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Training

State-of-the-art training that’s region-tailored and rooted in real cases

Overview

CFAN’s state-of-the-art training is a rigorous, cohort-based, five-month intensive program that grounds participants in a deep understanding of the climate finance ecosystem, key skills in project design and finance, and communication and facilitation.

From climate finance fundamentals to region-tailored strategy, the training is designed to grow national and regional capacity by providing participants with the expertise required to accelerate finance for climate investments.

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Our Unique Approach

CFAN diverges from traditional fly-in-fly-out consultancy models by design. The multi-month training program is delivered via a mix of online self-paced content, live presentation and exercise sessions, and one-on-one office hours with CFAN training members, enabling advisors to ask questions and request feedback on project proposals throughout the training. 

Unlike trainings where the curriculum is based on hypothetical cases, the CFAN training is deeply rooted in real cases and “learning by doing,” meaning advisors participate in the training while working on actual projects and directly benefit from feedback and support from instructors and peers. Further, the program integrates a “train the trainers” concept, a method designed to pass knowledge on to in-country stakeholders. To this end, advisors hone their presentation and facilitation skills so that they can train others in what they’ve learned.

A State-of-the-Art Curriculum

The current five-month training consists of weekly live sessions and self-paced online content. The training includes individual office hours sessions, guest lectures, coursework, quizzes, and train-the-trainer exercises. At present, the course is composed of five core modules:

  • International Climate Finance Foundations and Trends

    An overview of the climate finance space that grounds participants in fundamentals, policies and targets, and international institutions and stakeholders.

  • Climate Finance Sources, Project Design, and Proposal Processes

    Project design and the proposal processes of key multilateral climate funds. 

  • Communication and Facilitation

    Multi-stakeholder processes and effective and inclusive communication. 

  • Climate Finance Instruments and Financial Structuring

    A deep dive into project finance, financial structuring, financial modeling, and innovative approaches to finance.

  • Sectoral Expertise

    An overview of critical sectors and appropriate financial mechanisms.

A Flexible, Modular System

The CFAN training program can be tailored by topic, region, and audience. To meet the needs and priorities of different audiences, the curriculum is modular, meaning that different modules and sub-modules can be organized around themes like project finance, project design, the Green Climate Fund, and identifying the appropriate funder. 

While certain foundational sections, such as modules on international finance trends and mechanisms, remain consistent throughout, the curriculum is designed to be use-case adaptable. For example, the module on communication for the first cohort was designed by a regional partner in the Pacific, with examples, experts, and best practices tailor-fit to where advisors are embedded. This module will be adapted accordingly as CFAN expands into new geographies.

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