Startups

Funding Opportunities for African Businesses

  1. Minor Foundation for Major Challenges Small and Large Grants Programme

The Minor Foundation for Major Challenges (MFMC) is seeking applications for its Small and Large Grants to support communication projects which advance the transition to a low carbon economy. MFMC supports projects that support urgent, large-scale transformation, with a focus on changing policies and practices in public or private institutions.

Priorities

The foundation’s priorities for the 2019 – 2023 period are to:

  • Encourage and support innovation in climate communication
  • Increase the number of voices and narratives in climate advocacy
  • Help strengthen social and political movements that open up for radical change
  • Concentrate on supporting European proposals.

Types of Grants

  • Large Grants
  • Small Grants

Funding Information

  • In Larger Grants: The Minor Foundation for Major Challenges is looking for projects above EUR 10,000 – typically in the range of €20,000 to €200,000
  • In Small Grants: It is possible to apply for smaller grants of up to EUR 10,000, provided that the application falls within the strategic aims of MFMC.

Eligibility Criteria

  • The Foundation supports advocates of climate change mitigation.
  • The calls for applications are open to international applicants.

For more information, visit

https://unifor.no/stiftelser/the-minor-foundation-for-major-challenges/?_sf_s=Minor

  1. Mentor-Driven Capital Program – Africa 2022

Mentor-driven capital is one of VC4A’s approaches to creating value for startup ecosystems around the world. It is about finding and supporting motivated and experienced professionals like you to share the knowledge, experience, and network you have acquired over your career with promising entrepreneurs through the VC4A Mentorship Marketplace. As you support your mentee on his/her entrepreneurial journey, you get keen insights into the local startup ecosystem and hone your own mentoring, business & leadership skills. This program aims to boost your ability as a high-powered mentor through the developed Mentor-Driven Capital framework. You and selected fellow business leaders will receive expert guidance, training, and hands-on expert sessions around mentoring, and join interactive discussions on topics like mentoring founders for fundraising, corporate partnership building, and angel investing.

Program Perks

  • Attend expert-led sessions on essential mentorship and start-up related topics.
  • A mentorship guide and online training materials.
  • Access peer-to-peer learning through expert discussions, group sessions, and networking opportunities.
  • Get matched with Africa0based founders with mentorship needs through the VC4A Mentorship Marketplace.
  • Access to partner organizations demo days and invite-only events such as Africa Early-Stage Investor Summit.

Eligibility Criteria

  • You are based in Africa or closely affiliated with the continent.
  • You are a senior business professional, entrepreneur, and/or investor with 10+ years of experience.
  • Interested in the startup ecosystem and keen to support startup companies.
  • Willing to offer mentorship post the program to African startups through the VC4A Mentorship Marketplace.

For more information, visit

https://vc4a.com/vc4a/mdc-africa-2022

  1. Last Mile Money Startup Accelerator Program

 The IDEO Last Mile Money is inviting promising early-stage ventures that are connecting underserved communities in emerging markets to digital financial services.

Why Apply?

They invest in emerging market startups bringing the promise of digital financial services closer to the people who need it the most. They believe that thoughtfully designed solutions such as better access to working capital, on/off ramps from cash to digital money, affordable cross-border remittances, flexible savings, etc. can help build financial resilience and create pathways to a better life for millions of last mile users.

  • They understand design for last-mile users
  • They provide a range of flexible design support ranging from office hours to 4-6 weeks sprints to help you leverage their expertise
  • Their partners will help you solve your problem, build tech, improve your systems and launch
  • Their CICO Collective gives you access to salons, speaker series, and co-creation opportunities with other startups building for the last mile.

Funding Information

They will fund between $30 – 50k per startup to accelerate your go-to-market and scale up plans with possible top-ups, based on pilot needs.

For more information, visit

https://lastmile.money/accelerator

  1. Grants to Prevent the spread of COVID-19 among Women and Girls (Nigeria)

 UN Women Nigeria has announced a call for proposals to facilitate and promote access to COVID-19 prevention and mitigation opportunities for women and girls, particularly in the humanitarian settings within North East Nigeria. The project’s ultimate goal is to reduce the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on women and girls by promoting gender-responsive COVID-19 prevention and mitigation measures.

