This brief captures practical lessons from the Partnering for Readiness (PfR) project on how peer-learning networks and Communities of Practice can be designed and managed to support effective knowledge exchange on climate finance. Drawing on experience with initiatives such as the Community of Practice of Direct Access Entities (CPDAE), the Peer-to-Peer Learning Alliance on Climate Finance Integrity, and the GCF Readiness Learning Series, it highlights how peer learning can strengthen institutional capacity and help practitioners learn directly from others facing similar climate-finance access challenges.

Key lessons are structured around the full lifecycle of a Community of Practice:

• Planning: Smaller, clearly focused groups can support stronger engagement, while diversity across regions and institutions can enrich learning. The brief also recommends involving both practitioner- and decision-making-level representatives, ensuring gender and regional balance, and establishing clear governance arrangements for larger networks.
• Implementation: Trust, active participation and professional facilitation are critical. Regular face-to-face interaction, complemented by virtual meetings and online communication platforms, can strengthen engagement and ownership. Involving members in setting agendas and bringing in strategic partners such as climate funds can further increase the value of the network.
• Sustainability and exit: Long-term success depends on gradually transferring responsibility from the coordinating organisation to members themselves, while also planning for sustainable financing of future activities.

Overall, the brief provides practical guidance for organisations seeking to establish sustainable, member-driven peer-learning networks that strengthen institutional learning and cooperation around climate finance.