CFAs: Women Exporters in the Digital Economy Fund

The WEIDE Fund will unlock opportunities in international trade and digital trade for women entrepreneurs by improving their access to:

• grants and support from financial institutions to reduce the finance gap
• technical assistance and training related to digital skills and improving export competitiveness
• export markets, with the aim of connecting more women to digital market platforms
• networks and support services, with the objective of creating more inclusive and effective business ecosystems including leveraging partnerships with the private and public sectors.

Objectives

• With the support of the WEIDE Fund, women-led small businesses will be able to:
  • Improve their business operations to increase their competitiveness
  • Transact business and trade more effectively internationally
  • Use new or more online channels to sell their products/services
  • Create and upgrade employment opportunities
  • Benefit from additional assistance provided by a corporate partner as a result of support from the Fund.

Funding Information

• The WTO and ITC aim to raise US$ 50 million for the Fund, with an initial target of US$ 25 million, from public and private sector partners. The Fund will actively seek partnerships with various stakeholders, including governments, international organizations, development banks, philanthropic foundations, and the private sector to implement initiatives aimed at maximizing the impact of the Fund’s activities. Collaboration and knowledge-sharing will be crucial to achieving sustainable and scalable solutions.
• The Fund’s activities will be implemented through projects in specific countries in cooperation with Business Support Organizations selected through a competitive call for proposals. At the country level, the Fund will implement a two-track system tailored to meet the needs of the targeted MSMEs. Both tracks will include a grant and complementary technical assistance.
• Track One will help women-led micro and small businesses increase their competitiveness, with a focus on improving digital skills, expanding professional networks, and enhancing market access. The programme of support is expected to last approximately 9-12 months.
  • Discovery Grant
    • The Fund will provide an initial grant of between US$ 2,000 and US$ 5,000 to each selected business to provide working capital or for the purchase of equipment. This grant will be disbursed in two instalments, with each business required to set clear business objectives, demonstrate commitment to the aims of the Fund, and undergo performance checks.
  • Technical Assistance
    • The technical assistance package starts with business coaching to identify the growth potential of the business and its related needs. The resulting business plan will guide the business on how to use the resources provided through the discovery grant. Technical assistance may include training to enhance skills, support on how to gain access to virtual market platforms, branding and marketing assistance, and help on gaining access to financial solutions.
• Track Two will help exporting/export-ready women-led small and medium-sized businesses scale up their export activities and expand their markets, with a focus on using digital platforms to do so. The programme for each business is expected to last approximately 18 months.
  • Booster Grant
    • The Fund will provide grants of up to US$ 30,000 to support the selected business with working capital and/or for the purchase of equipment. This threshold may be extended by the Fund’s Technical Committee. Grant payments will be linked to the achievement of milestones and performance checks. The financial support is intended to incentivize matching finance from other sources.
  • Technical Assistance
    • The technical assistance for the Booster Grant includes bespoke coaching to help the enterprise develop a business acceleration plan. The plan will identify areas for support and investment under the booster grant. Technical assistance may include support to enhance export competitiveness, investment readiness, certification and IP registration, the use of new equipment or technologies, market access, and the development of other skills.

 Targeted Beneficiaries

• The targeted beneficiaries are:
  • women-led MSMEs in the formal sector which are already exporting or which are ready to start exporting
  • women-led, micro and small enterprises in the formal sector with export potential.

For more information, visit World Trade Organization.