Deadline: 31 August 2019
The Power Africa Off-grid Project (PAOP), a United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-contracted project implemented by RTI International is currently seeking applications to fund one or multiple awards to provide incentives, in the form of grants, to qualified organizations/companies to catalyze rapid growth of off-grid energy access solutions in West and Central Africa.
Grant Categories
There are two opportunities companies may choose to apply for:
- Market Entry:
- This grant theme will support SHS and micro-grid companies to enter underserved geographic markets or approach market segments that present particular risks to their business model, such as high operational expense, customer willingness or ability to pay, or uncertainty of grid extension. Grant funding will be used to defray costs associated with those specific risks, rather than subsidizing end user costs.
- Applicants will demonstrate the additionality of the proposed grant activities by providing a risk analysis of their target geography or market segment, and a narrative comparing those risks to other areas or customers targeted for expansion. Grant activities should be directly related to risk mitigation measures identified in this analysis. Such activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Operational setup – establishing shops, on boarding sales agents;
- Development of last-mile supply chain;
- Specialized sales agent training;
- Call center staffing for local languages;
- Tailored or intensified promotional campaigns;
- Tailored payment plans;
- Partnership facilitation – legal or due diligence costs associated with a key local partnership;
- Identification of initial target communities;
- Address security risks;
- Accommodations for specific disabilities.
- Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) integration into off-grid solutions:
- This grant window will support off-grid companies including: SHS, micro-grid, Micro Finance Institution (MFI), productive-use companies to develop, integrate, or improve their capacity to use PAYGO technology, such as establishing partnerships with mobile network operators, integrating PAYGO platforms, improving customer management and customer data analysis systems through Advanced Programming Interface (API) integration. Grants will cover specific activities in the applicant’s overall PAYGO technology roadmap.
- Proposals will feature a PAYGO roadmap which outlines the objectives, activities and timelines associated with the applicant’s PAYGO initiative. The roadmap will demonstrate how activities will contribute to profitability and market reach. Such activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Facilitation of Mobile Network Operator (MNO) or Mobile Money Operate (MMO) partnerships – legal or due diligence costs associated with partnership
- Integration of a PAYGO platform into an off-grid solution;
- Development or adoption of credit scoring technology;
- Development or adoption of after-sales or customer management platforms;
- Use of machine learning – e.g. predicting churn; predicting leads; understanding payment behavior;
Funding Information
Individual grants awarded as a result of this RFA and submission of a final application are intended to be within the range of USD100,000 to USD250,000.
Program Duration
The duration of programs funded under this RFA will be for a maximum period of 12 months from the date of award.
Geographical Areas
Grant activities may be conducted in any of the following sub-Saharan Africa (West and Central Africa) countries: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. PAOP will partner directly with organizations based in these countries.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must be a registered company/enterprise (including micro-enterprises or groups of micro-enterprises), associations, cooperatives, and cooperative unions in the country/ies they are proposing to work. All Applicants should:
- Be legal persons;
- Be formally constituted at the time of grant award;
- Be compliant to government of Host Country regulations (submit tax compliance certificate or equivalent);
- Have their principal place of business in host country/countries;
- Organizations that already have a presence or are currently working in some of the above mentioned geographical areas will be considered.
How to Apply
The technical application and other supporting documents shall be submitted electronically at the address given on the website.
For more information, please visit https://www.rti.org/current-opportunities