Proposing a GCF Project or Programme

Ensuring access to climate finance for developing countries is central to the GCF mandate. In order to promote transparency, support efficient access, and facilitate the delivery of high-quality project proposals GCF has developed a number of programming guidance, project design, and assessment tools. These tools are designed to help developing countries and Accredited Entities design climate project proposals for GCF funding, as well as to describe how GCF reviews, approves, and implements climate projects. To ensure positive impacts for the environment and society, GCF has strong environmental and social standards that include a gender policy and Indigenous Peoples Policy. These standards are reflected in the design, development and implementation of projects financed by GCF.

For any project or programme to be considered for funding by the GCF, it must receive endorsement from Trinidad and Tobago’s NDA. This endorsement can be attained through the NDA’s No-Objection Procedure, which vets funding proposals to ensure that projects and programmes put forward for the GCF Board’s approval are consistent with national climate strategies, plans, and country-driven approaches, and to provide for effective direct and indirect public and private sector financing by the Fund.

A Letter of No-Objection, the result of a successful No-Objection Procedure, is a mandatory condition for the approval of all funding proposals submitted to the Fund. The Letter of No-Objection will be signed by the official representative of Trinidad and Tobago’s NDA registered with the GCF Secretariat. The Letter must be included as an annex to the submitted funding proposal.

There are three occasions in which a No-Objection from the NDA may be requested:

• It is a requirement for the approval of all funding proposals submitted to the GCF Board.
  • In cases where funding proposals are not accompanied by a Letter of No-Objection, it must be submitted within 30 days of the GCF Secretariat receiving the funding proposal from the AE. Otherwise, the proposal will be suspended, and the GCF Secretariat will notify the AE or the intermediary of the same.
• It is also a requirement for Concept Notes when an application to the Project Preparation Facility (PPF) is submitted. The AE should make PPF applications after consultation with the NDA. A Letter of No-Objection should be included in the PPF application.
• It is optional for Concept Notes of full funding proposals that are submitted to the GCF Secretariat for feedback. However, the AE must inform the NDA about its submission of a Concept Note to the GCF.

The NDA of Trinidad and Tobago has decided that the EPPD-MEAU will be responsible for the review of projects and programmes for submission to the GCF. The officers responsible for the GCF Portfolio within the EPPD will review proposals on an ongoing basis, as submitted. The three main positions that will be responsible for this process are the two Research Analysts and the Climate Change Specialist.

Trinidad and Tobago’s NDA has three broad categories under which it appraises GCF project and programme development proposals. Accredited Entities should identify the procedure that is most appropriate to the project/programme development stage they are currently in to determine the appropriate process for receiving a Letter of No-Objection from the NDA.

The following steps should be utilized when:

• An AE wishes to seek an optional Letter of No-Objection from the NDA when they are seeking feedback and consultation from the GCF Secretariat; and/or
• A Concept Note will be submitted to the Project Preparation Facility (PPF) for funding

Step 1: Completeness Check (NDA led)

Accredited Entities (AEs) who intend to submit a project for funding from the GCF will submit their project concepts in the GCF Concept Note Template to the NDA. The AE will ensure that the concept note meets the requirements of the checklist in Annex J of the NDA Toolkit which confirms that the concept meets the GCF requirements and can address the six GCF investment criteria, has a strong climate rationale and fits within the country programme. This checklist and relevant documentation should be submitted to the NDA along with the concept note.

The NDA will conduct a completeness check to ensure that all information as required by the concept note template is included along with accompanying documentation.

Timeline: The completeness check should take no longer than 5-7 Business Days from the receipt of all information.

Step 2: Technical Review (NDA led)
The staff within the EPPD responsible for the GCF portfolio conduct the technical climate change review. At the EPPD’s discretion and depending on the level of in-house expertise required, the EPPD may wish to convene an ad-hoc technical working group, to be chaired by the NDA to evaluate the concept note. The working group will include, inter alia, representatives from entities on gender, the sectors being targeted or that will benefit, the EMA, the IMA and representatives from civil society and the private sector. Other entities can be co-opted as necessary to facilitate a robust review process.

The EPPD officers and when convened, the technical working group will conduct an initial review of the project concept using the to ensure:

• That it is consistent with at least one of the GCF Priority Results Areas;
• That it has a clear and strong climate rationale i.e. that the problem that it is responding to has a climate change origin and that addressing it will contribute to Trinidad and Tobago’s response to climate change;
• That it has the potential to meet the GCF investment criteria of Impact Potential and Paradigm Shift Potential;
• That environmental and social safeguards are in place; and
• That the impacted stakeholders have been consulted.

Timeline: The review of the concept note by the NDA should take no more than 30 Business Days from the receipt of all information.

Step 3: NDA Decision (NDA led)
Upon completion of Step 2, the outcome of the technical review and recommended decision based upon the Appraisal Criteria for the Evaluation of GCF Concept Notes, is submitted to the NDA with any relevant accompanying documents. The NDA will take a decision on whether to issue a letter of no-objection based upon the recommendation from the technical review.

