Ad Hoc Complaint Handling Mechanism (ACHM)

Complainants and implementing entities should use the implementing entity’s grievance mechanism as a first step. However, the Ad hoc Complaint Handing Mechanism (ACHM) of the Adaptation Fund can be directly used in cases where the Parties have failed to reach a mutually satisfactory solution through the implementing entities’ grievance mechanism within a year.

The Adaptation Fund Board Secretariat independently manages all aspects related to the ACHM, under the oversight of the Ethics and Finance Committee (EFC) of the Board.

How to Submit a Complaint


No specific form/format is required, but a complaint must be submitted in writing in any UN language (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish) either (1) by email to or (2) by hard copy to the Adaptation Fund Board Secretariat, 1818 H Street NW, N7-700, Washington, DC 20433, USA.


Any individual or group of two or more people who lives in the project area and believe they are adversely affected by the implementation of projects or programmes funded by the Fund, or their duly appointed representative can submit a written complaint to the ACHM.

Time of submission

Complaints can be sent up to the date of the submission of the final evaluation report of the project concerned.

Eligible claim

An eligible claim should meet the three basic criteria as follows:

  1. Complainants living in the project area believe they are adversely affected by the implementation of projects or programmes financed by the Fund;
  2. Complaint is related to adverse impacts of the Fund’s financed project; and
  3. Complaint is submitted no later than the date of submission of the final evaluation report of the project concerned.

Frivolous, malicious or vexatious complaints and complaints related to activities that have no relevance to the Fund-supported project are not eligible. Please refer to the paragraph 28 of the ACHM document for other ineligible claims.


If complainants or their representative(s) believe that there may be a present or future risk of retaliation for raising their concerns, they can request confidentiality of their identifying information in a written complaint or in a writing at any time throughout the process.

Required contents of a written compliant

  1. Name, title, addresses and contact details (phone, fax, email address, etc.) of the complainant and representative(s) if appointed. If representative(s) submits a complaint, s/he must attach to the complaint a written evidence that s/he is authorized to act on behalf of the people submitting the complaint, and whom s/he is representing;
  2. Confidentiality: whether the complainant and/or representative(s) request confidentiality;
  3. Information relevant to the project concerned: title, location, sector, and description of the project;
  4. Adverse impacts/harm: A description of project activities believed to be the actual or potential source of the harm and nature of the harm attributed to those activities; and
  5. Description of efforts taken to resolve the complaint through the implementing entity’s grievance mechanism and of failure to reach a mutually satisfactory solution through the mechanism within a year.

Please view a sample form of a complaint here.

ACHM Process

The ACHM process may start after the complainants and the implementing entity have used the entity’s grievance mechanism and failed to reach a solution within a year. The process may be discontinued at any stage should a solution be found or the case be closed for other reasons.

Adaptation Fund Ad hoc Complaint Handling Mechanism Process


Attachment Type Size
Sample form for a project or programme complaint to the Adaptation Fund ACHM DOCX 14 KB