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Fund placement

Target LP profile

Define which limited partners can lawfully, operationally and economically assess and support the fund strategy before outreach begins.

Quick answer

A target LP profile is a documented set of investor characteristics used to prioritise prospective limited partners for a fundraise. It can cover investor type, jurisdiction, mandate, strategy and sector fit, minimum and maximum commitment, liquidity, allocation pace, return and risk objectives, governance, due-diligence requirements, decision authority and expected timetable. It is a qualification tool, not evidence of investor interest or commitment.

Use the worked example

Meaning and transaction use

ILPA's due-diligence questionnaire provides a structured framework for LP diligence of managers, including organisation, strategy, team, governance, operations and track record. [S1]

ILPA's emerging-manager toolkit describes documents intended to attract qualified LP capital and support fund formation, diligence, reporting and alignment. [S2]

Proposed control method: record each prospect's source, mandate, geography, ticket, allocation status, decision process, conflicts, contact authority and evidence date; apply privacy, solicitation and distribution controls before contact.

Worked example

Illustrative screening only. Assume 120 unique institutions are screened. Forty meet strategy and geography criteria, 24 also meet ticket and allocation criteria, and 12 have a verified active review window.

Scroll the table horizontally to view all columns.

MeasureCalculationResult
Strategy-and-geography fit40 / 12033.3%
Full mandate fit24 / 12020.0%
Verified active-window rate12 / 12010.0%
Active windows among full-fit LPs12 / 2450.0%
Full-fit prospects without active window24 - 1212

Twelve prospects have both full profile fit and a verified active review window under the assumptions. This does not represent demand, approval or commitment.

Proposed transaction review process

Define the fund fit

Set strategy, geography, size, structure, liquidity and eligibility criteria.

Define LP capacity

Set ticket, allocation, pacing, currency, governance and diligence requirements.

Verify prospects

Use dated evidence and record source, authority, conflicts and contact status.

Prioritise and monitor

Rank fit and timing, then track diligence, decisions and reasons for rejection.

Evidence checklist

Fund evidence

LPA, PPM, model, track record, DDQ and regulatory perimeter.

LP mandate evidence

Published policy, verified correspondence or authorised database information.

Process evidence

Decision makers, advisers, committee cycle, diligence and legal requirements.

Engagement evidence

Consent, contact history, materials released, questions and outcome.

Decision framework

SituationProposed action
Mandate fit is unverifiedKeep the prospect unqualified until a dated source is recorded.
Ticket size exceeds capacityTest co-investment, feeder or later-close options only if authorised and supportable.
An LP is in a restricted jurisdictionObtain legal and distribution clearance before contact.
A prospect declinesRecord the stated reason and respect future-contact preferences.

Common errors to check

  • Treating database membership as current appetite.
  • Confusing profile fit with commitment probability.
  • Using unverified ticket or allocation estimates as fact.
  • Approaching investors without distribution and privacy controls.

Build the LP qualification matrix

Bring the fund mandate, target economics, regulatory perimeter and prospect evidence to a target-LP review. Separate verified fit and timing from unsupported appetite assumptions.

Discuss the transaction

Primary references and editorial scope

  1. ILPA Due Diligence Questionnaire
    Structured LP diligence topics for private-equity managers. Reference checked 17 September 2026.
  2. ILPA Emerging Manager Toolkit
    Qualified LP capital, formation, diligence, reporting and alignment materials. Reference checked 17 September 2026.
Editorial qualification

General fund-placement education. Counts are hypothetical. Investor eligibility, marketing, privacy, solicitation and distribution requirements depend on the fund, investor and jurisdictions.

General business information. Obtain advice appropriate to the legal, tax, accounting and financing facts. No offer, lender commitment or transaction outcome is represented. All worked examples use expressly assumed figures. Editorial draft date: 17 September 2026.

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