Accreditation level two: Advanced
Advanced accreditation will focus on developing your pipeline of investment or funding-ready projects, creating your business case for funding and investment, and developing your target operating and financial models. Accreditation criteria
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Accreditation level one: Advanced
There are the three stages of level two: Advanced accreditation. Here you’ll find suggested steps to take, expected deliverables and the assessment criteria in each section.
At the end of level two, you will be fully accredited and have moved your vision into deliverable, funding or investment-ready project plans.
You will have a robust and comprehensive business case for overall funding/investment and a target operating and blended finance model, taking a sustainable and long-term approach.
You will also have potential funders and investors in mind and be ready to receive funding and start to deliver your pipeline of prioritised projects.
We recommend that you download the accreditation criteria and workbook to guide your application.
Please note all applicants must apply for and become level one: Foundation accredited before progressing to level two.
Stage one - developing your projects
Aim
To move your green infrastructure strategy and vision into delivery by developing a detailed pipeline of investable projects. This approach supports a change of mindset from fitting projects to the available funding, to re-imagining your town or city as a connected network of green or blue which delivers for people, place and nature. This is a process of developing and describing the projects, interventions and ongoing developments through which your co-created vision will be delivered. Taking a comprehensive and holistic view of the changes and developing them into a pipeline of projects will help you make the overall case for investment.
Suggested evidence
We are looking for evidence of your pipeline of partly or fully costed project or transformation plans. Include evidence of co-design, expected outcomes, timeline of project delivery, approach to monitoring and evaluating and learning from change.
Applications will be assessed on whether the place has
- Demonstrated a good understanding of current project delivery, prioritising ambitious projects to deliver the green infrastructure goals for the town or city.
- Worked with partners to design these projects, ensuring they demonstrate best practice.
- Engaged with wider stakeholders and the public to align with their expectations and ensure long-term community involvement.
- Described the expected social, environmental, placemaking and economic outcomes of each project and how they contribute to the overall ambition.
- Considered grouping projects based on outcomes and aligned with funders or funding streams.
- Developed a phased timeline and begun to cost the projects.
- Effectively planned the resources required to deliver the projects.
- Considered how the priority projects will be delivered, including long-term management and maintenance.
- Plans to regularly monitor, evaluate and report on progress towards local targets.
Suggested steps to take when developing your projects
Explore the Green Finance Institute Investment Readiness Toolkit
Understand what is currently happening
Prioritise project ideas/ interventions you wish to implement
Engage wider stakeholders and the public
Consider a range of expected outcomes
Consider joining up and building a community of practice
Phase and plan projects
Resource planning
Plan for delivery and management planning
Set up monitoring and evaluation processes
Stage two - creating a business case for funding and investment
Aim
To develop a comprehensive business case for funding and investment in your place, its vision and your pipeline of projects. This is an opportunity to break out of annual funding cycles and be supported in taking a longer-term, more sustainable and strategic approach to funding and finance.
Suggested evidence
We are looking for evidence of your overall business case including the strategic rationale, expected benefits and return on investment. Detail your funding or investment strategy, your approach to ring-fencing income and reinvestment, your approach to risk and mitigating actions and a financial justification for the proposed changes in your place.
Applications will be assessed on whether the place has
- Considered the economic value of the benefits of current assets.
- Considered the economic value of the proposed changes and the potential return on investment.
- Articulated the potential environmental and social value from the proposed changes.
- Assessed the long-term resource needed to sustain the ambitious change and projects.
- Written a clear business case for overall funding/investment in the place, including the strategic rationale, expected benefits and return on investment, risks and mitigating actions and financial justification for the proposed changes.
- Explored funding opportunities with potential funders (of outcomes or ecosystem services) and made specific cases for investment aligned to their interests and objectives.
- Considered how surpluses will be ring-fenced to deliver benefits for people and nature, perhaps setting up a new legal entity if appropriate and working with partners.
Suggested steps to take when creating a business case for funding and investment
Understand the economic value of your current green and blue assets
Assess the economic value of your proposed changes
Consider the environmental and social value of your proposed changes
Assess resource requirements
Write the business case
Explore funding opportunities
Make the specific cases for funding or investment
Consider ring-fenced funding
Stage three - developing your operating and financial models
Aim
To establish your target operating model to deliver the change in the short to medium term, how the green and blue infrastructure will be managed and maintained for the long-term, and how you will partner and empower communities. To develop the detail of your proposed blended finance model to support your ambitions now and in the future.
Suggested evidence
We are looking for evidence of your new operational model. This may be a written explanation of your model, a workforce development strategy, partnership plans, and your approach to capacity building and empowering local communities. Share evidence of your proposed legal or governance structure, which could include plans for setting up a separate legal entity if relevant. We are also looking for evidence of your proposed blended finance model, including your long-term financial plan and cash flow forecast, funding plans, risk management process, and process for review and evaluation.
Applications will be assessed on whether the place has
- Created a plan for skills development across the partnership e.g. investing in needed expertise, job, apprenticeship or training creation.
- Set up a legal and governance structure for project delivery across the partnership, defining roles and responsibilities and how decisions will be made.
- Developed a high-level five to ten-year financial plan including plans to pilot and test progress towards the long-term business model.
- Developed a three-year cash flow forecast, thinking about capital and operational costs.
- Developed a partnership plan including how this may evolve over time.
- Developed an empowerment plan for community capacity building.
- Established a plan for risk management.
- Set up mechanisms for continual review and adaptation of the proposed operating and financial models.
Suggested steps to take when developing your operating and financial models
Assess skills requirements
Consider your legal and governance structure
Scope out your financial plan
Create a funding plan
Review your partnerships
Think about empowerment planning
Manage risk