Better understanding the FID project selection process

"The quality of the application can make all the difference. It must be clear and well-structured," says Bao Siong, Operational Support Officer, who is the first to review the applications submitted via the call for projects platform. Once submitted, Bao checks the proposals against FID’s eligibility criteria and ensures that the application files are complete. In particular, this stage involves checking the documents provided. Before submitting their application, project teams are also advised to carefully read the resources and source documents available on the FID website.

Bao Siong, Operational Support Officer

Applications that pass this initial verification stage are sent to FID's investment officers, who review the proposal based on three core assessment criteria: potential for impact, estimated cost-effectiveness and potential for scale. "We take a different approach depending on the funding stage. With prepare grants, we accept a certain degree of risk. Theoretically, we only select projects with high potential for impact, but we cannot know for sure until the project is implemented and tested under real-world conditions," says Estelle, Investment Officer at FID. At this stage, between 10% and 15% of proposals are selected for a collaborative review.

Estelle Plat, Investment Officer

The collaborative review is a key stage in the process. The FID team will ask for more detailed information, particularly on the budget structure: detailed budget, assumptions made, and rational costing.

For projects in the "Impact Evaluation" phase, applicants are asked to provide more specific information: a complete research protocol outlining the design of the proposed study, and a detailed methodology for the cost-effectiveness analysis.

At this stage, external experts provide an independent opinion on the innovative nature of the proposed solution and its potential impact. "We need an external perspective to assess whether the approach is truly innovative and has transformative potential," adds Estelle.

This phase lends further weight to the application. "We also assess the capacities of the project team, which is an absolutely crucial stage," says Bao.

The projects selected following the collaborative review are presented to the independent review committee, made up of external experts, who then issue an opinion on the funding decision.

These discussions can be lengthy and heated. "The Review committee can spend thirty minutes discussing a single project. These debates can lead to some surprising turnarounds," explains Bao. However, it is the Committee Chair's role to ensure that a consensus is reached. She guides the members' discussions throughout and, if necessary, helps the Committee to reach a calm and informed decision.

At FID, the failure of a project is not the end of the world, provided lessons can be learned. "For us, the main risk is not learning anything from a project. If a project fails, it's not an issue, because we need to know that it didn't make an impact. That's why we always apply what we call the learning agenda. For us, failure means learning nothing," says Estelle.

Since FID was launched, regular improvements have been made to the resources and support available to project teams, to help them understand what is required and better support applicants throughout the process.

Are you planning to submit a project? Consult our eligibility criteria and the resources available on our website before submitting your application.