Accreditation process

The accreditation process

Under the revised Accreditation Framework (RAF), GCF follows a five-step accreditation process, from nomination or self-nomination, to pre-screening, application, screening and review, and finally, Board approval. Each step is designed to strengthen transparency, predictability, and accountability, while supporting entities at different stages of readiness to engage with GCF.

Step-by-step

Government nomination or self-nomination

Organizations can apply for accreditation through one of two access modalities:

Direct access for subnational, national, or regional organizations.
- Nomination: Governments of developing countries (acting through an authorized ministry, department or agency) and government-controlled subnational, national or regional entities must be nominated for accreditation by the relevant country’s National Designated Authority (NDA) or focal point.
- Self-nomination: Subnational, national or regional entities that are not government-controlled may self-nominate following consultation with the relevant country’s NDA.
International access for multilateral and other international organizations may self-nominate directly via accessing pre-screening stage (Step 2).

Legally recognized entities: All applicants must have an independent legal personality and the authority to enter into legal agreements with GCF and receive and manage international funds on their own behalf.

Governments may designate a single legally recognized entity to serve as their Accredited Entity; however, this does not preclude other national institutions from seeking accreditation. In cases where several government institutions have separate legal personalities, a country is encouraged to identify one such entity to serve as its Accredited Entity.

Private sector and non-profits: For private sector or non-profit entities that are part of larger corporate groups or have affiliates, the applicant must demonstrate sufficient autonomy, governance capacity, and proven institutional track record in implementing climate-related programmes or projects. Entities without separate legal personality (such as branches or country offices) should be included within the application of their parent entity.

Readiness support: Prospective Direct Access Entities (DAEs) may also request pre-accreditation readiness support through the Readiness and Preparatory Suppport Programme, subject to NDA endorsement and alignment with national readiness priorities.

Template for NDA nomination is available here.

Pre-screening

Following nomination (where applicable) prospective applicants undergo pre-screening by the GCF Secretariat.

The pre-screening process is intended to be a preliminary check to identify whether the entity meets basic criteria to fulfil the role and responsibilities of an AE as identified in the RAF, and if it is adequately prepared to proceed with the full application.

For more information on the pre-screening process please refer to the Pre-screening page.

Organizations that complete this stage will be invited to submit a full application during an upcoming accreditation window.

Applicants that are not ready and able to proceed with accreditation may explore other ways to engage with GCF. Where appropriate, the Secretariat may provide general guidance on potential options, such as partnering with an existing Accredited Entity or accessing readiness support through the Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme to strengthen institutional capacities before reapplying.

Application and fees

Applicants who successfully advance beyond pre-screening must submit a complete application for accreditation through GCF’s online platform. The application should contain all required information and supporting documentation necessary for the screening review to begin. To enhance predictability and transparency, the accreditation application process will be managed in defined cycles. There will be two application windows each year, and each window will remain open for a two-month period. Entities are expected to submit their applications within these windows.

Once their application is deemed complete, applicants must pay the accreditation fee in line with the Policy on Fees for Accreditation. Incomplete submissions may be deferred to the next window after addressing the gaps.

Screening and report

When an application enters the screening stage, the Accreditation Panel (AP) and the Secretariat jointly conduct a desk-based assessment of the applicant’s policies, procedures, governance systems, and institutional track record against GCF screening requirements, taking into account the highest environmental and social risk category sought.

During this stage, applicants may be asked to provide clarifications or additional information and are expected to respond within the specified timelines.

After the review, the Secretariat and Accreditation Panel issue a Screening Report that outlines whether the applicant meets the requirements or identifies areas for improvement.

For direct access applicants, the Secretariat will also notify the nominating National Designated Authority (NDA) of the outcome whether the application meets the requirements, does not meet them, or has been closed due to non-response within the required timelines.

Applicants that do not meet the screening requirements can work with their NDAs to seek readiness support through GCF’s Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme. This support can help address identified gaps and build the institutional capacity needed for successful accreditation in the future.

Once the gaps have been addressed, applicants may reapply by updating their submission to demonstrate how the identified issues have been resolved.

Board decision (Approval)

Following the screening process, the AP submits its recommendations to the GCF Board for consideration.

The Board reviews the recommendations and makes the final accreditation decision.

Once approved by the Board, the applicant becomes a GCF Accredited Entity. Each AE will be issued a confirmation/certificate which will be evidence of the entity’s accreditation and will confirm the environmental and social risk category the entity is accredited for.

If the Board decides not to accredit an applicant, it may provide guidance to the Secretariat on how to communicate the reasons for the decision to the applicant.

Under the Revised Accreditation Framework, re-accreditation is no longer required, as accreditation will no longer have a fixed term. Instead, GCF will maintain an ongoing partnership with Accredited Entities, supported by the revised Monitoring & Accountability Framework (MAF). This approach ensures that performance and compliance are monitored continuously, promoting accountability and efficiency without the need for periodic re-accreditation cycles. This approach ensures that performance and compliance are monitored continuously, promoting accountability and efficiency without the need for periodic re-accreditation cycles.