Global Environment Facility (GEF) International Waters (IW) focal area project managers (PMs) are increasingly directed to engage private sector organizations (companies, non-governmental organizations and private foundations) as a key element of their replication, sustainability and co-finance strategies.  The current economic climate has limited the resources available to GEF donor countries, thus making continued investment levels and progress toward important global environmental goals and GEF project sustainability very challenging without consistent private sector involvement.

With this in mind, the Global Environment & Technology Foundation (GETF) was asked by the International Waters Learning Exchange and Resource Network (IW: LEARN) to develop a guide or reference book for GEF project managers to foster private sector engagement as a regular element of GEF IW projects going forward.

The result is this guide which contains the following information:

• Context of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), including different examples, their advantages and disadvantages and the motivations for their formation.
• The business case for the private sector to engage with the GEF.  This referential list is a useful reminder of the motivations for the private sector to seek a partnership.
• Guidance on how to use this manual.
• A sample step-by-step checklist for GEF IW Project Managers to follow when engaging the private sector for purposes of a PPP.
• Suggested foundations and business coalitions that GEF IW projects may consider for a PPP included with their motivations and contact information.
• A Partnership Analysis Tool to help GEF projects evaluate the purposes of the partnership, and if established, monitor its ongoing success.
• A Facilitator’s Guide to help GEF IW PMs initiate conversations with the private sector for the purposes of developing a PPP.
• Case studies and lessons learned from select GEF IW projects as well as from GETF’s experience and through the CSR Roundtable that took place at the GEF 6^th International Waters Conference.

This guide is meant to be a useful tool for GEF IW projects when deciding whether a PPP is appropriate (see Partnership Analysis Tool) as well as to identify the type or even the specific organization to engage (see Potential Partners).  If this determination is made, the guide provides a set of steps for the project to follow (see Partnership Checklist) and give guidance on how to facilitate these conversations (see Facilitator’s Guide).

It is important to remember that the contents of this manual are only samples of suggested practices and in no way represent the only processes to be followed for the formation of a PPP.  It should therefore be used as a reference of what PMs should know about PPPs, rather than a direction of what exactly they should do.

This guide contains a set of examples in the form of case studies as well as lessons learned, but is in no way complete or exclusive.  Suggestions of additional content and examples are welcomed and should be sent to Chuck Chaitovitz with GETF at chuck@getf.org.