Call for Proposals to Support Women’s Entrepreneurship

Deadline: 07-Apr-2026

Expertise France is offering grants of up to EUR 2.5 million to strengthen women’s entrepreneurship in Kinshasa and Kikwit, Democratic Republic of Congo. The program provides technical, financial, and coaching support to women-led businesses, while reinforcing the public and private ecosystem for gender-inclusive entrepreneurship. Eligible applicants are legally constituted organizations capable of supporting women entrepreneurs.

Program Overview

This call for proposals aims to promote economic empowerment for women and reduce gender inequalities by supporting entrepreneurial initiatives led by women. The program focuses on:

• Strengthening support ecosystems for women entrepreneurs at national and territorial levels

• Providing technical and financial support to selected women entrepreneurs to enhance business performance and sustainability

• Promoting awareness and communication around women’s entrepreneurship, including combating stereotypes, gender-based violence, and restrictive social norms

The initiative includes robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track outcomes and impact.

Funding and Grant Structure

The total indicative budget for this call is EUR 2,500,000, with grants ranging between EUR 200,000 and EUR 1,000,000. Expertise France may choose not to allocate the entire budget.

The program is divided into three lots:

• Lot 1: Support Activities

  • Technical training, coaching, and capacity-building for women entrepreneurs

  • Grant range: EUR 150,000 – EUR 500,000

• Lot 2: Financial Services & Inclusion

  • Access to loans, financial literacy programs, and other financial services for women entrepreneurs

  • Grant range: EUR 150,000 – EUR 800,000

• Lot 3: Combined Services

  • Financial and non-financial support for women-owned businesses

  • Grant range: Determined per proposed action within the overall budget

The program intends to subsidize 4–6 legally constituted organizations, which will act as support and financing structures for women entrepreneurs. Each organization must specify its operational capacity and the number of women entrepreneurs it plans to support.

Target Beneficiaries

• Women entrepreneurs with:

  • At least 1 year of business activity for conventional businesses

  • At least 6 months of activity for innovative sectors (technology, digital, sustainable development)

• Women entrepreneurs are indirect beneficiaries; grants are awarded to selected organizations, not individuals.

The program aims to reach at least 600 women entrepreneurs and provide financial support to at least 400 of them through the selected organizations.

Eligible Applicants

Lead applicants must be legal entities operating non-profit or without profit margins on the project budget. Eligible categories include:

• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or associations

• Cooperatives

• Private companies

• Financial service operators authorized to provide financial services in the DRC

For applicants providing alternative or repayable financial services, they must hold authorization under Congolese law and operate on a non-profit basis.

Who Can Apply?

Applicants must:

• Be legally constituted in DRC

• Have experience and capacity to support women entrepreneurs

• Submit proposals in line with RAAP eligibility criteria and program priorities

• Include details of operational capacity, target number of women supported, and types of services provided

Key Objectives

1. Strengthen the ecosystem for women’s entrepreneurship at national and territorial levels

2. Enhance business performance and sustainability for women entrepreneurs

3. Promote gender equality and awareness, including combating stereotypes and gender-based violence

4. Implement robust monitoring to measure program impact

FAQs

1. Who are the final beneficiaries?
Women entrepreneurs with at least 1 year of business activity (or 6 months in innovative sectors). They are indirect beneficiaries.

2. Who receives the grant?
The grant is awarded to selected organizations, not individual entrepreneurs.

3. What types of activities are supported?

• Technical training, coaching, and mentoring

• Financial inclusion initiatives

• Capacity-building and business development support

• Awareness campaigns on gender equality

4. What is the funding range?
Grants range from EUR 200,000 to EUR 1,000,000, depending on the lot and proposed action.

5. Who is eligible to apply?
Legal entities operating as non-profits, including NGOs, cooperatives, private companies, and authorized financial service providers in the DRC.

6. How many organizations will be selected?
Between 4 and 6 organizations, based on operational capacity and alignment with program priorities.

7. Are women entrepreneurs directly funded?
No. Grants are managed by selected organizations who then provide support to women entrepreneurs.

Conclusion

This Expertise France initiative offers a transformative opportunity to strengthen women-led businesses in Kinshasa and Kikwit. By supporting eligible organizations, the program reinforces the ecosystem for women’s entrepreneurship, enhances business sustainability, and advances gender equality and social impact across the Democratic Republic of Congo.

For more information, visit Expertise France.