CFAs: Supporting Youth to develop Micro and Small Businesses in Busoga Region (Uganda)

This call for proposals aims to address the lack of employment opportunities and barriers to inclusive economic development for vulnerable youth, particularly young women, by supporting the development of sustainable micro- and small businesses.

In first instance, the project aims to enhance resilience needs of vulnerable youth/ youth groups. The call therefore targets micro- and small businesses, including in the informal economy, that can generate sufficient income or enhance income diversification, for sustainable livelihoods and enhanced food security.

The call aims to unlock entrepreneurship potential and primarily promotes business development support actions. The target groups are therefore skilled youth who have the entrepreneurial mindset, capacity and are ready but in need of support to start their micro-business and/or youth business-owners in need of support to make their business resilient and maximize its value.

Objectives

• The general objective of this Call for Proposals is: The livelihoods of vulnerable youth, including young women, in Busoga subregion, are improved and sustained through access to self employment opportunities.
• The specific objective of this Call for Proposals is: Vulnerable youth, including young women, start and grow sustainable micro- or small businesses, through enhanced access to quality business development support.

Themes

• The call targets sustainable micro- and small business development support in the following value chains:
  • Agriculture:
    • Fish value chain;
    • Apiary value chain;
    • Coffee and cocoa value chains;
• Small livestock (poultry and piggery) or other agricultural value chains may be considered in a mixed farming context whereby the above listed value chains represent the major source of income generation.
• Green economy:
  • Sustainable tourism and hospitality value chains;
  • Sustainable forestry value chains (sustainable timber and non-timber, including agroforestry);
  • Green construction value chains

Funding Information

• The total indicative amount available under this Call for Proposals is 650,000 EUR. The contracting authority reserves the right not to award all of the available funds.
• Any grant application under this Call for Proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
  • Minimum amount: 150,000 EUR
  • Maximum amount: 350,000 EUR

Duration

• The initial planned duration of an action may not be less than 15 months nor exceed 24 months(excluding 3 months grant closure).
• Within the actions, the duration of business support schemes shall not be less than 6 months, nor exceed 12 months.

Expected Results

• Expected results are:
  • 650 vulnerable youth, including young women (ie. Skilled, unemployed youth as well as youth business-owners), are supported to start or grow sustainable micro- and small businesses through quality business development support;
  • 650 vulnerable youth (the same target group as under expected result), are supported to access affordable finance and capital to start or grow their micro- or small businesses;
  • Good practices in (green/climate-smart) business development services for the economic integration of vulnerable youth are scaled-up.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicant
  • To be admissible for grants, the applicant must satisfy the following conditions:
    • Be a legal entity;
    • Be a private not for profit entity or foundation;
    • Be established or represented in Uganda;
    • Be any of the following types of organization:
  • National or International Non-Governmental Organization, Civil Society or Community-Based Organization, or Foundation;
  • Business Membership Organisation;
  • Non-profit Business Development Service Provider.
  • Have demonstrated local expertise and experience in managing quality business development initiatives and economic empowerment of vulnerable youth and young women in Uganda for – at least – the past 2 years;
  • Be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the co applicant(s) (where applicable) and not be acting as an intermediary;
  • Have an active Bank Account for the past 12 months;
  • Have in-house financial management capacity.
• Co-applicant(s)
  • The applicant may act with one or maximum two co-applicants. A partnership with (a) co applicant(s) is to optimize the accumulation of complementary expertise needed to obtain the objectives of the action. Any co-applicant(s) shall participate in the definition and the implementation of the action, and the costs that they incur shall be eligible in the same way as those incurred by the applicant.
  • Co-applicants must meet the following conditions:
    • Be a legal entity;
    • Be a public entity; or
    • Be a private not for profit entity or foundation; or
    • Be a legal entity of private law for which profit maximization is not the priority objective,
    • Be established or represented in Uganda;
    • Be any of the following types of organization:
      • Accredited public or private non-profit technical and/or vocational skills training provider;
      • Semi-autonomous public agency in Research and Development, agricultural extension services or community development;
      • National or International NGO, Civil Society or Community-Based Organization, or Foundation;
      • Business Membership Organisation;
      • Non-profit Business Development Service provider;
      • A cooperative or social enterprise for which profit maximization is not the priority objective;
    • Have demonstrated expertise and experience in participating in the implementation of quality business development initiatives and economic empowerment of vulnerable youth and young women in the geographical target area for – at least – the past 2 years;
    • Have an operational governance structure and an active bank account for the past 12 months.

For more information, visit Enabel.