Credit ratings are another tool used by investors, especially individual investors who may not have the resources to do a thorough credit analysis, to assess the creditworthiness of an investment/project. Though not a guarantee of the success of a project, a credit rating provides a snapshot in time of the creditworthiness of a project and is a tool by which investors can benchmark against other investments. Furthermore, many institutional investors such as pension funds and insurance companies are restricted from investing in non-rated or low credit rating instruments. Therefore, issuers may want to get a credit rating on the project or consider using various credit enhancement mechanisms. Furthermore, an investment-grade country rating from an international rating agency may make it easier for private sponsors to attract a larger array of financing options, including long-term bonds.