Funding Opportunities For African Businesses

1. IFAD Call for Proposals: Closing the Data Gap towards an Efficient Remittances Market in Africa

 Deadline: 28 March 2019

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a specialized agency of the United Nations and an international financial institution, through its Financing Facility for Remittances (FFR) and in co-financing partnership with the European Union (EU), is pleased to announce the launch of a Call for Proposals: Closing the data gap towards an efficient remittance market in Africa.

In line with the PRIME Africa´s objectives of improving access and use of remittances in Africa, this Call for Proposals (CfP) focuses on enhancing remittances data and market intelligence through methodologies that can foster remittance-related effective policies and private sector investment. This entails collection, analysis and application of data from the African remittance market, with particular emphasis on both intraregional and European-related corridors.

In particular, the CfP aims at reducing the remittances market data deficit in Africa by promoting collection and processing of transparent data that both enables the design of industry–related benchmarks and impact assessment of on-going and future undertakings in this sector. Any proposed methodologies under this CfP should also enable the identification of [seven] specific countries in Africa for which a more in-depth data collection and analysis could lead to the creation of roadmaps of opportunities for market enhancement. To guarantee consistency in market development and expansion, the proposed methodologies should ensure the creation of a database/document repository, to be updated on a regular basis throughout the duration of the initiative.

Funding Information

This Call for Proposals will finance projects up to €700,000 for the 4-year project

Principles applying to this Call for Proposals

• Each applicant should ensure and demonstrate its experience asresearch institution, as well as its establishment as legally-registered institution
• Required partnerships must be confirmed by letters of engagement and a description of each partner’s specific role and contribution to the research
• All proponent entities should have a proven research expertise as required by the Call
• Proposals should present clear outcomes in line with the objectives of this Call. The related activities must also show how results will be shared.
• IFAD’s FFR encourages fostering of partnerships between non-profit institutions and public and private organizations. Private-sector entities interested in responding to this Call must accept the following condition:

Any activity or product financed by IFAD’s grant shall be owned jointly by the Contracting Parties; as such, IFAD, as a Contracting Party, may disseminate/replicate any of the project outputs, as agreed with the implementing partner.

General Conditions

• Implementation period
  • The overall implementation period should not exceed 48 months. However, the comprehensive assessment of the remittance markets in Africa and the proposal to prioritize criteria for the 7 country selection will have to be undertaken and finalized by the third month of implementation.
• Financial allocation
  • This Call for Proposals will finance projects up to €700,000 for the 4-year project. Disbursements of funds will be done through a phased and result-based approach.
• Partnerships
  • To carry out this research, IFAD’s FFR welcomes strategic partnerships linking for-profit entities with nonprofit organizations, formal financial intermediaries, money transfer operators, microfinance institutions, financial cooperatives, postal networks, philanthropic organizations, investment funds, local and national governments. among others in order to secure further information beneficial to the overall market ecosystem.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible institutions
  • The applicant must be a registered legal organization in an IFAD member state. Alternatively, at least one of the parties involved in the proposal must be based in an IFAD member state.
  • The applicant may be a:
    • non-profit institution such as a non-governmental organization;
    • public, governmental institution;
    • for-profit entity or consultancy firm; or
    • academic institution.
  • Applicants must
    • belong to an IFAD member state (alternatively, at least one of the parties involved in the proposal must be based in a member state)
    • have legal status and be registered in the country in which they operate
    • have the capacity to enter into financial and legal agreements with IFAD, and comply with the procurement guidelines of IFAD (see IFAD procurement guidelines)
    • not act as an intermediary, but be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the proposal
    • present audited financial statements and signed external audit reports, in accordance with international standards on audit, for at least two previous years (three years in the case of forprofit entities)
    • have a minimum of two years of relevant experience for non-profit institutions and three for forprofit entities
    • have proven experience in the field of remittances and be directly relevant to the project, unless the proposal is jointly presented, in which case at least one of the partnering organizations should have the required experience.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted via email at the address given on the website.

For more information, please visit https://www.ifad.org/en/web/latest/news-detail/asset/41035741

Also Read: Funding Opportunities For African Business

2. U.S. Embassy in Libya: Small Grant Competition Open Now!

 Deadline: 28-Feb-23

The U.S. Embassy Libya’s Public Affairs Office (PAO) is pleased to announce that funding is available through the Public Diplomacy Grant Program for projects up to $25,000 USD.

