Simplified Approval Process - Resources

Accredited Entities and PSAA entities can submit their Concept notes, Funding proposals and other templates for review through the GCF Partner Portal.

• Funding proposal (SAP)  ·  Template
• Annex 1: No objection letter(s)  ·  Template
• Annex 2: Pre-feasibility study  ·  Guidance
• Annex 3: Implementation timetable including key project/programme milestones  ·  Template
• Annex 4: Legal due diligence  ·  Template
• Annex 5: Evidence of internal approval  ·  Template
• Annex 6: Procurement plan  ·  Template
• Annex 7: Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP), if the screening triggers only low/minimal risks, for SAP or Category C/I3 for PAP  ·  Template
• Annex 8: Environmental and social due diligence
• Annex 9: Summary of consultations and stakeholder engagement plan, or to be included in Annex 2: Pre-feasibility study, applicable to SAP
• Annex 10: Gender assessment and project/programme-level action plan  ·  Template
• Annex 11: Economic and financial analyses, optional for public sector SAP, mandatory for private sector SAP  ·  Templates  ·  Guidance
• Annex 12: Monitoring and evaluation plan, not applicable to SAP
• Annex 13: Assessment of GHG emission reductions and their monitoring and reporting, for mitigation and cross-cutting projects, optional for SAP
• Annex 14: Detailed budget plan and AE fee request  ·  Template
• Annex 15: Co-financing commitment letter, if applicable  ·  Template
• Annex 16: Term sheet  ·  Template
• Annex 17: Tax analysis  ·  Template

The following technical guidelines and manuals are designed to help NDAs and AEs in writing and submitting their projects under the SAP. Translations in French and Spanish are also available for some materials.

The following guidance documents may contain references to earlier SAP requirements and submission procedures. Please note that:

• The SAP funding ceiling referenced in these documents may reflect a previous limit of USD 10 million. Following the update of the SAP policy (Decision B.32/05), SAP proposals may request up to USD 25 million in GCF funding. 
• This document reflects earlier versions of the Concept Note and Funding Proposal templates. Applicants preparing new submissions should use the latest templates available through the GCF Partner Portal (GPP). While the overall information requirements remain broadly the same, the organisation, numbering, and references to specific sections in this guidance may not correspond exactly to the current templates.

General guidelines:

• Simplified Approval Process (SAP) funding proposal preparation guidelines: A practical manual for the preparation of SAP proposals
• Programming guidelines for the Simplified Approval Process
• Reporting guidelines for the Simplified Approval Process (SAP)
• GCF-SAP CREWS Scaling-up Framework for early warning
• Legal guidance for preparing Sections C.4 and C.5 of the Funding proposal
• Guidance to Annex 2: Guidance for preparing a pre-feasibility study under the Simplified Approval Process
• Guidance to Annex 7: Guidelines for the environmental and social screening of activities proposed under the Simplified Approval Process
• Guidance to Annex 11: Guidelines on preparing the economic and financial analysis for SAP proposal

Technical guidelines:

• SAP Compendium
• SAP Technical Guidelines: Water security
• SAP Technical Guidelines: Energy efficiency for industry and appliances
• SAP Technical Guidelines: Renewable energy
• SAP Technical Guidelines: Cities and climate change
• SAP Technical Guidelines: Ecosystems and ecosystem services
• SAP Technical Guidelines: Forests and land use
• SAP Technical Guidelines: REDD+
• SAP Technical Guidelines: Transport
• SAP Technical Guidelines: Agriculture and food security

GCF developed an e-learning course on the Simplified Approval Process to provide detailed information on the key elements required for SAP Funding Proposals, as explained by GCF experts. After completing the module, participants are expected to have the necessary knowledge and information to prepare robust project proposals.