Timeline: The technical review team should submit the outcome of the technical review (Step 2) to the NDA focal point within 1-3 Business Days from the review being completed.

Step 4: Notice of approval or rejection (NDA led)
If at the completion of the review of the Concept Note by the NDA and any technical committee established, the NDA finds the concept note successful, it will clear the project for development into a full project proposal or submission to the PPF. The NDA will notify the AE as such.

If a concept note is rejected, the NDA will notify the AE and can share the project evaluation checklist at their discretion.

Concepts that are approved by the NDA may be issued a Letter of No-Objection by the NDA for submission to the GCF Secretariat. The no-objection letter may also be shared with the AE for their records and also is often attached as an annex to the submission. However, the concept note is addressed to the

Timeline: The NDA should notify the AE of the outcome no more than 3-5 Business Days after the decision on the outcome.

For full funding proposals for projects and programmes, the NDA will follow similar procedures as in the case of a Concept Note. However, while the Concept Note requires a certain level of detail as it relates to how the project/programme aligns with the GCF investment criteria, climate rationale and how the project fits within a country programme and country priorities, a full funding proposal requires much more detail and several supporting documents.

The Project Checklist should be utilized by the Accredited Entity to confirm that all key documents required by the GCF have been prepared. The NDA will utilize the Checklist as part of its assessment of the Full Funding Proposal.

Step 1: Completeness Check (NDA led)

Accredited Entities (AEs) who intend to submit a project for funding from the GCF will submit their project concepts in the GCF Concept Note Template to the NDA. The AE will ensure that the concept note meets the requirements of the checklist, which confirms that the concept meets the GCF requirements and can address the six GCF investment criteria, has a strong climate rationale and fits within the country programme. This checklist and relevant documentation should be submitted to the NDA along with the Full Funding Proposal.

The NDA will conduct a completeness check to ensure that all information as required by the concept note template is included along with accompanying documentation.

Timeline: The completeness check should take no longer than 5-7 Business Days from the receipt of all information.

Step 2: Technical Review (NDA led)
The staff within the EPPD responsible for the GCF portfolio conduct the technical climate change review. At the EPPD’s discretion and depending on the level of in-house expertise required, the EPPD may wish to convene an ad-hoc technical working group, to be chaired by the NDA to evaluate the concept note. The working group will include, inter alia, representatives from entities on gender, the sectors being targeted or that will benefit, the EMA, the IMA and representatives from civil society and the private sector. Other entities can be co-opted as necessary to facilitate a robust review process.

The EPPD officers and when convened, the technical working group will conduct an initial review of the Full Funding Proposal using the to ensure:

• That it is consistent with at least one of the GCF Priority Results Areas;
• That it has a clear and strong climate rationale i.e. that the problem that it is responding to has a climate change origin and that addressing it will contribute to Trinidad and Tobago’s response to climate change;
• That it has the potential to meet the GCF investment criteria of Impact Potential and Paradigm Shift Potential;
• That environmental and social safeguards are in place; and
• That the impacted stakeholders have been consulted.

Timeline: The review of the concept note by the NDA should take no more than 30 Business Days from the receipt of all information.

Step 3: NDA Decision (NDA led)
Upon completion of Step 2, the outcome of the technical review and recommended decision is submitted to the NDA with any relevant accompanying documents. The NDA will take a decision on whether to issue a letter of no-objection based upon the recommendation from the technical review.

Timeline: The technical review team should submit the outcome of the technical review (Step 2) to the NDA focal point within 1-3 Business Days from the review being completed.

Step 4: Notice of approval or rejection (NDA led)
If at the completion of the review of the Full Funding Proposal by the NDA and any technical committee established, the NDA finds the concept note successful, it will clear the proposal for submission to the GCF. The NDA will notify the AE as such. 

If a Full Funding Proposal is rejected, the NDA will notify the AE and can share the project evaluation checklist at their discretion.

Satisfaction of the relevant criteria assessed by the NDA will result in a decision to accept the proposal and to issue a Letter of no-Objection. The NDA will then formally notify the AE of the decision taken, and issue a Letter of No-Objection. Like the Concept Note no-objection procedure, the letter may be shared with the AE for their records and is attached as an annex to the funding proposal submission.

Timeline: The NDA should notify the AE of the outcome no more than 3-5 Business Days after the decision on the outcome.

Note: In the case of a multi-country project, e.g. a regional project, the above procedures apply. A funding proposal submitted to the GCF for a multi-country project requires a no-objection letter from each of the countries included as an annex to the proposal. This means that all the AE must ensure that stakeholders from all countries in the project are consulted throughout project concept and design and that the project fits with the country programmes of each of the countries involved. The procedures for granting such a no-objection letter however remain the same.

For more information on accessing resources from the GCF, please contact the NDA or access the following links:

• Project cycle
• GCF Programming Manual
• GCF Appraisal Guidance
• Sectoral guides
• Investment criteria