slow down once submissions were with the RF ACCCRN team for appraisal. At the time of writing, cities and country coordinators had not received feedback on why their proposals had succeeded – or failed. They need this, as it is part of the learning process. Without a solid engagement with all applicants, the process risks being gamed and becoming a means for cities to obtaining standard donor funding. Recognizing that ACCCRN approval procedures are perceived as slow by partners, the RF ACCCRN team has subsequently modified the review and feedback process, having learned significantly from the initial funding window. It has also negotiated a unique and special provision with Rockefeller Foundation headquarters, whereby once a concept is approved for taking to a full proposal, senior Foundation management in New York commit that they will not reject the final proposal, except on legal or due diligence grounds. The selection process also has been intensive and placed quite a burden on the RF ACCCRN team, and will continue to do so throughout 2011 as further funding rounds occur. This intensity of project-level engagement may be a facet of the hub-and-spoke structure of ACCCRN (see Outcome 4 section), which leads the decision-making and coordination back to the center – back to the RF ACCCRN team. It may similarly be a facet of the RF ACCCRN team believing that only it has sufficient command of the overall initiative picture to decide what complementary set of Phase 3 projects would be to best deliver Outcome 1. The evaluation finds that this level of direct RF ACCCRN team orchestration of Phase 3 projects is not necessary, and the time investment carries a high opportunity cost in regard to other tasks that only the RF ACCCRN team can perform, as opposed to project selection, which could equally be done by a grantee, possibly working with an expert panel. A means by which further rounds might carry a lower burden for the RF ACCCRN team should be sought.
A s i a n C i t i e s C l i m at e C h a n g e R e s i l i e n c e N e t wo r k
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