The Standards are designed to support donors in the deployment of public resources through development finance institutions (DFIs) and private asset managers, in a way that maximises the positive contribution towards the sustainable development goals (SDGs). They address previously overlooked donor imperatives, such as local development needs and cross-cutting themes, including climate and gender investing. By helping to set expectations, ensure consistency, and drive comparability across investments, the IS-FSD enable the articulation of the development rationale and assess the overall performance of investments, improving the dialogue between donors, DFIs and private sector partners.