Grants are intended for committed and organized civil-society organizations, local representatives of civil society, think tanks, non-governmental organizations, cultural institutions, and academic institutions.  All grantees must have a non-profit status.

Objective

The objectives of the Public Diplomacy Grant Program are to build capacity and community, promote social good, and enhance mutual understanding between the people of Libya and the United States.

Activities

Activities that are typically funded include, but are not limited to:

• Cultural, sports, health, educational, and social programs that target youthand underserved communities;
• Content creation, story-telling, film making, digital literacy, and/or social mediaprograms and projects in support of objectives stated above;
• Workshops, seminars, trainings, and master classes contributing to diversity, equity, inclusion and access (DEIA), leadership development, entrepreneurship, soft skills, STEAM initiatives, or social cohesion.

Projects

Projects for a greater value will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The U.S. Embassy to Libya is seeking projects that:

• Capitalize on arts initiatives to increase unity, social cohesion, and reconciliation that deepen Libyan national identity and are consistent with U.S. values.
• Promote leadership, positive community engagement, volunteerism, entrepreneurship, and soft skills development among youth, women, and underserved communities.
• Increase Libyan youth capabilities to help them explore and develop technological solutions for social problems through Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) programs. Projects that address environmental challenges to mitigate the effects of climate changeare highly encouraged.

Note: Alumni of U.S. Government funded exchange programs are encouraged to apply.  Initiatives that support diversity and inclusion of minority groups and link with U.S. universities or organizations are also welcome.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Public Affairs Office encourages applications from all sectors: committed and organized civil-society organizations, local representatives of civil society, think tanks, non-governmental organizations, cultural institutions, academic institutions, and individuals.  All grantees must have a non-profit status.
• The Embassy seeks proposals for geographically and demographically diverse audiences within Libya.  U.S. NGOs and individuals may apply, but preference is given to Libyan NGOs or to partnerships that develop capacity with Libyan NGOs and include plans to transfer programs to sustainable local management in Libya.

For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in Libya.

3. Injini Cohort 3: Africa’s First Edtech-Dedicated Incubation & Seed Investment Programme

 Deadline: 17 March 2019

Applications to Injini Cohort 3- Africa’s first Edtech-dedicated incubation & Seed Investment Programme are now open. This programme is open to both for-profit & non-profit EdTech startups.

The Injini Cohort 3 programme will launch in May 2019. For this, 8 start-ups from across Africa will join the programme for 4 months during which they will deliver workshops, mentoring and networking as well as technology, research and dedicated support from the Injini team.

Injini run regular events across Africa aiming to bring together entrepreneurs, teachers and interested people to hear new edtech ideas and discuss how to take them forward in their community. Their meet ups are a great way to hear new edtech ideas and meet other people interested in raising standards in education through technology. They are free to attend, and have attracted over 400 people.

Funding Information

• Each start-up will be eligible for a ZAR 100k grant(ca. $7.5k), after which the cohort will compete for follow-on equity investment of up to $75k per startup.

Guiding Principles

1. Africa leads, not follows
   • The greatest challenge& opportunity in EdTech lies in Africa – it will produce the greatest innovations
2. Grassroots ideas, global impact
   • It will be teachers & entrepeneurs – not big bureaucracies – who realise technology’s potential in education
3. Empower teachers, not replace them
   • They will help teachers deepen & widen impact, not try (and fail) to make them obsoleteEvidence-driven, with a laser focus on results
4. Evidence-driven, with a laser focus on results
   • They should rejectbusiness–as-usual & embrace new ideas, but pay very close attention to the evidence of what works to improve education

Eligibility Criteria

• They actively encourage applications from any African country.

How to Apply

Applicants can apply online via given website.

For further information, please visit http://injini.co.za/

4. CODE announces Context Matters Research Grants to Empower African Girls through Language and Literacy

Deadline: 31 May 2019

CODE has announced its second annual Call for Proposals for Context Matters Research Grants to support an African research agenda in language and literacy. The 2019 theme is Empowering Girls through Language and Literacy.

