Multiple-year strategic readiness proposals

Multi-year strategic readiness (or ‘multi-year cap’) proposals can be submitted for readiness activities that will be implemented over multiple years, up to a maximum of 36 months. The main purpose of a multi-year proposal is to allow countries to be more programmatic in their approach to readiness and to address specific identified needs and priorities. This type of proposal allows the NDA to use subsequent calendar years’ USD 1 million cap and apply it to a single proposal. Support requests must be greater than USD 1 million and up to a maximum of USD 3 million (capped at USD 1 million/country/year) as illustrated in the table below:

Figure 1 GCF Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme Guidebook p.48

Applications must include indicative work plans and budgets for each 12-month period. Countries and delivery partners should carefully read the conditions for submission in the guidebook for this type of readiness proposal. 

No. The annual readiness cap remains in place and the Secretariat can only commit up to USD 1 million per calendar year.  Therefore, for a multi-year proposal no more than USD 1 million per year can be funded and the proposal budget must be within the USD 1 million cap for the year of proposal approval.

No, national adaptation planning (Objective 3) cannot be included in this type of proposal. 

All developing countries may submit these proposals, provided that the NDA:

1. Has a finalized Country Programme that contains an analysis of the country’s readiness needs;

   OR

2. Has undertaken a readiness needs assessment and developed a work plan to address those needs.

If the NDA does not meet these requirements, the needs assessment may be included as an activity in a regular readiness proposal so that in the future a multi-year proposal can be submitted.

No, as with regular readiness proposals, multi-year proposals must be led by one delivery partner that is responsible for the project.

Existing templates should be used to develop and submit a multi-year readiness proposal.  However, there are some additional requirements for a multi-year proposal. 

• A needs assessment is recommended for a regular readiness proposal but is required for a multi-year proposal (this may have already been conducted as part of a finalized Country Programme).  This assessment should be conducted/overseen by the NDA and include, but not be limited to, health.  If a separate health sector needs assessment is conducted, it should be linked to, and expand on, the health needs identified overall needs assessment.
• The documents must cover the entire envisioned grant term.  Indicative work plans and budgets for each 12-month period of the proposal must be included in the overall proposal.

There is no template, however the Readiness Guidebook (p.8) provides guidance on key areas for inclusion in the assessment:

The multi-stakeholder readiness needs assessment should: 

• Be conducted or overseen by the NDA in consultation with other stakeholders; 
• Be bolstered by technical guidance from the Secretariat regarding its application; 
• Appraise a variety of essential capacities, institutional mechanisms and technical skills; 
• Establish a baseline to help the NDA and the Secretariat better understand how to approach readiness support in a strategic manner; 
• Consider identified capacity needs through existing processes and documents, including National Communications, National Capacity Self Assessments, and those undertaken by other funds, bilateral or multilateral agencies, and multilateral development banks; 
• Consider capacity building initiatives and assessments for climate change done under other auspices and include feedback on previous Readiness support; and 
• Give due attention to the issues of Environmental and Social Safeguards, gender and Indigenous Peoples integration. 

Core elements of a needs assessment:

• Institutions and governance;
• Policy environment;
• Pipeline status and development;
• Information, data and knowledge.

Furthermore, the assessment should be conducted at strategic level by the NDA for all priority issues in the country (not solely on health). If your country has needs assessments that have already been developed you are encouraged to submit those to your GCF regional officers for review and provide an opinion as to whether they are adequate for this proposal process.

More information on the needs assessment, and other requirements for the multi-year proposals, can be found in the Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme Guidebook.

For multi-year proposals the NDA must submit 12-month work plans and budgets for GCF approval on an annual basis.  The work plans include: updated logframe; budget and procurement plan; risk management strategy; and lessons learned from implementation to date and how the NDA and delivery partner have incorporated those lessons to improve the next stage of implementation.  Milestones from the previous 12-month work plan must be achieved to unlock approval for subsequent annual workplans.  

Yes.  Countries may submit and implement both multi-year and regular readiness proposals provided that the USD 1 million per year cap is not exceeded.