This paper takes a closer look at the Performance-Based Allocation (PBA) system of the World Bank International Development Association (IDA) and two of its ‘climate change progenies’: the Resource Allocation Framework (RAF) of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and its successor, the System for Transparent Allocation of Resources (STAR). The aim is to analyse these three systems and provide certain recommendations for other country resource allocations systems from the lessons learned – in particular for the performance-based allocations that are currently being considered in connection with the Green Climate Fund.