Research on literacy in general and reading in particular has largely been carried out in high-income countries and contexts and generalized to low-income countries and contexts. CODE has established the Context Matters Research Award to support African researchers as they take the lead in evidence-based research. Their intent is to stimulate conversation, develop a research agenda, and support research which is clearly situated in local contexts and recognizes the multifaceted and complex relationships between the local and global in education.

Terms of Research

The studies can be of any duration, but are envisioned to cover a maximum two-year period.

Grant Information

With Context Matters the Canadian NGO, CODE, will offer up to five (5) research grants of a maximum CAN $10,000 each to increase the effectiveness, efficiency and salience of K-12 education programming, including related pre-service teacher education, in Africa. These Grants are also designed to foster international partnerships and alliances that bolster Africa’s ability to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the areas of education and gender equality.

Funding Criteria

Funds MAY be used to support

• Items needed for the project and not routinely available through the place of employmentof the applicant.
• Materials and supplies (paper, books, etc.)
• Traveldirectly related to the project.
• Books for student and teacher use or library reference.
• Administrative expenses (postage, duplication costs, printing).
• Payment in support of a graduate student.

Funds may NOT be used to support

Also Read: Funding Opportunities for African Businesses

• Salary of the Principal Investigator.
• Equipment (computers, mobile devices, audio-visual equipment) is not supported; however, if there is specific equipment linked to the actual study such as a cell phone with camera, the applicant needs to provide a strong rationale.
• Indirect costs (costs not directly associated with the project such as charging for existing office space).
• Costs of conferenceattendance and/or support for the dissemination of the research, will not be supported as part of this Award, however, upon successful completion of the study, new funds may be made available for this purpose.

Eligibility Criteria

• For the 2019 Call, CODE has expanded the list of countries eligible for the grants. This expanded list is based on the World Bank Least Developed Countries List. CODE now welcomes proposals from researchers, academics, and educators who are resident and working in the education sector in Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Tanzania, Mali, Mozambique, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Zambia.
• Funded researchers must be affiliated to and/or collaborating with an Academic Institution and must be able to articulate how they will adhere to the highest ethical standards and procedures for research involving human participants, as required.

How to Apply

Interested applicants can apply via given website.

For more information, please visit https://code.ngo/context-matters-research-grants

5. Right Sharing Of World Resources Grant Program (Sierra Leone)

 Deadline: 30-Jun-23

The Right Sharing of World Resources is excited to announce its grant program.

Goals

• RSWR is a Quaker organization supported primarily by the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in the United States. RSWR has two main goals:
  • Provide grants for womenin the developing world to begin small income-generating businesses so that they may help themselves and their families out of poverty.
  • Help Quakers in the United States learn about the negative effects of poverty in the developing world and the negative effects of materialism in North America.

Funding Information

• Up to US $5,500 for a one year project. Each group may receive only one grant

Type of Projects

• RSWR supports income-generating, self-employmentprojects for poor women who are members of a self help group. The project must include a revolving loan component. They believe that small scale income-generating projects offer a means of establishing self sufficiency to very poor people. By requiring that the project include a revolving loan program, they can multiple the impact of their grant as the funds are revolved many times to many different women within the community.

Eligibility Criteria

• In Sierra Leone, all groups must be self-directed by the women beneficiaries themselves. The leadership and management must come from within the group. The group cannot be formed or managed by outside coordinators. Additionally, the group must be registered with the local authorities and have a bank account, and the signers on the bank account must be three women who are members of the group. Groups should be less than 20 years old and have an annual budget of less than $4,000.

