Project Accelerator
What is the Accelerator?
Plan Vivo’s Project Accelerator is a 12-month training and mentorship programme that helps community-led carbon projects to fast-track their journey to certification under Plan Vivo’s Carbon Standard, PV Climate.
The programme is funded by the Trafigura Foundation and is delivered free of charge to participating projects.
Our Accelerator is currently in its second cohort. Applications for cohort three are anticipated to open towards the end of 2026.
Providing a solution
Plan Vivo has more than 25 years of experience certifying and supporting high-quality, community-led projects in the voluntary carbon market. Through extensive project engagement and research, we have identified key barriers to certification, including: the time and resource intensity of developing a Project Design Document (PDD), the high upfront costs of establishing a carbon project, the need for a diverse the need for expertise across multiple areas, and the challenge of engaging with finance providers and credit buyers.
The support, advice and mentorship the Accelerator provides targets and pre-empts these barriers, providing Accelerator projects with the skills and guidance to navigate and overcome these difficulties.
The Accelerator helped us manage our time better and work smarter—not harder. With expert support from the programme, we developed a clear, compelling [Project Design] Document much faster and better than we could have done alone.
How it works
Projects accepted onto the Accelerator receive tailored once-to-one support over a 12 month period. The training is delivered by industry experts who provided projects with targeted guidance on topics including project development, design and commercialisation.
The overall aim is to help projects overcome the key barriers they face during the project development and certification stages, and to strengthen and grow the portfolio of high-quality projects accessing the voluntary carbon market.
What projects gain
-
A high quality PDD
Targeted support helps projects to complete a high-quality Project Design Document (PDD), taking them a step closer to Plan Vivo certification.
-
Enhanced technical skills
Improved technical skills (for example in carbon accounting and community engagement) support the design, set-up and management of projects.
-
Financial skills
Projects develop detailed financial plans, cash flow forecasts and funding strategies and receive investment readiness guidance.
-
Develop key resources
The Accelerator supports projects to develop business models and create effective marketing resources.
The Accelerator helped sharpen our approach to community engagement, monitoring, and long-term sustainability, ensuring our model is both scientifically credible and deeply rooted in local realities.
Join the Accelerator
The Accelerator is currently in its second cohort. While eligibility and application criteria vary by cohort, submitting a Project Idea Note (PIN) — and having it approved — is usually required before applying. Applications for cohort three are expected to open in the latter part of 2026.
To receive regular Accelerator updates, including application opening dates, please sign up to our newsletter.
If you’re part of a project and would you like more information, or have any questions surrounding the Accelerator, we encourage you to reach out to our team.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Your data will be processed by Plan Vivo and MailChimp for the purposes of sending you updates about our work, in accordance with our privacy policy.