The Social Capital Navigator
Appendix D16 / 20

Capital Readiness Self-Assessment

Score each dimension 1–5

7 min read

Score each dimension 1–5. Total indicates your readiness tier. Complete before beginning any capital raise.

Dimension1 — Not Ready3 — Developing5 — Institutional
GovernanceNo board; founder-ledConstituted board; some independentsFiduciary board; full charter; annual assessment
Financial ManagementNo formal accounts1 year audited; basic controls3+ years audited; IFRS; internal audit
E&S ManagementNo awareness of E&S risksWritten policies; assigned responsibilityFull ESMS; ESIA; continuous monitoring
Impact MeasurementAnecdotal claimsIRIS+ aligned; baseline dataIndependent verification; published reports
Team & CapacitySolo founderDedicated finance and ops leadsDeep bench; advisory network; succession
Track RecordConcept only1–2 years; demonstrated delivery5+ years; sector leadership; replicable
AML / KYCNo policies; opaque ownershipAML policy; beneficial ownership documentedRegulated entity; continuous monitoring

Scoring interpretation

  • 7–14 — Grant-eligible only. Focus on governance and proof of concept before pursuing returnable capital.
  • 15–21 — Foundation grants and small impact investments accessible. Some DFI instruments possible with TA support.
  • 22–28 — DFI debt and impact equity accessible. Blended finance feasible with advisory support.
  • 29–35 — Full instrument range accessible. Can anchor blended finance and access capital markets.
Where You Stand · What You Need From Us

Where you stand · readiness score

Position 1
Score 7–14
Where you are

Capital readiness is the bottleneck. Returnable capital is premature.

What you need from us

A capital-readiness build: governance, audit, ESMS, and a bridge plan from grant to returnable capital.

Position 2
Score 15–21
Where you are

You can absorb foundation grants and small impact investments but cannot anchor a blended structure.

What you need from us

TA-supported approach to DFIs, governance upgrades, and a phased capital plan.

Position 3
Score 22–28
Where you are

DFI debt and impact equity are within reach. Blended finance is feasible with the right structuring.

What you need from us

Blended finance design and a structured DFI engagement.

Position 4
Score 29–35
Where you are

You can anchor blended finance vehicles and access capital markets directly.

What you need from us

Bond structuring, capital-market listing, and intelligence-system productisation.

Send us your score — the engagement starts at exactly that tier.

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