Criteria

• Right Sharing of World Resources gives grants to small, grassroots women’s groups that do not have access to other adequate funding. Their grants are for micro-enterprise, self-employment projects. They help with seed money and trainingso that a group can begin a revolving loan fund for members to take loans to begin their own small businesses. It is important to them that the women work together in self-help groups and use the RSWR resources to help themselves grow into independent and strong groups.
• Project is located in RSWR geographic project area. In Sierra Leone, RSWR will accept applications from the entire country. However, projects in the southern and eastern provinces are accepted from July 1 to December 31, and projects in the northern and western provinces are accepted from January 1 to June 30.
• Women’s self help groups are no more than 20 years old.
• All Project Coordinators and other leaders of the women’s groups must be women. No men may be involved.
• Project is for women only and the women self-help group members have been a part of the decision making in determining project activities. They expect the women themselves to be wholly in charge of the projects without involvement of outside persons, including the management of the bank account.
• Proposal should include a clear description of the Women’s Self Help Group. Include, size and makeup of group, history, current activities and current economic
• For effective group dynamics, they recommend a group size of 20-35. However, different groups have different organizational structures, so please explain your group structure if your group is larger than 35.
• Indication that the group is able to receive and use money as intended. In Sierra Leone, they must see the group’s end-of-year financial report.
• Group has little or no access to other resources. Annual income is less than $4,000.
• A clear description of the proposed Income Generating Project(s) (IGP). NOTE: The projects must be compatible with the principles which guide the work of RSWR: local self-reliance, sustainability, mutual support and accountability.
• The Income Generating Projects are viable businesses for the geographic area and have potential to make the women a sustainable living. The proposal should describe an economic plan for each businessproposed, including the amount of the loan per woman, the projected monthly gross income, monthly business expenses, loan repayment, and net monthly income projected. They expect the women’s business income to bring them above the World Bank International Poverty Line (currently $1.90 per day) AFTER business expenses, loan repayment, and savings.
• 20 to 35 women should receive the initial loans.
• Proposal has a clearly described loan repayment plan which includes annual interest charged, monthly repayment, and length of the repayment period. Interest rates for loans should cover inflation plus a modest amount for administrative expenses, but in no case should they exceed the interest rate an established business person would be able to get from a formal sector lender.
• The proposal should include a clearly described group savings plan for each woman to save money for emergency needs.
• Budget categories must be outlined clearly and within the following guidelines: 60% or more for seed money, no more than 15% for training, no more than 5% for travel, no more than 10% for administration.

For more information, visit RSWR.

6. EC Call for Proposals: Pilot VET Mobility Scheme for the Enlargement Countries and Africa

Deadline: 14 May 2019

The European Commission is currently inviting applicants for a program entitled “Pilot VET mobility scheme” in order to contribute to the improvement and modernisation of VET systems in the Enlargement countries and Africa, as well as reinforcing the links between VET and the labour market.

Program Lots

The program is divided into two lots:

• Lot 1:
  • Enlargement countries: Western Balkans and Turkey
    • Exchange programmes between Enlargement countries and European VET providers implemented;
    • The knowledge, technical and pedagogical skills of VET teachers is improved;
    • The knowledge of VET managerial staff is improved;
    • The transversal, generic and subject specific skills of learners are enhanced.
  • Indicative activities: Mobility arrangements (identification of target groups, development of individual programmes and action plans for schools and teaching staff, implementation of mobility in the EU), document best practices, dissemination at national and regional level, creation and institution of networks and partnerships for exchanges.
• Lot 2:
  • Africa
    • Exchange programmes between African and European VET providers implemented;
    • The knowledge, technical and pedagogical skills of VET teachers is improved;
    • The knowledge of VET managerial staff is improved;
    • The transversal, generic and subject specific skills of learners are enhanced;
    • Best practices, teachers’ and students’ inputs are integrated into curriculum and trainingreform in the participating schools;
    • Improved quality of training offered by African VET providers.
  • Indicative activities: Mobility arrangements (identification of target groups, development of individual programmes and action plans for schools and teaching staff, implementation of mobility in the EU), capacity support for curriculum development and consultancy support for management, development of new/revised trainer offer and contents, document best practices, dissemination and national, regional and continental level, creation and institution of networks and partnerships for exchanges.

Budget Information

• The Commission expects to fundtwo proposals (one for each lot). The total maximum budget earmarked for the co-financing of the two lots is estimated at 6.95 million EUR.
• The maximum grant for the proposals will be:
  • Lot 1: Enlargement countries: Western Balkans and Turkey: 2 million EUR
  • Lot 2: Africa : 4.95 million EUR

