Climate fund readiness and project preparation GCF readiness, concept notes and funding proposals for climate funds and accredited entities.
We delivered for:
Climate funding routes and a climate activity framework for Fiji’s Sugar Cane Growers Fund, the statutory lender to the country’s cane growers.
Routes to climate funding for Fiji’s Sugar Cane Growers Fund
ClientSugar Cane Growers Fund (SCGF), Fiji
Funded byAsian Development Bank (ADB) technical assistance
CountryFiji
Year2026
Our roleClimate funding access guide and climate activity framework
The need
SCGF is a statutory public financial institution that lends to Fiji’s registered cane growers. It wanted to finance a proposed Rural Climate, Agriculture and Inclusive Finance Facility with international climate funding, and needed to know which funds it could reach, given that every fund sets eligibility rules on the legal structure of applicants.
What we did
We screened climate finance programmes available in Fiji and the region against SCGF’s legal structure, client base and mandate: the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Innovative Finance Facility for Climate in Asia and the Pacific (IF-CAP), the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the Climate Finance Access Network (CFAN), the Pacific Resilience Facility, IFAD and GEF’s BE GREEN programme, the Pacific Community and a Green Climate Fund partnership with the Fiji Development Bank. We set out how the Green Climate Fund disbursement chain and accreditation work for an institution like SCGF, and wrote a climate activity framework so SCGF can describe its climate-relevant lending in applications.
Results
Seven funding routes assessed for eligibility, each with its access route, principal condition and time horizon, and a five-step engagement sequence for SCGF.
Deliverables
Climate Funding Access Guide, Climate Activity Framework and engagement sequence.
See how we would teach it: our sample course on applying for climate funding. E-learning and website development →
Questions about climate fund readiness and project preparation
What is GCF readiness?
The Green Climate Fund Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme provides grants and technical assistance that help developing countries strengthen their institutions, plan for climate finance and build a pipeline of projects for the Green Climate Fund (GCF). LirioAI prepares GCF readiness proposals in the GCF readiness proposal template.
What is a GCF concept note?
A GCF concept note is a short outline of a proposed project or programme, sent to the Green Climate Fund before a full funding proposal so the Fund can give early feedback. LirioAI drafts concept notes in the current GCF concept note template, including the climate rationale, and develops them into full GCF funding proposals.
What is the GCF accreditation process?
Organisations apply to the Green Climate Fund to become an accredited entity before they can submit funding proposals in their own right. LirioAI supports organisations through the GCF accreditation process, from the first gap assessment against the GCF accreditation framework to the application.
What is a direct access entity?
A direct access entity is a national or regional organisation accredited by the Green Climate Fund to access its funding directly, rather than through an international accredited entity such as a UN agency or a multilateral development bank.
speaks at your conference
speaks at your conferenceLiliana Locke speaks on climate finance access for small island states, climate risk for banks, gender and climate finance, and small business resilience, at regional forums such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Asia Clean Energy Forum and the Global Green Growth Week.
