Startups

Funding Opportunities For African Businesses

  1. South Africa: Ethekwini Furniture Cluster Business Accelerator – Apply Now

    Deadline: 28-Feb-23

Are you a black – owned SME that has potential to become the next supplier to these leading South African enterprises in the furniture sector? If yes apply to be part of the Ethekwini Furniture Cluster Accelerator.

The objective of the Accelerator is to identify and develop high potential SMEs as strategic suppliers to industrial lead enterprises through market access, standards upgrading, and capital investment interventions.

The Accelerator is funded by eThekwini Municipality through the eThekwini Furniture Cluster and is facilitated by BMA.

Eligibility Criteria

§  South African owned business.

§  51% or more black ownership.

§  Annual turnover of R170m or less.

§  Registered with CIPC.

§  Tax Compliant.

§  Operating for at least 1-year.

§  Currently or aiming to offer products or services to customers in the furniture sector.

§  Preference is given to businesses with some years of trading experience. If a relatively young business applies, it is important for the innovative idea and competitive advantage to be clear and compelling for a potential customer

How Does It Work?

§  Qualified candidates will be invited to a Capacity Building workshop on 30 March 2023 in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, focused on developing a compelling business pitch to potential customers.

§  Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a Dragons’ Den event on 19 April 2023 in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal where the top candidates will be selected.

§  Identified high potential candidates will receive business case development support, expert coaching to scale your business and ongoing support to unlock commercial opportunities with customers.

§  Plus, successful applicants stand a chance to win their share of cash prizes!

 

For more information, visit eThekwini Furniture Cluster.

2.  UN-Habitat CFPs to Strengthen Capacity for Data Collection and Information Management in Kenya

    Deadline: 30-Dec-22

This Call for Proposal (CFP) seeks to identify a suitable implementing partner that will support the county governments of Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu, Taita Taveta and Tana River to strengthen their capacity for data collection and information management through establishing a GIS and data system and building capacity of county staff on data management.

The purpose of the Call for Proposal is to solicit interest from existing or prospective Implementing Partners that wish to participate in UN-Habitat operation and contribute complementary resources (human resources, knowledge, funds, in-kind contributions, supplies and/or equipment) to achieving common objectives and subsequently agreed in an Agreement of Cooperation.

Funding Information

§  Size of grant: USD 139,500

Main Activities

§  The Implementing Partner will be undertaking the main activities in close supervision of the GoBlue Project Management Unit comprising of the Go Blue Project Manager, the Go Blue Project Urban Planning Expert and the Go Blue Project Marine Environment Expert as follows (but not limited to):

§  Establishing one (1) GIS data center at JKP regional level

§  Identifying a suitable location for a Regional GIS data centre at the JKP level in consultation with the JKP Secretariat based at Jumuiya House in Mombasa

§  Costing and purchasing relevant equipment for a GIS data centre at JKP level

§  Operationalizing the regional GIS data centre at JKP level

§  Establishing six (6) GIS data nodes in the counties

§  Connecting the six GIS data nodes to the regional GIS data centre at JKP level

§  Costing and purchasing relevant equipment for each of the six GIS data centers

§  e.g., plotter, workstations, a network system etc.

§  Operationalizing the six GIS data nodes and ensuring connectivity and linkages with the JKP level data centre

§  Regular maintenance of the six GIS data centers on a need-basis, and through a standing contract with relevant IT company.

§  Organizing a full certified course on data and information for planning and management for selected relevant county staff and JKP Secretariat staff

§  Developing a curriculum and concept note for the full certified course

§  Selecting appropriate staff from counties and the JKP Secretariat to participate in course

§  In consultation with relevant stakeholders, facilitate and organize graduation session for trainees

Project Key Information

§  UN-Habitat Project title: Strengthening Capacity for Data Collection and Information Management in the six JKP Counties of Kenya (Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu, Taita Taveta and Tana River) through establishing a GIS and data system and building capacity of county staff on data management

§  Locations: Six Counties forming the Jumuiya Ya Kaunti Za Pwani (JKP)

§  Town/City: Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu, Taita Taveta and Tana River

§  Country: Kenya

§  Anticipated start date: 1st February 2023

§  Estimated duration of project in calendar months: 17 months

§  Maximum proposed value in US$: 139,500

§  Lead Organization Unit: UN-Habitat, Regional Office for Africa (ROAF)

Outputs

§  One (1) GIS data center at JKP regional level

§  Six (6) GIS data nodes in the counties

§  Training Manual for certified course on data and information for planning and management

§  Graduation List

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria/Submission Details/ Documents Required

Legal Status

§  Certificate of registration/incorporation i.e.,

§  Proof of registration in Country of Origin.

