Adaptation Fund Readiness Programme

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Adaptation Fund Readiness Programme

The Adaptation Fund Readiness Programme provides targeted capacity-building and technical assistance to strengthen the ability of developing countries to access and manage climate finance for adaptation. The programme supports National Implementing Entities (NIEs), Regional Implementing Entities (RIEs), and Multilateral Implementing Entities (MIEs) in enhancing institutional capacities, improving fiduciary and environmental standards, and promoting direct access to resources. It facilitates the development of project pipelines, knowledge exchange, and South–South cooperation to advance effective and country-driven adaptation actions. As an integral mechanism of the Adaptation Fund, the Readiness Programme ensures that institutions are equipped to design, implement, and scale up high-quality adaptation initiatives aligned with national priorities and the goals of the Paris Agreement. Support to accredited implementing entities, cooperation and partnerships, support to countries seeking accreditation, and knowledge management are core areas of focus.

Under the Readiness Programme, the Adaptation Fund offers four different grants: the Readiness Package Grant, the Project Scale-up Grant, the Project Formulation Grant, and the Technical Assistance Grant.

The Readiness Package Grant provides targeted assistance to entities seeking accreditation with the Fund. It replaces the former South–South Cooperation Grant, expanding support through a comprehensive suite of tools to address institutional and technical gaps.

The Readiness Package Grant aims to:

Provide enhanced support for NIE accreditation;
Address fiduciary, governance, and technical gaps through expert support;
Facilitate South–South Cooperation and knowledge exchange; and
Strengthen national systems for Direct Access to climate finance.

-> Maximum grant amount: USD 150,000 per NIE.

Accreditation Readiness and Institutional Strengthening

Conducting institutional assessments to identify gaps in governance, fiduciary management, environmental and social safeguards, and gender integration.
Developing or improving policies, procedures, and operational manuals to comply with the Fund’s accreditation standards.
Establishing or enhancing internal control systems, audit mechanisms, and procurement processes.

Expert Support and Technical Assistance

Recruiting fiduciary, governance, legal, environmental, and social experts to help address specific accreditation gaps.
Engaging short-term consultants or technical advisors to support preparation of documentation, evidence, or systems required for accreditation.
Providing training and technical backstopping to strengthen the NIE candidate’s compliance capacity.

South–South Cooperation and Peer Exchange

Facilitating mentorship and knowledge sharing between accredited NIEs and NIE candidates.
Organising peer-learning exchanges, study visits, or virtual sessions to learn from successful accreditation experiences.
Promoting regional collaboration to strengthen institutional systems for Direct Access.

Strategic and Operational Planning for Direct Access

Supporting the development of accreditation roadmaps or action plans that outline steps to meet the Fund’s criteria.
Conducting feasibility assessments or gap analyses to identify areas for improvement and capacity needs.
Strengthening coordination between Designated Authorities (DAs), NIE candidates, and potential intermediaries to ensure alignment with national priorities.

Workshops and Capacity-Building Events

Participating in or organising Adaptation Fund–led readiness workshops to exchange experiences on accreditation, risk management, and Direct Access modalities.
Disseminating information about the Fund’s procedures, accreditation process, and operational policies to national stakeholders.

Eligible applicants are:

Developing country Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement that wish to have a NationalImplementing Entity (NIE) accredited with the Adaptation Fund;
Countries that have previously accessed the South–South Cooperation Grant.
Each NIE may receive this grant only once.

The funding window is open twice per year: 01 Janurary – 31 March and 01 July – 31 August
Maximum funding: up to USD 150,000 per NIE

Step 1: Submission

An eligible National Implementing Entity (NIE) candidate is identified.
An eligible Intermediary (an accredited Implementing Entity with relevant experience) is selected.
The NIE candidate and the Intermediary jointly prepare the Readiness Package Grant proposal.
The Intermediary submits the proposal to the Adaptation Fund.

The application must include an endorsement letter from the Designated Authority (DA).

Step 2: Review and Approval

The Adaptation Fund Board Secretariat reviews the proposal and makes a recommendation.
The Adaptation Fund Board decides on the approval of the proposal.
If approved, funds are transferred to the Intermediary.

Step 3: Implementation and Reporting

The Intermediary is responsible for implementing the grant, including procurement and financial and non-financial reporting.
The NIE candidate drives the accreditation process in close cooperation with the Intermediary.
Reporting obligations must be fulfilled in line with Adaptation Fund requirements.

The Project Scale-up Grants as set out in the Fund’s Medium-Term Strategy (2018–2022). These grants provide readiness funding to accredited National Implementing Entities (NIEs) to support the planning, design, and development of activities that expand or replicate successful Adaptation Fund projects and programmes.

