Services
Sustainability-investing proposal support
Proposal support for mission-aligned organisations preparing a pitch to an impact fund, blended-finance vehicle, sustainability-linked facility, or innovation fund with ESGESGEnvironmental, Social, and Governance: a standardised lens used by investors and funders to assess non-financial risk and impact alongside financial return. criteria. We help you build a defensible theory of changeTheory of changeA diagram plus narrative that connects inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes and long-run impact, with explicit assumptions and counterfactuals. Expected by impact funders during diligence., a measurement plan, and a governance story fit for the funder.
What we deliver
- Instrument fit review: does the proposed vehicle actually match your stage, balance-sheet profile, and impact intent? We scope to the right instrument (grant, concessional loan, equity, guarantee, blended tranche, or an InvestEUInvestEUEU investment programme that mobilises public and private investment via loans, guarantees and equity, channelled through implementing partners such as the EIB and national promotional banks. sub-window) rather than pushing one default.
- Theory of change: a causal chain from inputs through outputs to outcomes and systemic impact, with named assumptions and explicit counterfactuals. The funder sees the reasoning, not just the numbers.
- MRVMRVMeasurement, Reporting, and Verification: the evidence pipeline that turns impact claims into auditable numbers; core to climate, biodiversity and impact-investing due diligence. design: measurement, reporting, and verification built in from day one. Indicators chosen for auditability, evidence collection designed for low friction, third-party verification pathway mapped where the funder expects one.
- 5 Ps alignment:mapping the proposal to People, Planet, Prosperity, Profit, and Partnership as operational constraints (see the whitepaper section on the 5 Ps). Replaces "ESG slogans" with decision-level language a fund analyst can work with.
- Governance story: board composition, impact committee, conflict resolution, IPR handling, and safeguards. Pre-empts the diligence questions a responsible fund manager will ask.
- Pitch-ready materials: executive summary, pitch deck, data-room outline, and rebuttal pack. Each pass ends with a tracked-changes handoff.
Timeline: 6 to 12 weeks
Sustainability-investing proposals typically need longer than pure research grants because the theory of change and the MRV design have to land before the narrative is written. A 6 to 12 week window is realistic; tighter timelines require either a late-stage polish engagement or a team already holding indicator data.
Urgent cycles and rolling-deadline funds are possible on shorter scopes; we flag tradeoffs up front.
Frequently asked questions
What funding instruments does this cover?
Instruments that blend financial return with measurable social or environmental impact: impact funds, blended-finance vehicles, sustainability-linked loans, green and social bonds, InvestEU sub-windows (see glossary tooltip on the page), national innovation funds with ESG criteria, foundation programmes with matched funding. We scope the instrument to your stage and mission profile, not the other way around.Do you guarantee investment or grant approval?
No. Allocation decisions sit with fund managers, investment committees, and grant boards. We guarantee the process quality: a defensible theory of change, MRV that survives due diligence, a governance story that answers compliance and impact-measurement questions, and pitch-ready materials. Approval rates track with proposal quality, but final decisions sit with the funder.Is this financial advice?
No. We help you prepare the proposal and the supporting materials. We do not place securities, allocate capital, or recommend specific investment products to you or your investors. For investment advice regulated under MiFID II or equivalent national rules, you engage an authorised adviser. Our service ends at the proposal stage.How do you handle MRV and the 5 Ps?
Measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) are designed in, not bolted on. We help you align the proposal with the 5 Ps (People, Planet, Prosperity, Profit, Partnership) as operational constraints, set indicators the funder can audit, and specify how evidence is collected and preserved. The whitepaper section on the 5 Ps explains the approach in more depth.