Eligibility Criteria

• Lot 1: Enlargement countries: Western Balkans and Turkey
  • A participating organisation can be:
    • Any public or private organisation (or subsidiary/branch) in the field of vocational educationand training (referred to as a VET provider), legally registered in a European Union Member State or in one of the Enlargement countries targeted by this action, providing courses that lead to a qualification recognised by the competent authorities in their own country and accredited by the relevant national authorities; or
    • Any legally registered consortium of public or private VET providers registered in an European Union Member State or Enlargement countries targeted by this action; or
    • Any public or private organisation active in the labour market (referred to as a company) and legally registered in a European Union Member State or in one of the Enlargement countries targeted by this action.
    • In addition, organisations active in the labour market or in the fields of education in a European Union Member State or Enlargement country targeted by this action can be involved as intermediary organisations. They are also considered as partners in the project and can assist in better matching the apprentice/student profiles with the needs of the enterprises in cases of traineeships and to jointly prepare participants.
    • Other types of organisations (NGOs, local authorities, Small and Medium Enterprises, etc.) from Enlargement countries or European Union Member States can also be involved in the project as associated members. Their role in the project and activities must be clearly described, but is generally of an advisory nature rather than an active role and they are therefore not considered as project partners and they do not receive funding.
  • In order to be eligible for a grant, the applicant must be:
    • a public or private VET organisation (or subsidiary/branch) active in the field of vocational education and training and legally registered in a European Union Member State; or
    • a legally registered consortium of public or private VET organisations registered in a European Union Member State;
    • The applicant (or lead applicant in the case of a consortium) must be established in an EU Member State.
  • Lot 2: Africa
    • A participating organisation can be:
      • Any public or private organisation (or subsidiary/branch) in the field of vocational education and training (referred to as a VET provider), legally registered in a European Union Member State or in an African Union Member State targeted by this action, providing courses that lead to a qualification recognised by the competent authorities in their own country and accredited by the relevant national authorities; or
      • Any legally registered consortium of public or private VET providers registered in an European Union Member State or an African Union Member State targeted by this action; or
      • Any public or private organisation active in the labour market (referred to as a company) and legally registered in a European Union Member State an African Union Member State targeted by this action.
      • In addition, organisations active in the labour market or in the fields of education in a European Union Member State or African Union Member State targeted by this action can be involved as intermediary organisations. They are also considered as partners in the project and can assist in better matching the apprentice/student profiles with the needs of the enterprises in cases of traineeships and to jointly prepare participants.
      • Other types of organisations (NGOs, local authorities, Small and Medium Enterprises, etc.) from African Union Member States or European Union Member States or can also be involved in the project as associated members. Their role in the project and activities must be clearly described, but is generally of an advisory nature rather than an active role, and they are therefore not considered as project partners and they do not receive funding.
    • In order to be eligible for a grant, the applicant must be:
      • a public or private VET organisation (or subsidiary/branch) active in the field of vocational education and training and legally registered in a European Union Member State; or
      • a legally registered consortium of public or private VET organisations registered in a European Union Member State;
      • The applicant (or lead applicant in the case of a consortium) must be established in an EU Member State.

How to Apply

Applicants can download the application form vi9a given website.

Eligible Countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo, Turkey, Mauritania, Tunisia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Chad, Gabon, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Angola, Malawi, Namibia and South Africa.

For more information, please visit https://ec.europa.eu/education/resources-and-tools/funding-opportunities/vet-mobility-pilot-2019_en

7. Call for Proposals: Mitigating Antimalarial Drug Resistance in Africa

Deadline: 13-Mar-23

Unitaid is pleased to announce this call for proposals aimed at mitigating antimalarial drug resistance in Africa through interventions that rapidly diversify artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) use.

Areas of Work

• Proposals are being solicited for the following interventions:
  • Multi-country, large-scale product introduction support to accelerate demand and adoption of ASPY, and generate evidence for resistance management strategies like multiple first line ACTs.
  • Multi-country, large-scale product introduction support is needed to support ACT diversification. Support would serve to increase demand for ACTs with limited uptake i.e., ASPY, create early market volumes needed to support efforts of global healthpartners and to reduce prices, and in parallel address key knowledge gaps. The latter includes demonstrating how to implement ASPY alongside other ACTs while adhering to the specific dosing weight bands, as well as evaluating the feasibility, and cost-effectiveness/willingness to pay for multiple first-line treatment strategies. Strategies can include rotating ACTs, “mosaic” models, or diversifying ACTs by region or age group. Other innovative strategies that consider sub-national tailoring or implementing multiple first-line treatments across the public and private sectors could also be considered. As part of designing suitable strategies, country specific assessments of the ACT landscape are needed to guide approaches. Evidence generated from multi-country projects would therefore be important inputs into WHO policy recommendations and operational guidance, as well as generating evidence to support country-level scale-up.
  • In general, commodity costs for procurement volumes are assumed to be covered through routine country grants of the Global Fundand PMI. Consideration is being given to a time-limited co-payment or other market shaping interventions for ASPY to allow countries to deploy more expensive ACTs without compromising overall treatment coverage.

