Apply for AfDB Group’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative for Women Entrepreneurship Enablers ($250,000 grant)

The African Development Bank Group’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative is launching its second call for proposals for the Women Entrepreneurship Enablers program, targeting women’s business associations, incubators, accelerators, women-led cooperatives, and civil society organizations that promote the development of women entrepreneurs on the continent.

AFAWA is offering grants of up to $250,000 to organizations helping prepare African women-led businesses to drive the continent’s economies.

The program supports projects that enhance the viability and sustainability of formal women-led small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and enables them to access financing opportunities to grow their businesses.

Requirements:

• Successful proposals will demonstrate innovative approaches to building a supportive ecosystem for women’s entrepreneurship, aimed at improving access to finance for women SMEs. Enablers are expected to develop a comprehensive and sustainable capacity-building program to enable access to finance in partnership with financial institutions.
• Applicants from all 54 African countries are welcomed, and organizations in the Sahel region and North Africa are strongly encouraged to submit a proposal. Eligible organizations may request one-time funding of between $100,000 and $250,000, which will be provided through the Bank’s Gender Equality Trust Fund.

Geographical Scope

Applications are welcome from all 54 Africa countries, transitional/fragile^[1], Sahel and North African countries are strongly encouraged to submit proposals.

Funding Principles and Criteria 

1. The projects should be implemented in more than 2 countries;
2. The project duration should not exceed 2 (two) years; 
3. Recipients and project sponsors should be Africa-based or provide evidence of partnership with African entities and show that the proposed activities, operations, and projects will be implemented in Africa;
4. Applicants must be legally constituted institutions that have been in existence for at least three years with strong financial and procurement procedures;
5. Collaboration between two or several applicant enablers is encouraged;
6. Partnerships are strongly encouraged particularly with one or multiple financial organizations and with both public and private sectors;
7. Previous experience in managing external funding and executing projects from donors is required;

For More Information: Visit the Official Webpage of the AFAWA Initiative for Women Entrepreneurship Enablers. Application Deadline: 11 November 2022