What is the Plan Vivo Community Project Accelerator?

The Accelerator is a targeted development programme modelled on a ‘project accelerator’ approach used in the tech industry (e.g. Y Combinator). The Accelerator will provide a mechanism by which selected viable projects can be fast-tracked through an intensive capacity building programme which concludes with projects completing a high-quality Project Design Document (PDD). The Accelerator includes a bespoke training course tailored to project needs, access to one-to-one technical support, mentorship from certified Plan Vivo projects and access to investors and finance.

 

Why develop an accelerator?

Through over 25 years of administering a Standard in the Voluntary Carbon Market, Plan Vivo has identified several barriers to community projects becoming fully established and accessing the market, such as:

• Access to early-stage finance
• Access to technical expertise
• Lack of financial and organisational capacity
• High costs of monitoring, validation and verification

The Accelerator will support projects to address these barriers, enabling more holistic carbon projects to access ethical carbon finance and benefit nature and climate-sensitive communities.

 

What will projects gain?

• Training programme designed to meet their needs and support on topics such as carbon quantification, financial planning, marketing and sales
• Bespoke technical support
• Part of a cohort of pilot projects
• Mentorship from successful PV-certified projects
• On-site training event
• Investor engagement event and access to potential investors
• $20,000 – $25,000 USD towards validation costs

 

What do we expect from pilot projects?

• Commit 2-3 staff to take part in accelerator (including one management, one implementation)
• Have capacity and availability to take part in accelerator
  • Pilot runs October 2024 – March 2025
  • Commit 1.5 hours per week for 12 weeks
  • Attend 5 day in-person training event
  • Demonstrate how it would be built into programme of work
  • Attend online training sessions
  • Be available for an in-person, week-long session at the beginning and end of programme
• Highlight areas of support needed and co-develop training programme
• Provide feedback to PVF on areas to improve accelerator
• Commit to seek PV certification

 

Can I take part in the accelerator pilot?

Applications for the accelerator pilot cohort are now closed. Feel free to get in touch to learn more about taking part in the second accelerator cohort, to launch in 2025.

You may be eligible to take part in the pilot programme if you meet all of the following criteria:

• Submitted a PIN to the Plan Vivo Foundation OR you have an existing project registered with PV Climate and would like to migrate to v5 of the standard
• Meet the PV Climate eligibility requirements
• Have ambition and potential to scale your project
• Need support to progress with project registration / migration

 

The first pilot of the Accelerator will run between October 2024 and March 2025.

 

Eager to find out more? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]

Plan Vivo is grateful to the Trafigura Foundation for funding the Plan Vivo Community Project Accelerator pilot programme.