Impact they are seeking

• Through this Call for Proposals, Unitaid aims to improve access to health products of public health importance in low- and middle-income countries, and in particular:
  • To contribute to diversifying the use of health products in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs);
  • To increase their affordability in LMICs;
  • To generate demand and increase their adoption and use in LMICs;
  • To create guidance around multiple first-line treatment strategies for malaria.
  • The objectives outlined above will lead to: (1) better health outcomes due to additional people being treated, or due to people receiving effective treatments (2) financial savings/efficiencies due to the availability and use of more affordable products, and (3) improved and more equitable access by making products available and/or affordable in LMICs. The goal is to enable widespread access to affordable health products through scale-up by governments and partners, to contribute to the global health response to diseases that predominantly affect people in LMICs.

Settings of Interest

• Countries with evidence of partial artemisinin resistance
  • Priority countries are those where resistance has already been detected including Eritrea, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenyaand Uganda
• Countries with concerns of reduced or declined efficacy
  • In countries such as Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Angola, treatment failures have recently been reported at some sites, however the method of detection used is not recommended by WHO. Until it is known whether methodological issues may have confounded results in these countries, these countries remain a potential concern, and there is still a need to reduce AL use while increasing the uptake of other available ACTs.
• Countries without evidence of partial artemisinin resistance or reduced efficacy
  • In countries where resistance has yet to be reported, there is still a need to reduce the reliance on AL and remove barriers to utilizing other available ACTs. Countries for consideration include those with a high resistance risk, high malaria transmission rates, country willingness and readiness to diversify ACT use (e.g., product registration or existing inclusion in national guidelines), diversity of the implementation setting, and a country’s market size in relation to their ability to generate the volumes needed to achieve scale to lower prices.

For more information, visit Unitaid.

Also Read: Funding Opportunities for African Businesses

8. Kenya: Right Sharing Of World Resources Grant Program

Deadline: 31-May-23

The Right Sharing of World Resources (RSWR) is seeking applications for its grant Program.

RSWR supports income-generating, self-employment projects for poor women who are members of a self help group. The project must include a revolving loan component. They believe that small scale income-generating projects offer a means of establishing self sufficiency to very poor people. By requiring that the project include a revolving loan program, they can multiple the impact of their grant as the funds are revolved to different women within the community.

Goals

• RSWR is a Quaker organization supported primarily by the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in the United States. RSWR has two main goals:
  • Provide grants for women in the developing world to begin small income-generating businesses so that they may help themselves and their families out of poverty.
  • Help Quakers in the United States learn about the negative effects of poverty in the developing world and the negative effects of materialism in North America.

Funding Information

• Up to US $5,500 for a one year project. Each group may receive only one grant.

Eligible Locations

• RSWR focuses its funding in Kenyain the districts of: Siaya County, Kisumu County, Homa Bay County, Migori County. Kisii County, Nyamira County, Vihiga County, Kakamega County, Bungoma County, Busia County, Nandi County, Trans Nzoi County, Uasin-Gishu County.

Eligibility Criteria

• In Kenya, all groups must be self-directed by the women beneficiaries themselves. The leadership and management must come from within the group. The group cannot be formed or managed by outside coordinators. Groups should be less than 20 years old and have an annual budget of less than $4,000.