§  Proof of registration of Country of operation

§  Proof of country operational presence

Organization profile and details

§  Clear organization profile and structure of the organization indicating:

§  Organization’s vision, mission and objectives

§  Management structure

§  Members of the Governing Board and their Designations duly certified by the Corporate Secretary, or its equivalent document

§  Proof of membership to professional associations if any.

Financial Capacity

§  Audited company financial statements (balance sheet and income statement) and auditors report for the last two years

Exclusive bank account

§  Is the organization willing and able to have a separate bank account for the funds provided by UN-Habitat?

Integrity and Governance

§  The organization should complete and submit a signed Partner Declaration Form

§  Provide the profiles of the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Head of the Organization and Chief of Finance

Notes:

§  Interested Organizations must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (brochure, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc).

§  The CFP and accompanying documents must be received in accordance with instructions provided. CFP submitted to a different email address other than the specified one will not be considered.

§  CFP from applicants failing to provide the complete information to fulfill the basic eligibility criteria will be considered non-responsive.

§  CFP received after the above deadline will not be considered

§  Organizations will be selected in accordance with the procedure set out in the UN-Habitat IP Management policy and Standard Operating Procedures.

§  CFP from applicants failing to provide the requested information will be disregarded.

§  This CFP does not entail any commitment on the part of UN-Habitat, either financial or otherwise. UN-Habitat reserves the right to accept or reject any or all Proposals without incurring any obligation to inform the affected applicant(s) of the grounds.

§  All prices must be in USD.

 

For more information, visit UN-Habitat.

3.  USAID/Mali seeking Proposals for Doniya Taabolo Activity

    Deadline: 27-Jan-23

The United States Agency for International Development in Mali (USAID/Mali) is seeking applications for a Cooperative Agreement from qualified entities to implement the USAID Doniya Taabolo Activity.

Purpose

§  Purpose Malian children are not attaining primary level literacy and numeracy skills. The aforementioned challenges with insufficient access, low quality instruction, and sub-par governance have resulted in poor learning outcomes. This intervention should make every effort to provide children with the reading and math skills needed to improve their learning outcomes, coupled with psychosocial support and additive measures that may increase their resiliency and prepare them to attain better socio-economic opportunities in the future.

§  In February 2020, the Mission held Implementing Partners’ Consultation Meetings for the design of the new Country Development Cooperation Strategy. Even with these activities, key findings/challenges included:

§  In conflict zones and geographic areas affected by climate change, access to food and children’s health become central elements for advancing education. Thus, the approach to education needs to be differentiated by regions to address pertinent challenges.

§  The population growth rate will have cumulative effects on investments in the sector (infrastructure, certified teachers, learning materials and management systems).

§  Recommendations from the meetings were to:

§  capitalize on lasting community level achievements;

§  address ground realities and needs through cross-sectoral activities;

§  build local and national level capacity and ownership; and

§  Replicate and mainstream tested approaches.

Focus Areas

§  Furthermore, key focus should be on generating structural changes and anticipating changes in learner and educator needs, curriculum development for grades 1-4, and certification and supervision of teachers. Additional recommendations concentrate on three core areas for future programming:

§  Governance at the local level through decentralization of school management and local learning centers; focus on the capacity of the local community to oversee the use of funds and their role in the quality of pedagogic curriculum at primary schools. National level interventions should involve strengthening the capacity of the MOE and the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization to manage and oversee teachers and to maintain an updated map of schools.

§  Access should prioritize inclusion of children with disabilities as they constitute at least a third of out-of-school children. Programming must be adapted to local realities and use models that have proven successful to date (model mothers’ clubs, mentoring, mobile schools, alternative learning centers, etc.).

§  Quality will improve with successful pedagogic methods and tools that are replicated and mainstreamed, while also testing new and innovative teaching practices and strengthening CAP pedagogic approaches. Invest in curriculum development for grades 1-4 and in the continuing education, certification, and supervision of teachers.

Funding Information

§  USAID intends to award one (1) Cooperative Agreement pursuant to this NOFO. Subject to funding availability and at the discretion of the mission, USAID/Mali intends to provide $36,000,000 in total USAID funding over a five-year period.

