How do we make your assignments more successful?

We look beneath the surface to understand what makes projects work, what our clients really need and what the project development process demands. Working with the E Co. team means projects are approved more quickly with fewer revisions and more cost effectively than using individual consultants.

Our method: Include the client as a partner

We employ an Agile methodology that involves the client as a partner from the beginning of an assignment.  This approach ensures frequent feedback and maximises communication, and allows a rapid and collaborative response to evolving requirements.

Our team draws upon a wealth of in-country experience and uses an array of analytical tools and techniques to understand market conditions and stakeholder requirements, identify solutions and formulate projects. With every assignment, we have one thing front of mind – how to maximise success.

And by success, we mean developing projects that optimally:

  • Meet the needs of local people,
  • Are appropriate for implementing agencies,
  • Result in lasting benefit.

We support and guide clients to think deeper, and are always ready to revisit initial assumptions as new information becomes available.

”The project is a real flagship, the strategy turned out to be very successful - excellent work”
Nadja Vetters, UNDP

Our offerings: How we deliver your results

Our core service areas are: Market Assessment, Strategy Formulation, Policy Development, Design and Development of Projects and Programmes, Evaluation, Training and Development and Funding support. You can view some of them below.

We have over 24 years experience across a broad range of low-carbon and climate-resilient development assignments, and have helped clients access multiple sources of climate finance. Please contact us to discuss how we can help with your short or long-term priorities.

Market assessment

To create and sustainably transform markets, project developers must first understand how local markets currently function and where opportunities exist to strengthen them. A thorough market assessment establishes a strong foundation for strategy development and project formulation. It identifies delivery gaps, establishes the basis for new initiatives, and helps project sponsors understand how their activities may affect other stakeholders.

Our analytical expertise uncovers meaningful market insights and helps clients develop market creation and market transformation initiatives that really work.

Core elements

  • Thorough desk reviews
  • On-the-ground analysis
  • Stakeholder consultation and surveys
  • Pilot design and assessment
  • Capacity and training needs assessment
  • Financing identification

Tools & techniques

  • Policy review
  • Value-chain and market mapping
  • Surveys and behavioural change analysis
  • Problem tree and root cause analysis
  • Technical, financial and economic studies
  • Gender and socio-economic analysis
  • Finance facilitation

Examples

  • West Balkans residential energy efficiency market assessment
  • AREAS market scoping for African renewable energy investment
  • Market assessment & strategy development for Thailand renewable energy development

Strategy formulation

An insightful strategy is essential for achieving high-level development objectives and lays the groundwork for effective project design. We help clients look at root causes and facilitate lasting change by designing intervention strategies that address existing market failures and promote market transformation. We combine inventive talent with structured bottom-up and top-down approaches to develop strategies that meet our clients’ needs.

Core elements

  • Barrier analysis
  • Pilot design and assessment
  • Strategy workshops and stakeholder validation sessions

Tools & techniques

  • Strategy maps
  • Theories of change
  • Logical framework analysis including objective trees
  • Assumption analysis

Examples

  • Assistance with drafting the first Georgian National Energy Efficiency Action Plan
  • West Balkans residential energy efficiency market assessment

Design and development of projects and programmes

Clients rely on our project design expertise to bridge the gap between good ideas and a fully funded project that delivers lasting results. A deep understanding of good practice in climate change mitigation and adaptation enables us to help clients design projects and programmes that exceed the expectations of both funders and implementing organisations. We have worked with a range of funders, so are experienced in meeting their specific organisational requirements. Based on an in-depth market analysis and a clear strategy, we identify outcomes, outputs and activities that will lead to long-term benefits.

Our extensive experience enables us to select the most appropriate tools and techniques to ensure we deliver the project design you are looking for. As needed, we can provide support with institutional issues such as choosing partners, finance mobilisation, budget designs, procurement and project management strategies.

Core elements

  • GCF project and programme design
  • GEF project and programme design
  • Design health check

Tools & techniques

  • Baseline description
  • Results frameworks
  • M&E and MRV design including indicators, targets and M&E strategies
  • Budget design
  • Terms of Reference preparation
  • Financial & economic modeling
  • Term sheet preparation
  • Cofinancing

Examples

  • GEF CEO Endorsement document development for “Sustainable City Development in Malaysia”
  • Project document development for “Building Resilience to Climate Change in the Water and Sanitation Sector in Uganda”
  • UNDP-GCF funding proposal & project document development for “De-risking and Scaling-up Investment in Energy Efficient Retrofits in Armenia”

E Co. institute – training and development

E Co. institute is the training arm of E Co. and is run by our project formulation experts. E Co. institute builds on our experience developing low-carbon, climate-resilient projects & programmes and the specialist training workshops we’ve conducted across the globe. We aim to build greater capacity amongst organisations worldwide seeking to deepen their knowledge of climate funds and develop skills in unlocking climate finance. 

For more information see here.