Developing countries can access climate finance directly from the international Adaptation Fund (AF), if their National Implementing Entities (NIEs) meet the high accreditation standards required. This Climate and Development Knowledge Network’s ‘Inside story on climate compatible development’ assesses Jamaica’s and Senegal’s experiences in accessing these funds. It finds that the NIEs in both countries have faced challenges in managing large sums of money and meeting the fiduciary standards of the AF. Moreover, once accredited, they encountered problems in accessing adaptation finance because of their range of core responsibilities and institutional capacity, respectively. The brief also draws implications for developing countries’ readiness to access monies from the Green Climate Fund, which is expected provide even larger amounts of finance to developing countries than the AF. However, institutions that qualify as NIEs may not automatically qualify for direct access to this fund.