The VCA portion of the CTB must be allocated and spent during a consecutive four-quarter period, known as the VCA period. “Allocated and spent” means that there is a record of cash flows or accruals tied to each VCA project submitted in the CTB.

The preferred approach is to match the VCA period with the emissions year, such that VCA allocations occur throughout the emissions year.

However, budgeting and spending practices vary widely, and some companies may choose to set the VCA period to overlap, in part, with the certification year. In this case, all VCA allocations must be made before the date when CTB documentation is submitted.

💡 For example, a company seeking certification in April 2025 would typically have an emissions year of January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024, and a VCA period of January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024 (i.e. the same).
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The company may instead choose to align its VCA period with the four quarters from April 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025. This is acceptable. On the other hand, the company may not choose the period from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025, since the VCA period would extend beyond the date of document submission in April 2025.

The time period for BVC spending and Other Contributions works differently. These investments may be allocated and spent during the emissions year and/or the certification year, up to the date of submission. “Allocated and spent” means that there is a record of cash flows or accruals tied to each BVC or Other Contribution projects submitted in the CTB.