept note using the applicable GCF template, together with the PSAA supporting documentation.