Objectives

UN Women will focus on the following mutually reinforcing strands of work, including:

  • Increasing awareness and access to information on COVID-19 prevention and mitigation among women most affected by the COVID-19 resurgence and humanitarian emergencies.
  • Promoting women’s participation in decision-making to inform the COVID-19 response plans.
  • Enhancing women’s access to the COVID-19 prevention and mitigation tools, including PCR and/or rapid antigen test kits, vaccines and personal protective equipment

Funding Information

  • The budget range for this proposal should be $200,000 – $250,000
  • Project is for a period of 8 month starting from July 2022 – February 2023

For more information, visit

https://bit.ly/3NO4Cpb

  1. Open Call for ICFJ’s Leap Innovation Lab

 Applications are now open for the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ)’s Leap Innovation Lab to identify the most pressing challenges affecting journalism and its mission to serve the public. Addressing those challenges requires creativity – and the time to support to think innovatively. Leap is a space to explore and shape the unfolding future of journalism.

How it works

Mentors will lead small news teams through a 10-week design sprint and development process to solve a specific problem.

Benefits

They will provide financial support and guidance for Leap Innovation Fellows to work on tools and products that are helping journalism reinvent itself.

How they support

They are supporting journalism innovators in several ways:

  • Sprints: A 10-week program to explore, design and develop products and learn innovation processes.
  • Hackathons: Events where developers and journalists can meet and invent together.
  • Fellowships: Support for innovators working on tools and products that are helping journalism thrive.
  • ICFJ’s Leap Innovation Lab provides a guided, focused experience to ease the risk and cost that inhibits innovation in the newsroom.

Eligibility Criteria

  • The program is open globally, and you can be from any country.
  • They encourage small teams from the same organization to apply together so they can better implement what they create. But they also accept applications from individuals.
  • Leap is right for you if you are a journalist, technologist or product person who:
  • Can identify a journalism challenge and work to solve it
  • Likes to collaborate with others
  • Wants to be a changemaker
  • Is ready to commit at least three hours a week
  • Is willing to share your product or outcomes with the journalistic community
  • Is fluent in English

For more information, visit

https://www.icfj.org/leap

  1. Apply for Digital Support Grants

 The Hub Cymru Africa has launched a small grants scheme to support the Wales Africa community to use digital tools with partners in Africa. This scheme is supported by the Waterloo Foundation.

Key Elements

  • The grants are intended to assist organisations in Wales that support partners in Africa in delivering project work to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals to make better use of digital technology in their work.
  • The grants are intended to support the work of the partner organization and the partnership. They are not intended as project grants which have their own development outcomes.
  • The funding could be used for new hardware, software, licenses, training, skills development, data allowances, online communications and other tools which would support your partner’s work or your partnership
  • These grants are particularly designed to make a difference in the work of your partner and partnership. For that reason, it is unlikely that applications to support organisations for which this area of work is already well-funded will be successful.

Funding Information

  • You can apply for £500 – £1000 to support international solidarity projects.
  • The funding could be used for new hardware, software, licenses, training, skills development, data allowances, online communications and other tools which would support your partner’s work or your partnership.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Lead applicants must have a partner organization based in Africa which will be supported by this grant
  • Applicants must demonstrate value for money in their activities.
  • All applications are subject to a conflict-of-interest declaration
  • All applicants should demonstrate that they have taken into consideration ethical and fair-trade criteria when making purchasing decisions
  • All funds must be spent by 31st December 2022

For more information, visit

https://hubcymruafrica.wales/digital-grants/

  1. The AREF-MRC Towards Leadership Programme 2022 for emerging African scientists

The aim of the Towards Leadership Programme is to empower talented, emerging scientists in Africa to compete successfully for UKRI MRC and other major funding opportunities in global health research. The programme is directed towards to winning grant funding, empowering effective teams, collaborating internationally, influencing stakeholders and building rewarding research careers.