Intermediate Results

§  IR 1: Improved learning outcomes in reading and math –

§  increased access to evidence-based, conflict and gender sensitive, early-grade reading and math material

§  improved pre-service training in the use of a core package for evidence-based early-grade reading and math

§  improved in-service teacher training in evidence-based early-grade reading and math

§  Improved early-grade reading and early-grade math assessment (EGRA and EGMA) tools.

§  IR 2: Improved service delivery systems at the local/community level –

§  policies implemented in support of evidence-based reading and math instruction

§  research agenda implemented to support additional improvements in reading instruction in local languages and Braille

§  research agenda developed to support improvements in math instruction

§  IR 3: Broadened community and parental support for reading and math instruction –

§  parents’ ability to implement specific strategies to support reading and math success improved

§  community members’ and community-based organizations’ (CBO) ability to support and monitor early-grade reading and math improved

§  Safer, more inviting learning environments

Target Beneficiaries

The following targets are proposed:

§  1,000 public/community primary schools: schools where all teachers and materials are provided by the GOM, classes in which 100 percent of subjects in grade one are taught in Bamanankan, and oral use of French accounts for only 25% of instruction time starting in second grade.

§  Potential number of students reached in grades 1-4: 200,000 including approximately 50 percent girls and 3 percent children with disability

§  Teaching and Learning materials: 266,000

§  Potential number of Teachers trained: 4,000

§  Potential number of Head Teachers trained: 1,000

§  Pedagogical counselors trained: 100

Eligibility Criteria

§  Applicants must be non-governmental U.S. and non-U.S. entities, otherwise there is no restriction. Entities such as non-profit organizations, profit making concerns, Private Voluntary Organizations (PVOs), Public International Organizations (PIOs), faith-based and community organizations, educational institutions, etc. are eligible to apply.

§  USAID anticipates that environmental compliance and achieving optimal development outcomes for the proposed activities will require environmental management expertise. Applicants should therefore include as part of their application, their approach to achieving environmental compliance and management, to include:

§  The applicant’s approach to developing and implementing an environmental review process for a grant fund and/or an EMMP or M&M Plan.

§  The applicant’s approach to providing necessary environmental management expertise, including examples of past experience of environmental management of similar activities.

§  The applicant’s illustrative budget for implementing the environmental compliance activities. For the purposes of this solicitation, applicants should reflect illustrative costs for environmental compliance implementation and monitoring in their cost application and to describe these costs in detail to the degree possible in the budget narrative.

 

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

4.  The WWF Nedbank Green Trust Call for Proposals (South Africa)

    Deadline: 17-Mar-23

The WWF Nedbank Green Trust is now accepting project proposals to promote the conservation of nature and ecological processes through the preservation of genetic, species and ecosystem diversity, through ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and through the promotion of actions aimed at reducing to a minimum pollution and the wasteful exploitation and consumption of resources and energy.

Funding information 

Rand 3 million over 3 years, dependent on the cost of producing the proposed solution. 

What They Look For?

When they consider proposed projects, they look at the following:

§  Is the proposed project catalytic and can it be scaled up to national level?

§  Will it contribute to achieving the identified environmental outcomes?

§  Do people believe in the value proposition?

§  Is it valuable, unique, innovative and transferable Can/will the project be adopted by others?

§  Will it be a valuable addition to the project portfolio?

§  Please include letters of support from the receiving environment or proposed beneficiaries of your project.

§  Please ensure that your proposal clearly demonstrates how the change you are working towards will take place. Make clear the assumptions and facts you are basing your project upon and demonstrate how these, coupled with your solution, will lead to catalytic change.

What they don’t fund?

The WWF Nedbank Green Trust will not support the following:

§  conduit organizations that are not the end users of the project funds;

§  Initiatives that focus on ex-situ (off-site) conservation activities with little implications for wild populations, eg captive breeding, rehabilitation or welfare of individuals;

§  Purely academic research not linked to trust projects or with little evidence of practical application;

§  Core support for organizations and the purchase of capital equipment, including buildings, fencing and vehicles;

§  Development of commercial, private conservation enterprises and/or private nature reserves.

 

For more information, visit The WWF Nedbank Green Trust .

5.  Call for Projects in South Africa: Adapting to Climate Change, Promoting Social Justice, Expanding Cooperation in Higher Education

    Deadline: 30-Apr-23

The Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Mission to South Africa of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for Federal financial assistance to support projects that strengthen ties and build relationships between the United States and South Africa.

