Grants Innovation Fund
Promoting Business in Matabeleland North
Call for Concept Notes: Submission Information, Requirements and Conditions
Issuance Date: October 23rd, 2023
Deadline for Submissions: Accepted on a rolling basis until June 30th, 2024. Best applications will be funded on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted, which may or may not be before June 30th.
Purpose: The USAID-funded Amalima Loko project will award grants under its Grants Innovation Fund to promote investment into new or existing economic opportunities in Matabeleland North that will create jobs, increase the incomes of residents, expand access to inputs and/or services or improve marketable technical skills among youth.
Interested parties are invited to submit concept notes describing the co-investment opportunity to be supported by the Grants Innovation Fund. The concept should benefit residents of at least one targeted area in Matabeleland North and achieve one or more of the following objectives:
• Job creation
• Scale proven and sustainable business models or technologies into new geographies or to include additional clients
• Incorporate new farmers or suppliers into supply chains
• Increase the marketable skills of young people or vulnerable groups
• Increase household incomes in the target areas
The overall purpose of the Grants Innovation Fund is to co-invest with private sector entities or local NGOs that have innovative ideas that align with Amalima Loko objectives, but which lack the resources to implement those ideas or have a low appetite for risk.
Eligibility Criteria:
Geographic Requirements. Applicants are required to be selling to, buying from, or offering services to residents within Amalima Loko’s targeted districts: Binga, Lupane, Nkayi, Tsholotsho North, and Hwange (see Annex B).
Legally Registered Entities. Applicants must be legally registered in Zimbabwe as a private company, NGO, trust, cooperative, or association. Proof of registration is a pre-requisite for receiving grant resources. Amalima Loko will not award grants funds to selected applicants until registration is obtained.
Experience. Entities must have at least three years of being active as a company or organization in the proposed sector of the activity.
Grantee Leverage. At least 50% of the project cost must be covered by the grantee as leverage. Sources of leverage must be quantifiable and can include cash, services, property, staff time, etc. Amalima Loko will cover the remaining costs of the activity through the grant funds.
The full conditions of eligibility are provided in Section 4.