Eligibility

  • You are a citizen of a country in Sub-Saharan Africa
  • You are currently employed in Sub-Saharan Africa by a recognized university and/or specialist research institution.
  • You are an early career researcher, having completed your research education and are now at the early stages of leading your own research group.
  • You will hold a research doctorate (PhD/DPhil/MD) from a recognized academic institution OR you have a medical/clinical qualification PLUS a research-relevant Master’s degree, both usually within the last 10 years. If it has been longer than 10 years since your last degree, please explain in your application why you should still be considered an early career researcher.
  • You are currently responsible for managing/supervising one or more research students and/or research staff members and are involved in building research collaborations.
  • You demonstrate evidence of being at the early stages of leading a research team or being an active member of a research team conducting global health research.
  • A significant part of your current employee role is to develop and conduct health research
  • You already have experience in obtaining research funding (combined value of £500,000 or less)

For more information,

Visit the Official Webpage of the AREF-MRC Towards Leadership Programme 2022

  1. The Japan Water Forum Fund 2022

 The Japan Water Forum (JWF) is accepting applications for its JWF Fund that aims to contribute for solving local water-related issues in developing countries by assisting the implementation of sustainable led by grass-roots organizations.

Themes

A project which is planned and will faithfully be implemented along the following themes will be considered.

  • Construction/repair of the water supply resource such as well and reservoir.
  • Installation of small-scale type water supply system.
  • Construction/repair of sanitation and hygiene facility.
  • Maintenance/improvement of water resource environment.
  • Installation/promotion of water efficiency irrigation system.
  • Implementation of water-related disaster risk reduction/mitigation program.

Funding Information

  • Up to US$1,500 per a selected project.
  • In the JWF Fund 2022, the number of projects which will be accepted is around five.
  • One application/project from one group can be acceptable. No application shall be accepted if one group submits two or more applications/projects.

Eligibility Criteria

Any local grassroots organizations that work in countries/territories classified as Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Low Income Countries (LICs), Lower Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) from among the OECD’s DAC list can apply for the JWF Fund.

For more information, visit

https://www.waterforum.jp/en/news/19604/

  1. Froebel Trust Open Call Research Grants Scheme

 Applications are now open for the Froebel Trust Open Call Research Grants scheme that is designed to provide funding for individual researchers or collaborative research partnerships and networks to develop innovative studies. The Froebel Trust provides funding for research and practice development as well as specialist training, and information and support for continuing professional learning.

Funding Information

In 2022, they are offering two types of Open Call Research Grants:

  • Seed corn grants up to £5,000
  • Larger grants for researchers who have an established research reputation from a track record of high-quality studies, research outputs and impact. They expect budgets to be in the region of £20,000 to £50,000

Eligibility Criteria

  • The scheme is open to researchers working in institutions anywhere in the world who share our goal of advancing knowledge and debate about Froebelian principles and their application in the teaching, learning and development of children from birth to 8 years. They actively encourage and will prioritise awards for new applicants who have strong applications and have not previously received Open Call funding from the Trust.
  • Applicants do not need to be based in the UK but applications should be written in English and budgets should be in GB £ sterling.
  • Partnership projects are welcome. In such cases, a lead institution/researcher should be identified. In all cases, one named person should act as Lead Applicant. This is the individual with whom the Trust will correspond about the application and (If successful) the project. The Lead Applicant is normally considered by the Trust to be contractual partner; the grant holder (i.e., the recipient of grant funding); and with responsibility for meeting terms and conditions of the award.
  • In deciding whether to support travel to events, the Trust will give serious consideration to the benefits to the project versus the environmental impact.

For more information, visit

https://www.froebel.org.uk/grants-and-funding/open-call-research-grants

  1. Last Mile Money Startup Accelerator Program

The IDEO Last Mile Money is inviting promising early-stage ventures that are connecting underserved communities in emerging markets to digital financial services.

How they work

  • Cohort Selection: They will select cohorts in batches – first by June 15th and the second by July 15th. This way you do not have to wait, they can get started when you are ready.
  • Grant Allocation: Once selected, you will receive a grant of $30 – $50k. Based on how the pilot evolves, they can work with you to top up an additional amount for commercialization.
  • Design Sprint: Based on your design and pilot needs, they will staff a team of 3 full time designers to work with you over a period of 4 – 6 weeks.

Why Apply?

They invest in emerging market startups bringing the promise of digital financial services closer to the people who need it the most. They believe that thoughtfully designed solutions such as better access to working capital, on/off ramps from cash to digital money, affordable cross-border remittances, flexible savings etc. can help build financial resilience and create pathways to a better life for millions of last mile users.

For more information, visit

https://lastmile.money/accelerator

 

 

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