Objectives

PAS is seeking proposals that address one or more of the following challenges from a public diplomacy perspective. Public Diplomacy (PD) seeks to promote partnerships and information/knowledge exchange between the Americans and South African publics and institutions to enable more effective, mutually beneficial cooperation with the United States globally, benefitting the U.S. national interest and the national security as well as South Africa. PD aims to identify and fund programs and projects that broaden and deepen dialogue and empower cooperation between American citizens and institutions – including civil society and educational organizations – and their South African counterparts.

Adapting to Climate Change and Implementing a Just Green Energy Transition

§  Priority project areas include:

§  fostering economic opportunity and facilitating a green energy transition;

§  sustainable waste management and recycling;

§  urban and peri-urban clean water solutions;

§  climate change adaptation; or

§  urban gardening and greening.

Promoting Equity, Social Justice, and Social Cohesion

§  Priority project areas include:

§  Outreach to underscore connections between the struggle for equality of marginalized groups in the United States and South Africa’s liberation struggle;

§  Exploration of the literature, culture, and histories of marginalized groups in the United States with South African audiences; or

§  Facilitation of dialogues and exchanges which increase connections between individuals and communities in the United States and South African committed to increasing equity and social inclusion in both countries, sharing challenges and best practices from contemporary scholarship.

A Global Crisis: Trafficking in Persons

§  Priority project areas include:

§  Increasing the public’s understanding of trafficking in persons;

§  Increasing TIP awareness among populations vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation;

§  Reducing demand for labor and sexual exploitation; or

§  Increasing the public and civil society’s reporting of TIP offenses and official complicity to appropriate South African authorities.

§  Expanding Cooperation in Higher Education and Vocational Training

§  Priority project areas include:

§  Promoting U.S.- South Africa faculty and student exchanges, particularly the development of dual degree programs that have South Africans complete their studies locally and address South Africa’s shortage of qualified academic staff and that facilitate collaboration on addressing shared challenges in the United States and South Africa;

§  Sharing best practices and expertise in curriculum development and aligning curricula to address job market needs and skills gaps;

§  Developing the use of instructional technology to increase access to educational opportunities, including in the context of challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic;

§  Facilitating early-career training for academics;

§  Joint research, especially in agriculture, food security, health, and STEM;

§  Providing training and transfer skills in all aspects of university and TVET college administration through subject-matter exchange programs;

§  Sharing best practices for student recruitment, retention, and job placement while battling misconceptions about the utility of TVET and community college education; or

§  Exploring public-private partnerships, with an emphasis on commercialization, technology transfer, and job creation as well as post-graduate job placement.

Funding Information

§  Length of performance period: 12 to 24 months

§  Award amounts: Awards may range from a minimum of $100,000 to a maximum of $200,000

§  Total available funding: $800,000

Priority Region: Project activities must take place in South Africa and be directed at South African audiences/participants. PAS welcomes proposals that reach multiple provinces or engage in areas outside the metropolitan areas of Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town, including townships and other historically underserved areas.

Eligibility Criteria

§  Only non-profit South African or U.S. organizations are eligible to apply.  This includes non-profit think tanks, civil society/non-governmental organizations, and public and private educational institutions.  Proposals from for-profit entities may not be considered.  Proposals from American entities must demonstrate that the entity has a strong presence or partner in South Africa.

§  Applicants may be asked to provide proof of their non-profit status if such status is unclear to the selection committee.

§  Private institutions of higher education

§  Public and State controlled institutions of higher education

§  Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education

§  Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education

 

For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=344613

6.  Nigeria: Deji Alli Young Talent Award 2023

    Deadline: 27-Dec-22

Applications are now open for the 2023 Deji Alli ARM Young Talent Award (DAAYTA).

The Deji Alli ARM Young Talent Award is an ARM initiative in partnership with TechnoVision’s TVC Labs that aims at providing young Nigerians with an opportunity to develop innovative start-up ventures that add economic value to Nigeria.

The DAAYTA 2023 initiative is in line with ARM’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) with the aim of building a generation of change leaders, working together to build a better future. It seeks to support business ideas that intentionally create a positive societal impact while generating a financial return.

Focus Areas

§  Agriculture

§  Education

§  Healthcare

§  Housing

§  Transportation

Prize Details

§  The winner of DAAYTA 2023 Programme will receive Funding of N12,000,000 (twelve million naira) over a one (1) year period for the following purposes:

§  contribution to working capital.

§  Participation in an entrepreneurial education programme at the Pan Atlantic University’s Enterprise Development Centre in Lagos, Nigeria

§  receive a 5-month acceleration support services for the development of their venture by TVC Labs.

