Instructions for applying for the Project Formulation Assistance (PFA) Grants

Project Formulation Assistance (PFA) grants are available only to National Implementing Entities (NIEs) that are going through the two-step approval process for projects and programmes. The call for PFA grants is open throughout the year and does not close. Applications for PFA grants may therefore be submitted at any time but only at the same time that a project concept is submitted to the Board in session or intersessionally. A PFA grant application cannot be submitted alone without an accompanying project concept and it cannot be submitted together with a fully developed project proposal.

The Adaptation Fund’s Readiness Programme for Climate Finance provides capacity building and support for planning, accessing, delivering and reporting on adaptation finance. At its twenty-second meeting, the Adaptation Fund Board approved document AFB/B.22/6 which included, in the options for the Readiness Programme, grants for Project Formulation Assistance (PFAs) of up to US$ 20,000 which would provide support for project formulation to accredited NIEs to undertake specific technical assessments in the formulation of concrete adaptation projects and programmes in addition to Project Formulation Grants (PFGs). [PFGs of up to US$ 30,0000 per project are available to accredited NIEs to support project formulation activities, including among others feasibility studies or consultations. The template for a PFG Request is available under Project Proposal Materials.]

As part of this capacity building effort, the Adaptation Fund Board (the Board) is inviting accredited NIEs that are going through the 2-step project approval process to apply for a PFA grant to strengthen their capacity to undertake the necessary technical assessments related to the design and development of adaptation projects and programmes by tapping into external expertise through short-term consultancies. The PFA grants are meant to help NIEs undertake specific technical assessments such as environmental impact assessments and vulnerability assessments. Implementation of the PFA grant should consider any relevant elements of the Fund’s Environmental and Social Policy (approved 2013, amended 2016) and Gender Policy (approved 2016).

The PFA grant of the Adaptation Fund is meant to support, among other areas, the following types of assessments by the grantee NIE:

• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
• Vulnerability Assessment (VA)
• Risk Assessment
• Other Environmental and Social Assessments for adaptation projects

If the grant is approved, the NIE will be responsible for sourcing and recruiting the consultant(s) directly.

NIEs interested in applying for the PFA grant should submit an application at the time of submission of a project concept proposal to the Board. Please find the application form for a PFA grant  in the attachments on the bottom of this page or under Project Proposal Materials.

Implementation Arrangements

If the grant is approved, the NIE will be responsible for implementation of the grant and management of all aspects of procurement, contracting and payments. The Adaptation Fund Board Secretariat will review the applications taking into account the adequacy and validation of the proposal and submit a recommendation to the Project and Programme Review Committee (PPRC) for approval of funding by the Adaptation Fund Board either in session or intersessionally, depending on when the project concept was submitted by the NIE.

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