The grants aim to enable NIEs to scale up proven adaptation solutions that respond to national priorities and the needs of vulnerable communities, helping to extend the reach and impact of climate resilience measures.

The Project Scale-up Grants provide readiness funding to help NIEs:

Plan, design, and develop pathways for scaling up Adaptation Fund projects;
Assess technical, institutional, and financial needs for scale-up;
Strengthen capacity at individual, organisational, and institutional levels; and
Build partnerships with public and private actors to mobilise further funding for implementation.

The ultimate goal is to increase the readiness of NIEs to expand high-quality, country-driven adaptation projects that benefit more people and strengthen community resilience to climate change.

Scale-up implementation may be financed through other sources such as climate funds or private finance channels.

 Each NIE may access up to USD 100,000 per project or programme

Activities supported by the grant may include, but are not limited to:
- Assessments of scalability (e.g. technical, socio-economic, feasibility, or vulnerability studies);
- Consultations with public and private stakeholders to inform scale-up design;
- Development of a scale-up strategy or proposal for expanded activities; and
- Capacity enhancement through training, workshops, or institutional strengthening.

Eligible applicants are accredited National Implementing Entities (NIEs) of the Adaptation Fund that:

Hold current “Accredited” status;
Have demonstrated tangible implementation progress under an Adaptation Fund project or programme (through required reporting, review, or evaluation milestones);
Submit a letter of endorsement from the Designated Authority (DA); and
Identify at least one potential funding source for implementing the scaled-up project or programme.

Applications must be based on evidence from project evaluations, monitoring data, or research, and clearly outline expected benefits for vulnerable communities.

Project Scale-up GrantThe funding window is open twice per year:01 January – 31 March and 01 July – 31 August.
Maximum funding: up to US$ 100,000 per project or programme.

Step 1 – Submission

Complete the official application form.
Include a signed letter of endorsement from the Designated Authority (DA).
Submit proposals to:
afbsec@adaptation-fund.org
CC: idebnath@adaptation-fund.org, fmadziwa@adaptation-fund.org

Step 2 – Review and Approval

The Adaptation Fund Board Secretariat conducts a technical review.
The proposal is forwarded to the Project and Programme Review Committee (PPRC) for assessment and recommendation.
The Board makes a final decision at its regular meeting.

Step 3 – Implementation and Reporting

Approved NIEs manage the grant, including procurement, implementation, and reporting.
NIEs must adhere to the Fund’s reporting requirements, submitting:
Project monitoring and completion reports; and
Financial reports using the Fund’s templates.
Templates and guidance are available on the Fund’s website under Readiness Resources.

The Project Formulation Grants (PFGs) strengthen the capacity of accredited Implementing Entities (IEs) of the Adaptation Fund (the Fund) to prepare and design high-quality project and programme proposals. Originally introduced for National Implementing Entities (NIEs), PFGs are now available to all accredited Implementing Entities (NIEs, Regional Implementing Entities (RIEs), and Multilateral Implementing Entities (MIEs)) of the Fund.

PFGs provide targeted funding to support technical and analytical work during the project formulation stage — such as feasibility studies, consultations, and risk assessments — to ensure robust, evidence-based project design. These grants enable IEs to engage national or international experts for short-term assignments to conduct environmental, social, and gender analyses and other preparatory assessments aligned with the Fund’s standards.

The PFGs aim to:

Build the capacity of accredited IEs in project preparation and design;
Support the formulation of projects through technical assessments and stakeholder engagement;
Ensure project concepts are aligned with the Fund’s Environmental and Social Policy (ESP) and Gender Policy; and
Strengthen the readiness of IEs to develop impactful, country-driven adaptation projects.

PFGs may only be requested when an IE submits a project pre-concept or project concept to the Board under the Fund’s two-step or three-step project approval process.

Activities supported under PFGs may include, but are not limited to:
- Stakeholder consultations and workshops to refine project ideas (including translation and preparation of background materials);
- Gender and environmental and social risk analyses, and preparation of Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) and Gender Action Plans;
- Expert travel and consultation costs, including stakeholder participation;
- Free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) processes, where applicable;
- Risk assessments (e.g. vulnerability, hazard, or socio-economic analyses);
- Technical studies such as feasibility, policy, or cost-effectiveness analyses;
- Capacity assessments of executing partners;
- Development of project indicators, monitoring, and evaluation frameworks;
- Consultancies and contracts to identify and develop project or programme options; and
- Translation costs for key documents and supporting materials.

Eligible applicants are accredited Implementing Entities (IEs) of the Adaptation Fund.

Project Formulation Grants must be requested at the time of submission of:
A project concept (two-step approval process); or
A project pre-concept (three-step approval process for regional proposals).

