Deadline: 19 March 2025
The Regional Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Matching Grant Programme is a World Bank-funded, OECS-led initiative designed to increase productivity, create jobs, and strengthen the capacity of MSMEs in select blue economy value chains, particularly for women.
The Programme falls within the Unleashing the Blue Economy of the Caribbean (UBEC) Project. It aims to strengthen MSME competitiveness and create added value while fostering the adoption of climate-resilient practices in the target sectors.
The Programme is to specifically support:
- Tourist operators, fishers, and coastal communities to increase productivity, jobs, and innovation while ensuring sustainable management of the underlying marine and coastal natural assets,
- The establishment of stronger market linkages and business relations for targeted beneficiaries with other value chain actors.
Funding Information
- Value chain groups of multiple firms working collaboratively can apply for grants ranging from USD 100,000 to USD 200,000 under Window 2.
Eligibility Criteria
- To be eligible, applicants must comply with the following criteria:
- Each MSME within the value chain group (three or more enterprises) must be legally registered or have a registered business name and operating in one of the following OECS member states: Grenada, Saint Lucia, or Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
- Each MSME must have been in operation for at least two (2) years, supported by financial statements for the last two (2) years, which can be audited or unaudited but must be presented according to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Alternatively, they can provide bank statements for the last two (2) years.
- Each MSME within the value chain group must have a business bank account. This is essential to ensure that there are proper financial practices in place and to facilitate the transaction of funds.
- Each MSME within the value chain group must have a maximum of 50 employees and annual revenues not exceeding US $1,000,000
Ineligibility Criteria
- Value chain groups with no blue economy MSMEs as members/partners
- MSMEs willing to sign an agreement with other MSMEs affirming their commitment to work collaboratively and achieve goals of their projects
- Value chain groups with a public sector organisation or NGO as a member/partner
- Value chain groups containing a member/partner that is not registered in any of the three (3) UBEC project countries
- Value chain groups submitting proposals that are not aligned with the blue economy.
For more information, visit OECS.