§  The second stage of the programme will require thirty (30) shortlisted applicants to submit a POEM Framework business plan, a Marketing/pitching video, detailed profiles of their Board (Directors & Advisers), and Team members, sharing their Education, Careers, Key Accomplishments and LinkedIn profiles.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the award, the applicant must:

§  be a citizen of Nigeria

§  be between 18 and 35 years of age

§  submit their application which must be their original work

§  have an MVP (minimum viable product) i.e. you have customers

§  be able to fund his/her/team travel expenses and other associated costs if required

§  be available (with co-founders/team where they exist) for the 2-day Pitch Workshop and Final Pitch Event scheduled for April 2023

§  understand the business of ARM, what they stand for; and

§  be ready to represent ARM as an Ambassador

The Programme Winner shall:

§  partake in an incubation period to develop the winning MVP into a workable one, with the duration of such incubation period dependent on the winning MVP and same to be communicated to the Programme Winner at commencement;

§  comply with the rules and regulation of the PAU-EDC incubator as well as a designated mentoring institution to be decided by ARM;

§  notify ARM at any time he/she is absent from the Management Programme; and

§  Not discontinue or otherwise abandon the Management Programme, or transfer to any other institution without the prior written consent of ARM.

 

For more information, visit VC4A.

7.     Call for Proposals: Enhancing Accountability in South Africa

      Deadline: 26-Jan-23

The European Commission (EC) is seeking Proposal for Enhancing Accountability.

The Programme aims to contribute to Sustainable evelopment Goal (SDG) 16 to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels, and supports achievement towards SGD 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development.

The benefits of accountability for society in general are numerous and significant, and include:

§  Improving the practice of good corporate governance;

§  Improving the management of public finances;

§  Reducing costs associated with investigating misconduct and misappropriation of public funds; and

§  The achievement of optimal performance and improvement of delivery of quality services to citizens.

Objectives

§  Accountability and transparency have a positive impact on social cohesion, conflict prevention and the protection of minorities, and put the rights-based approach (RBA) at the forefront of government actions. The New European Consensus on Development aligns EU policies and actions to the objectives of the 2030 agenda and stresses that good governance, democracy and rule of law are vital to sustainable development.

§  South Africa remains challenged by inequality, poverty, corruption, unemployment and uneven quality and performance of public service delivery. Partnerships between Government, development partners, civil society and the private sector are required to address and overcome these challenges.

§  organisations is critical, as CSOs play an important role in highlighting any erosion of accountability, state-capture, corruption and poor service delivery. It is necessary to support and strengthen anti-corruption initiatives taken by both civil society and by State Institutions. By means of this call for proposals, the programme will provide funding to support initiatives by civil society and other eligible actors to engage and advocate, and to collaborate with State Institutions to reduce corruption in the public and private sector.

§  The global objective of this call for proposals is to improve public governance in South Africa.

§  The specific objective of this call for proposals is to improve accountability and transparency, and support anti-corruption activities in South Africa.

Priorities

The actions under this call for proposals are expected to address the following priorities in design and implementation:

§   Strengthening anti-corruption efforts/initiatives by civil society organisations, including the media.

§   Increasing engagement, dialogue and collaboration on anti-corruption efforts between civil society, State Institutions supporting Constitutional Democracy, the public sector and the private sector.

§   Improving transparency and thereby strengthening deterrence and detection of corruption, in both the public and private sectors.

Cross-cutting elements to be addressed in of this call for proposals are:

§  Gender equality: Gender equality constitutes a fundamental human rights principle and a common value of the European Union.

§  Rights-based approach: The European Consensus on Development commits the EU and its Member States to implementing a rights-based approach (RBA) to development cooperation, encompassing all human rights.

§  Business and Human Rights: The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights should be applied by beneficiaries and associates participating in the action, where relevant.

Funding Information

§  The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 4,472,000. The contracting authority reserves the right not to award all available funds.

§  Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:

§  Minimum amount: EUR 500,000

§  Maximum amount: EUR 850,000

§  Duration: The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 24 months nor exceed 30 months.

 

Eligibility Criteria

 In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:

§  Be a legal person and

§  Be non-profit-making and

§  Be a specific type of organisations such as: non-governmental organisations, citizens’ groups, organisations representing economic and social interests, community organisations, advocacy organisations, women’s and youth organisations, research organisations, academic institutes, think tanks, education institutions, independent foundations, public bodies, media groups and international (inter-governmental) organisations as defined by Article 43 of the Implementing Rules to the EC Financial Regulation. However, in case of a multi-beneficiary grant, an International Organisation, a public sector operator, or a local authority cannot be the applicant.

