Project-specific Assessment Approach

Questionnaire

Who should take the PSAA questionnaire?

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

PSAA overview

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 is for three years (April 2023 – March 2026), and it 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.

PSAA questionnaire guidance

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.

In addition to general information on the entity, an overview of the proposed climate project/programme, and a summary of the entity’s track record and capacity for implementation, evidence of country ownership and stakeholder engagement is required (see template).

Please note in the concept overview section you are required to upload a project/programme pitch deck, and you may find the template on the resources page.

In consultation with the applicant, the stakeholder engagement information and or nomination/no-objection letter will be reviewed and verified by the Secretariat.

Following a preliminary review of the PSAA questionnaire by the Secretariat and subsequent discussions with the entity, once an applicant can demonstrate that the proposed project is aligned with the respective developing countries’ priorities and GCF’s strategic objectives, and the Secretariat can verify country ownership of the proposal, the entity will be granted access to the GCF’s Digital Proposal Submission (DPS) system to submit the project/programme concept note in GCF template, and PSAA supporting documentation.

Start questionnaire