Criteria

• Right Sharing of World Resources gives grants to small, grassroots women’s groups that do not have access to other adequate funding. Their grants are for micro-enterprise, self-employment projects. They help with seed money and trainingso that a group can begin a revolving loan fund for members to take loans to begin their own small businesses. It is important to us that the women work together in self-help groups and use the RSWR resources to help themselves grow into independent and strong groups.
  • Women’s self-help groups are no more than 20 years old.
  • Leaders of the Women’s Groups must be women.
  • Project is for women only and the women self-help group members have been a part of the decision making in determining project activities. They expect the women themselves to be wholly in charge of the projects without involvement of outside persons, including the management of the bank account.
  • Proposal should include a clear description of the Women’s Self Help Group. Include, size and makeup of group, history, current activities and current economic
  • For effective group dynamics, they recommend a group size of 20-35. However, different groups have different organizational structures, so please explain your group structure if your group is larger than 35.
  • Indication that the group is able to receive and use money as intended. In Kenya, they must see the group’s end-of-year financial report.
  • Group has little or no access to other resources. Annual income is less than $4,000.
  • A clear description of the proposed Income Generating Project(s) (IGP). NOTE: The projects must be compatible with the principles which guide the work of RSWR: local self-reliance, sustainability, mutual support and accountability.
  • The Income Generating Projects are viable businesses for the geographic area and have potential to make the women a sustainable living. The proposal should describe an economic plan for each businessproposed, including the amount of the loan per woman, the projected monthly gross income, monthly business expenses, loan repayment, and net monthly income projected. They expect the women’s business income to bring them above the World Bank International Poverty Line (currently $1.90 per day) AFTER business expenses, loan repayment, and savings.
  • 20 to 35 women should receive the initial loans.
  • Proposal has a clearly described loan repayment plan which includes annual interest charged, monthly repayment, and length of the repayment period. Interest rates for loans should cover inflation plus a modest amount for administrative expenses, but in no case should they exceed the interest rate an established business person would be able to get from a formal sector lender.
  • The proposal should include a clearly described group savings plan for each woman to save money for emergency needs.
  • Budget categories must be outlined clearly and within the following guidelines: 60% or more for seed money, no more than 15% for training, no more than 5% for travel, no more than 10% for administration.

For more information, visit RSWR.

9. Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program in Tunisia

Deadline: 1-Apr-23

The Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Embassy Tunis is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program.

Purpose of Small Grants: PAS Tunis invites proposals for programs that strengthen cultural ties between the U.S. and Tunisia through programs that highlight shared values and promote bilateral cooperation.  All programs must include an American cultural element, or connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s  fields that will promote increased understanding of the United States.

Examples of PAS Small Grants Program programs include, but are not limited to (suggested examples):

• Academic and professional lectures, seminars and speaker programs by American experts.
• Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances and exhibitions with an American component.
• Cultural heritage conservation and preservation programs with an American partner;
• Professional and academic exchanges and programs between the U.S. and Tunisia.

Priority Program Areas

• The objective of the Public Diplomacy Grant Program is to promote positive relations between Tunisia and the United States; reinforce shared values; and connect Tunisia’s emerging leaders to the American people through projects that:
  • Strengthen understanding of U.S. values and institutions; highlight U.S. culturethrough, American Studies, English language teaching/learning, and study in the United States; and support diversity, acceptance of minority groups, and other areas of mutual interest.
  • Help Tunisian youthexplore and discover their potential through science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) programs, as well as environment protection programs.
  • Encourage Tunisia youth to participate in civic life through social entrepreneurship, volunteerism, and community engagement.

Participants and Audiences

• Grants are intended for civil-society organizations, local representatives of civil society, think tanks, non-governmental organizations, cultural institutions, and academic institutions.
• Awards to individuals will also be considered on a case-by-case basis.  All grantees must have a non-profit status.

Funding Information

• Length of performance period: 12 to 18 months
• Number of awards anticipated: 6 awards (dependent on amounts)
• Awardamounts: awards may range from a minimum of $10,000.00 to a maximum of $250,000.00
• Total available funding: $350,000

Eligibility Criteria

• The Public Affairs Section encourages applications from the U.S. and Tunisia
  • Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience
  • Individuals
  • Non-profit or governmental educational institutions
  • Governmental institutions
• For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

Ineligible

• The following types of programs are not eligible for funding: (suggested examples )
  • Programs relating to partisan political activity;
  • Charitable or development activities;
  • Construction programs;
  • Programs that support specific religious activities;
  • Fund-raising campaigns;
  • Lobbying for specific legislation or programs
  • Scientific research;
  • Programs intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization; or
  • Programs that duplicate existing programs.

For more information, visit Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program.