§  Be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the co-applicant(s) and affiliated entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary, and

§  Be able to demonstrate to have  carried out activities in the field covered by the Call in the past three years, and

§  Be established  in South Africa or in a Member State of the European Union or other eligible countries as per the relevant provisions of the DCI regulation , and

§  If the lead applicant is established in a Member State of the European Union and other eligible countries (except South Africa), a minimum of two South African co-applicants are required.

§  Co-applicants of the Enhancing Accountability Call for Proposals that were awarded a grant contract following that first Call for Proposals and are now a “co-beneficiary” for that grant contract are eligible for this Call as lead or co-applicants.

 

For more information, visit Enhancing Accountability. 

8.  2023 Entrepreneurs for Resilience Award [A total grant of USD 700,000 for 3 Finalists]

    Deadline: 23-Jan-23

The Swiss Re Foundation is inviting applications from social entrepreneurs working to make healthcare financially more accessible in low and middle-income countries.

The Swiss Re Foundation Entrepreneurs for Resilience Award recognises initiatives by female and male entrepreneurs that take innovative approaches to build resilient societies in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The Swiss Re Foundation aims to make basic healthcare accessible to at least 1 million more people by 2024. This call for applications is an invitation to female and male social entrepreneurs working in LMICs to make healthcare financially more accessible in low-income communities. The 2023 Entrepreneurs for Resilience Award focuses on innovative solutions that increase financial access to healthcare in low-income communities.

Key Areas of Support

The 2023 Entrepreneurs for Resilience Award focuses on innovative, market-based solutions that increase financial access to healthcare in low-income communities, and that:

§  increase household resources available for healthcare, such as:

§  savings solutions that make it easier and cheaper for people to allocate resources to healthcare and/or

§  payment solutions that make healthcare more affordable and/or better adapted to cash flow constraints or that boost compliance with chronic disease treatment: and/or

§  credit solutions that allow people to pay for more expensive treatments: and/or

§  solutions that facilitate remittances from friends and family abroad to enable healthcare access and/or

§  mechanisms incentivise to and/or scale preventative healthcare provision and uptake

§  reduce health shocks that can lead to poverty or economic vulnerability after a disease or an accident, such as:

§  microinsurance schemes that increase health insurance access and/or uptake

§  financial schemes that pool resources for healthcare, optimising and improving access to affordable care for the group as a whole

§  other “safety nets” and risk mitigation mechanisms

§  They encourage enterprises that fall within the scope above and that meet the following criteria to apply.

Award Details

§  A total grant of USD 700 000 for the three finalists. This amount is divided among the winner (which may receive up to USD 350 000) and the two runners-up and paid in instalments over two to three years.

§  Non-financial support such as coaching and technical advice from Swiss Re employees and experts, tailored to each finalist’s needs.

§  Members of the general public are invited to vote for their favourite finalist. The recipient of the most votes wins the People’s Choice Award and receives a special prize.

Geographical Location: Applicants must operate in countries that are defined as low-income or lower-middle-income by the World Bank.

Target Groups

§  At least 30% of the people served by applicants must come from poor to very poor communities. Applicants should have a deep understanding of the specific circumstances of the people – both women and men – they serve (eg barriers to using financial instruments to better manage their healthcare).

§  They will prioritise enterprises that are gender-inclusive.

Eligibility Criteria

§  Applicants must demonstrate high levels of social impact and are ideally able to measure it in a reliable manner (eg, improved health indicators or/and reduced out-of-pocket expenses).

§  Applicants must be formally established, serve at least 20 000 people and have the potential to reach at least 100 000 people in the coming three years. They should also be on a clear path to financial sustainability yet still require grants (or other support) to improve their business model, reach low-income households and/or attain full financial sustainability.

§  Applicants must use digital technology or have highly digitalized processes to deliver value to underserved populations at scale.

§  Applicants must have a solid management team where responsibilities are distributed and well defined. They should also have a diverse, well-structured workforce.

§  Applicants must comply with the legal framework of the country or countries in which they operate and are registered and must be allowed to receive grant funding from a Swiss non-governmental organisation such as the Swiss Re Foundation.

 

For more information, visit Swiss Re Foundation.

Oluwatomi Otuyemi

Oluwatomi Otuyemi, a Geology graduate from Crawford University, has 5 years experience in corporate corporate communications. He has a passion for storytelling, and investigative reporting.

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