UNDP Africa Launches $250K Grant for African Women-Owned MSMEs

• The Accelerate Africa Entrepreneurship Challenge has called for applications from UNDP Africa
• Part of UNDP's Youth and Women Entrepreneurship Portfolio
• It supports business solutions to social issues

The United Nations Development Programme Africa has put forth a public Call for Funding Proposals for the Accelerate Africa Entrepreneurship Challenge, involving the UNDP Youth and Women Entrepreneurship Portfolio.

The funding will target the growing youth population in Africa through productive jobs and improved livelihoods. The initiative will translate to economic empowerment for youth and women entrepreneurs to develop business solutions to advance women and youth social problems, including sustainable employability, across Africa.

It will focus on underserved and vulnerable communities; respond to market pressure in the emerging market world, and work to build pathways or linkages to the formal market/supply chain for youth- and women-led MSMEs.

To be eligible, applicants must be fully African-owned and operated and all owners and senior management must have citizenship in an African country.

Eligible applicants may be profit or non-profit entities that are legally registered and functioning as legal entities in the African continent. Government-owned or controlled organizations are not eligible.

Proposed projects must work with underserved or vulnerable communities, and applicants must show clear evidence of the proposed project outcomes measuring improved livelihoods - for youth and women in particular.

Projects must be innovative, replicable and focused on addressing needs that are local, unique and significant. Projects must include appropriate components that include but are not limited to job creation or job development, poverty alleviation, and increased access for youth and women.

Applicants will need to provide evidence of capacity in managing grants, providing services, managing finances, and organizational sustainability. Proposals requesting over $250,000 are also required to have co-partnering, co-funding or proof of leveraged funding.

Selected projects will receive funding for amounts between US$20,000 and more than US$250,000, depending on the specific project scope, along with capacity drenching and technical support from UNDP during implementation.

The participants will also gain opportunities to interact, network, and partner with other development stakeholders, as well as benefit from increased visibility and credibility through other work when associated with UNDP.