Project Formulation Grants are accessible through the regular, Locally Led Adaptation (LLA), and Large Innovation funding windows.

Funding amounts for single-country projects:

Project size below US$ 2 million: PFG amount of US$ 50,000
Project size US$ 2 million to below US$ 5 million: PFG amount of US$ 100,000
Project size US$ 5 million and above: PFG amount of US$ 150,000
LLA projects: PFG amount of US$ 150,000, with the possibility of an additional up to US$ 100,000, assessed on a case-by-case basis

Funding amounts for regional projects:

Project size US$ 5 million and above with fewer than three countries: PFG amount of US$ 150,000
Project size US$ 5 million and above with three or more countries:
Additional US$ 15,000 per additional country, up to a maximum total of US$ 250,000
For projects following a three-step approval process, up to 20% of the total PFG amount may be requested at the pre-concept stage.

PFGs must be requested concurrently with the submission of a project pre-concept or project concept to the Adaptation Fund Board.

Step 1 – Submission

Complete the Request for Project Formulation Grant (PFG) template available under Project Proposal Materials on the Fund’s website.
Submit the PFG request together with the relevant project pre-concept or concept.

Step 2 – Review and Approval

The Adaptation Fund Board Secretariat reviews the PFG request as part of the overall project submission.
The Board considers and decides on the PFG request at its regular meetings.

Step 3 – Implementation and Reporting

Approved IEs manage the PFG in accordance with the Fund’s procurement, financial, and reporting procedures.
IEs must submit monitoring, completion, and financial reports as per the Fund’s Readiness Programme requirements.

Reporting templates and guidance are available under Readiness Resources on the Fund’s website.

The Technical Assistance (TA) Grants are offered to accredited National Implementing Entities (NIEs) to strengthen institutional capacity in environmental and social risk management and gender integration. The grants enable NIEs to design and implement projects in line with the Fund’s Environmental and Social Policy (ESP) and Gender Policy, and to engage short-term national or international experts to address identified capacity gaps.

The TA Grants aim to:

Strengthen NIE capacity in environmental, social, and gender risk management;
Ensure compliance with the Fund’s ESP and Gender Policy; and
Support the integration of social and gender considerations throughout project design and implementation.

Activities eligible for funding under the TA Grants may include, but are not limited to:
- Engaging short-term national or international experts to provide technical advice;
- Strengthening institutional frameworks and procedures for risk management and gender integration;
- Conducting training workshops, consultations, or awareness sessions on environmental, social, and gender safeguards; and
- Developing or updating policies, tools, or systems to comply with the Fund’s ESP and Gender Policy.

Eligible applicants are:

Developing country Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement seeking accreditation of a National Implementing Entity (NIE);
Countries that have previously accessed the South–South Cooperation Grant;
Accredited NIEs that have not previously received a Technical Assistance Grant.

The Technical Assistance (TA) Grant consists of two separate grant types:

TA Grant for Environmental and Social Policy and Gender Policy (TA-ESGP)

Eligible applicants are National Implementing Entities (NIEs) that have not previously received a TA Grant.

Provides up to US$ 25,000 per NIE.
Supports capacity-building to manage environmental, social, and gender-related risks in an integrated manner.
Funds may be used to hire external experts to strengthen systems and practices in line with the Fund’s Environmental and Social Policy (ESP) and Gender Policy.

TA Grant for the Gender Policy (TA-GP)

Eligible applicants are NIEs that have not accessed the TA-ESGP.

Provides up to US$ 10,000 per NIE.
Supports the development of institutional measures to avoid, minimise, and mitigate adverse gender impacts, in alignment with the Fund’s Gender Policy.
Enables NIEs to engage specialised expertise to strengthen gender integration across projects and programmes.

Step 1 – Submission

Complete the appropriate application form (TA-ESGP or TA-GP).
Attach a signed letter of endorsement from the Designated Authority (DA).
Submit applications to:
afbsec@adaptation-fund.org
CC: idebnath@adaptation-fund.org, fmadziwa@adaptation-fund.org

Step 2 – Review and Approval

The Adaptation Fund Board Secretariat conducts a technical review.
Proposals are submitted to the Project and Programme Review Committee (PPRC) for recommendation to the Board.
The Board considers and approves proposals at its regular meetings.

Step 3 – Implementation and Reporting

Approved NIEs are responsible for managing and implementing the grant, including procurement and reporting.
NIEs must adhere to the Fund’s standard reporting requirements under the Readiness Programme, which include:
Project completion and monitoring reports; and
Financial reports, using Fund templates.
Reporting templates and guidance are available on the Fund’s website under Readiness Resources.

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