What is a Theory of Change? Join our Theory of Change online training to discover what it is and why it’s crucial for climate adaptation and mitigation projects.
Today, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) explicitly requires a Theory of Change to be included alongside a Concept Note when applying for climate finance. The same is true for many other funds. Why is this? How does a Theory of Change contribute to the design of your project?
Join us on 1 December, where we will be hosting a Theory of Change virtual training session where you can discover what a Theory of Change is and how to utilise it accurately within a climate project.
Presented in conversation between E Co. CEO, Dr Grant Ballard-Tremeer and Consultant Debasmita Boral Rolland, this session will provide you with tangible skills for ensuring a more successful complete funding proposal.
Here’s what will be covered:
What is a Theory of Change?
A Theory of Change is a fundamental part of a funding proposal. Climate adaptation and mitigation projects require an intense analytical approach to get off the ground. They need contextual data to be investigated, community needs to be considered, past implementations to be pondered, and current socioeconomic developments to be appraised. But there’s another important question to be asked.
If a change in a certain system takes place, it can be hard to understand either why that change has either failed or succeeded in solving a problem or why it has provided a positive or negative outcome. A Theory of Change deals with the specifics involved in getting from Point A to Point B within a scenario.
Why is this important for climate adaptation and mitigation projects? First of all, a Theory of Change strengthens the logical frameworks created for proper analysis of climate needs to take place. Secondly, they help stakeholders involved to properly plan and prepare for outcomes and even learn from past mistakes, as they provide a navigable rationale that explains why Point A ended up either arriving at (or causing) Point B.
A Theory of Change helps develop an ‘If… Then… Because’ statement. Here’s a brief explanation of what these are:
IF… (a change or implementation is introduced within a specific scenario to bring about an intended positive outcome) THEN… (the change will bring about said outcome) BECAUSE… (the change can be proven to influence or bring about the outcome through a series of tangible steps).
In short, they provide the basis for believing that if a certain thing is done, a certain result will be achieved. But this is only a simple explanation. How they relate to Concept Notes and your overall funding proposal, as well as how they should be presented, is a lot more complex.
Here’s a short video to explain a little more.
Sign up for the Theory of Change online training session here
If you work in climate finance or project development, do join us for this brief session. We cut through the jargon and get to the heart of discussions, whilst providing deep analysis as independent climate finance experts. Just enter your email below.
What will you learn?
You will come away with knowledge including:
- How to properly utilise a Theory of Change within a funding proposal and a better understanding of its value.
- Insight into why a Theory of Change is important, not just for ensuring a better chance of successful funding, but also ensuring a higher quality project.
- Examples of Theory of Change diagrams and how they should be formatted.
- How to write a Theory of Change for the Green Climate Fund specifically.
Our presenters
The Theory of Change online training session will be hosted by:
Dr Grant Ballard-Tremeer
 | Heading up the conversation will be E Co. CEO, Dr Grant Ballard-Tremeer. Grant specialises in project and programme formulation, market assessment and project design (amongst other things). Through his many years of experience leading climate adaptation and mitigation projects, his experience with utilising a Theory of Change approach is second to none. |
Debasmita Boral Rolland
| Joining Grant will be E Co. Consultant, Debasmita Boral Rolland. Debasmita has a diverse professional background that’s matched by the wide array of clients she has designed projects for, including but not limited to; UNEP, WFP, USAID and AFD. Debasmita will be there to provide valuable insight into how a Theory of Change fits within the wider funding proposal ecosystem. |
Participate in our Q&A and polls
We will be running a Q&A where you can ask all your most important questions and gain clarity on them, alongside polls where we will be asking you about your thoughts on Theory of Change and funding proposals. Your poll answers will be shared anonymously and discussed with the live audience.
If you can’t make it to this webinar, don’t worry! We’ll be creating a webinar replay kit that will be sent out with a full recording included.