Project Characteristics

FIRST's focus is short-term and medium-term projects. Technical assistance projects range in size from a few thousand dollars up to US$500,000 and, exceptionally, more. The majority of projects supported to date have been between US$100,000 and US$200,000.

FIRST gives preference to projects with the following characteristics:

• Likelihood of achieving the stated project objectives; of practical, tangible results; of successful implementation; of measurable impact and of replicability elsewhere.
• Well-defined proposals of high quality, with realistic expectations.
• Showing strong elements of additionality, rather than substitution.
• Catalytic, likely to lead to follow-up TA work; leveraging other resources, now or later.
• Short - to medium-term nature (6-18 months).
• Cash or initial contributions of 10 percent from recipients.
• No "core funding" (sole or primary source of funding of a start-up or an up- and running organization).
• Projects that are "demand-driven" by entities from countries, regions, multilateral development banks and industry associations; rather than "supply-driven" by industrialized country consultants, Bank staff and the like.