Building Stronger Partnerships Between Project Developers and Institutions

Do not begin with “we need funding”

Institutions can provide many forms of support: grants, debt, equity, guarantees, technical assistance, market access, offtake, data, policy support or convening. A developer should identify the actual constraint before approaching a partner.

Institutions need a clear project picture

Before a productive conversation can happen, the institution should be able to understand the project stage, location, team, impact, capital need, risks and expected next milestone. Structured project information reduces the amount of discovery work required.

Align mandate and expectations

A development institution may prioritise jobs and resilience. A corporate may care about supply chains or climate commitments. An impact fund may need measurable outcomes and financial returns. A project can have multiple forms of value, but the partnership should be built around the value relevant to that institution.

Agree on decision-making early

Partnerships often become difficult when roles are vague. Clarify governance, responsibilities, timelines, information rights, approvals and who carries which risks. If several organisations are involved, define a lead or coordination mechanism.

Protect the relationship with transparency

Projects change. Costs rise, permits take longer, community issues emerge and assumptions are revised. Partners should agree how material changes will be communicated. Early disclosure generally creates more confidence than presenting problems only when they become unavoidable.

Prepare before the first meeting

• One-page project summary
• Current stage and next milestone
• Specific partnership ask
• What the project team is contributing
• What evidence is available
• Main risks and dependencies
• Proposed timeline and decision process

When both sides arrive with clarity, the conversation can move from general interest to a practical pathway for collaboration.