Accreditation Process

Before starting the application process, organizations can assess whether they meet the basic requirements to become an Accredited Entity (AEs). They can do this by considering a series of questions through GCF’s online assessment tool. The questionnaire helps organizations assess:

1. Whether they are considered to have full legal capacity to undertake activities funded by the GCF.

2. Their institutional arrangements – including their systems, policies, procedures, and guidelines.

3. Their track records – by considering whether their systems, policies, procedures, and guidelines have been systematically implemented.

The Self-Assessment Tool helps organizations save time and expenses by deciding at an early stage whether they meet GCF accreditation requirements. The Self-Assessment Tool is a guide only and does not guarantee a GCF accreditation. Organizations that are considering to apply for accreditation do not need to pay the accreditation application fee at this stage. Once an organization is confident that it has the credentials to become an AE, it can start the three-stage application process. Entities applying for the accreditation should have been operating for at least three years.

• All Direct Access Entities (DAEs) must be nominated by the country’s NDA. International Access Entities (IAEs) can seek GCF accreditation directly, without a nomination from the NDA.
• NDA nominates DAE applicants by filling out this template and send it to GCF through this email address: accreditation@gcfund.org.
• All accreditation applicants must register with GCF’s Online Accreditation System (OAS). They do so by filling out this document.
• Once the complete form is accepted by the Secretariat, applicants will receive log-in information to access GCF’s online application system.
• Applicants will then be asked to fill out the online application form within the OAS. This is the main part of applying for accreditation. The application form contains detailed instructions on how to fill it out.
• Organizations that have been accredited by Global Environmental Facility (GEF), Adaptation Fund and Directorate-General Development and Cooperation – EuropeAid dari European Commission (DG DEVCO) can qualify for a fast-track accreditation process if the three required prerequisites have been met.
• More information on the three prerequisites and entities that may be eligible to apply under the fast-track approach is available here.
• Organizations submit their application in the OAS after they have completed the online accreditation application form.
• Application fees are paid at this stage. The amount varies according to the fiduciary functions and the financing size for projects or programmes proposed by the accreditation applicant to receive GCF funding. Some of the fees will be waived for sub-national, national, and regional organizations based in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) for certain financing amounts.

• Once application fees are received, the GCF Secretariat reviews the application to ensure the mandate of the accreditation applicant aligns with GCF’s mandate and objectives in targeting climate finance, and in a manner that can contribute to developing country programme priorities with GCF. GCF has identified eight strategic impact areas for delivering major mitigation and adaptation benefits. More details can be found here.
• GCF Secretariat will check whether the accreditation applicant has provided sufficient information regarding their systems, policies, procedures, and guidelines for safeguarding projects against financial, environmental, social, and gender risk impacts. GCF Secretariat will also check whether the applicant has provided information on their track record on implementing the systems, policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• GCF Secretariat may ask applicants questions about their accreditation application to have a complete application. This often involves considerable back-and-forth correspondence between the applicant and the GCF Secretariat.

• Once the GCF Secretariat is satisfied that all application requirements are met, they will forward the submitted documents to the Accreditation Panel. This panel of six accreditation experts provides an independent appraisal of the application, focusing on whether the accreditation applicant meets the required GCF standards.
• At this stage, the Accreditation Panel may ask applicants to provide clarifications, while liaising with the GCF Secretariat.
• The GCF Secretariat and the Accreditation Panel then send their recommendations to the GCF Board. These recommendations will include the GCF Secretariat’s assessment from the Stage I check, as well as the recommendations by the Accreditation Panel regarding accreditation and the accreditation criteria. In cases where the Accreditation Panel finds gaps in the accreditation application between GCF standards’ requirements and their fulfillment, it may recommend conditions of accreditation. For example, conditions prior to first disbursement for the amendment or development of a policy or procedure, or an ongoing condition applied to all GCF-funded projects regarding information to be provided or additional monitoring requirements.
• If the application is complete and does not require follow-up questions, the duration of the review process by both the GCF Secretariat and the Accreditation Panel is a minimum of six months, or three months, for fast-track applications.
• The GCF Board, which generally meets three times a year, makes the final decision on whether the entity successfully obtains the accreditation.
• The GCF Secretariat informs the applicant entity about the result of the GCF Board decision.

• The approved AE will then sign an Accreditation Master Agreement (AMA) with GCF. AMA templates are available here.
• AMA are legal agreements that define the terms and conditions for an entity’s use of GCF resources. They formalize the Accredited Entity’s accountability in carrying out GCF-approved projects appropriately. For each GCF-funded activity approved by the Board, the AE enters into a Funded Activity Agreement (FAA) for each approved project, which contains project-specific terms.
• AEs are required to carry out an annual self-assessment of their operations to assess whether they continue to meet the accreditation standards they have applied for.
• AEs are also required to submit yearly progress reports about their management of GCF-approved climate finance projects or programmes.
• AEs must apply for re-registration to maintain their status every five year. GCF is currently developing procedures to guide the reaccreditation process.

For further information on the accreditation process, please check GCF website.