Introduction

Nine out of ten of the world’s most vulnerable countries are in Africa (Climate Vulnerability Index 2022). Africa is not only the most climate-exposed region of the world, but also the least climate-resilient region, with the lowest climate readiness. Fragile and Transition states are among the most vulnerable and have the weakest adaptation capacities – climate vulnerabilities are additional to other sources of vulnerability that qualify them as “fragile” or “Transition states”. The widespread and accelerating effects of climate change are falling disproportionately on Africa’s poorest, particularly in low-income and fragile contexts. The impacts are most severe for those who are already vulnerable, including women, children, and the elderly.  

Recognizing that climate change poses the single greatest threat to development in Africa and affects Africa’s low-income countries disproportionately, a dedicated Climate Action Window (CAW), which has a strong focus on accelerating adaptation action reducing warming, was created during the Sixteenth Replenishment of the African Development Fund (ADF-16) for 37 least developed countries in Africa. Approximately, USD 442 million has been committed under the CAW and further resource mobilization from State and Non-State Actors will continue throughout the ADF-16 cycle where the total funding envelope is expected to grow.

The Technical Assistance Call for Proposals

The focus of this call is to enhance the bankability of Paris-aligned climate projects and mobilize additional climate finance in ADF countries. This will involve financing project preparation, capacity development, and expanding green financing initiatives. Key activities include preparing and strengthening Long- Term Strategies (LTSs), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), and climate diagnostics for Country Strategy Papers.

Eligible African Development Fund Countries

Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe. (Note: Projects from or covering ineligible countries will not be funded).

Eligible Beneficiaries

(i) Governments and government entities of ADF countries (see above for the list of ADF countries) (ii) African Development Bank departments: Bank departments may submit proposals directly or may work with eligible external beneficiaries to support them in preparing high quality project concept notes. (iii) Regional or sub-regional intergovernmental bodies, including climate centers, river basin organizations, economic communities. (iv) Non-sovereign entities (such as Non-Governmental Organizations, Community Based Organizations, and UN Agencies). Proposals from consortia are allowed if all members of the consortium are eligible beneficiaries.

Grant Amount/Funding envelope

The funding envelope available for this call is USD 56 million in the form of grants, and the CAW is seeking concept notes for projects and programs in the range of USD 260,000 – USD 1,300,000. Funding allocation decisions will be made based on recommendations from the Independent Evaluation Panel.

Selection and Evaluation Criteria

Please refer to Guidance Note    

How to Apply

Download user guide  to assist you in navigating the site. 

The application process consists of two stages:

Stage 1 – Eligibility Questions:

1. Create an account on the application site and choose your preferred language, either English or French.
2. Click on "apply" to start your application and enter the title of your project.
3. Complete and submit the eligibility questions (see full list of eligibility questions in Annex 1). You will receive an email notification regarding the eligibility status of your application. If your application is ineligible, it ends here. If eligible, you can proceed to Stage 2.

Note: It is advised to complete Stage 1 early and not delay until the deadline because completing Stage 1 of the application process does not mark the end of the process. Only after successfully completing the eligibility form would applicants then be able to download the proposal template from the portal. The second stage of the application process, which requires the development of a project proposal, requires even more time to complete. If your application is eligible at the end of Stage 1, you will receive a notification to this effect via email. You will also receive a notification via email if your application is ineligible.

Stage 2 – Submission of Project Proposal:

1. Log in to the application platform.
2. Download the Project Proposal template from the application platform.
3. Fill out the Project Proposal template (see copy in Annex 2) with your project details, using guidance from both this guidance note and the template itself.
4. Compile all pertinent supporting documents into a single file and attach it to the annex of your proposal.
5. Upload your completed Project Proposal along with all relevant annexes as one file, then click "submit".

Ensure you submit your proposal by the deadline of 11:59 PM GMT on 5^TH February 2025. You can submit your application in either English or French. All sections of the application (the eligibility questionnaire and the Proposal) must be completed. Incomplete Proposals submitted via the portal will not be considered. Furthermore, Proposals submitted via the CAW Secretariat email will not be accepted.

For more information

IMPORTANT: Review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), and the Guidance Note before beginning the application. You can contact the CAW Secretariat at climateactionwindow@AFDB.ORG at least 2 weeks before the closing date of the call for proposals.

Estimated timeline for the CfP3 Technical Assistance Sub-window