RFAs: Partnerships for Women’s Digital Empowerment at Scale

Deadline: 08-Jul-2026

The SheConnects Digital Accelerator: Africa Round 2 supports organizations using digital technologies and partnerships to improve outcomes for women and children across Sub-Saharan Africa. The programme focuses on scalable digital solutions in health, education, and agriculture/livelihoods, with strong emphasis on reaching at least 50,000 women within an 18-month implementation period.

The funding aims to strengthen women’s digital empowerment through practical, inclusive, and scalable approaches that can operate effectively in low-resource environments.

About the Programme

• The accelerator supports digital solutions for women’s empowerment.
• It focuses on health, education, and agriculture/livelihoods.
• The programme targets women, children, and households in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• It promotes scalable and practical digital innovations.
• Funding prioritizes real-world impact and large-scale reach.
• The initiative encourages partnerships and trusted delivery networks.
• Responsible AI use and safeguards are encouraged where applicable.

Programme Objectives

• Improve women’s and children’s health and nutrition outcomes.
• Increase household income and economic resilience.
• Strengthen educational access and learning outcomes.
• Expand access to digital services for women.
• Support scalable models for long-term impact.
• Enhance livelihood opportunities in underserved communities.
• Promote equitable access to digital tools and services.
• Enable sustainable and adaptable program delivery models.

Priority Focus Areas

• Digital health solutions for women and children.
• Nutrition and health improvement initiatives.
• Digital education platforms and learning support.
• Agricultural productivity and livelihood support tools.
• Income generation and economic empowerment programmes.
• Community-based digital service delivery.
• Women-focused financial and resilience-building tools.
• AI-enabled solutions with responsible safeguards.

Programme Design Approaches

Applicants may implement:

Last Mile Service Provider (LMSP) Models

• Delivered through trusted frontline actors.
• Includes community-based organizations and health workers.
• Engages educators, extension agents, and women’s groups.
• Relies on existing local service networks.
• Focuses on human-supported digital delivery.

Direct to Participant (D2P) Models

• Digital services delivered directly to users.
• Uses platforms, apps, or mobile-based systems.
• Includes onboarding, engagement, and retention systems.
• Requires clear safeguarding and support mechanisms.
• Suitable for scalable digital distribution.

Applicants may also propose hybrid models combining LMSP and D2P approaches.

Funding Information

• Grant size: USD 500,000 to USD 1,000,000.
• Implementation period: 18 months.
• Expected start date: January 2027.
• Target reach: at least 50,000 women users per project.
• Funding supports scaling and implementation of proven solutions.
• Focus is on delivery and expansion, not early-stage ideation.

Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants include:

• Nonprofit and civil society organizations.
• Mission-driven for-profit organizations.
• Academic institutions.
• Consortia or partnerships led by a primary applicant.

Applicants must demonstrate:

• Alignment with women’s empowerment goals.
• Capacity for large-scale implementation.
• Experience in digital or development programming.
• Ability to work in low-resource environments.
• Strong partnership and delivery networks.

Ineligible Applicants

The following are not eligible as prime applicants:

• Individuals.
• Entities classified as individuals for U.S. tax purposes.
• Government agencies or departments.
• Multilateral or bilateral institutions (as lead applicants only).

However:

• Multilateral and bilateral institutions may participate as sub-grantees in consortia.

Key Selection Priorities

Preference is given to proposals that:

• Center women’s lived experiences and needs.
• Build on proven, scalable solutions.
• Demonstrate strong implementation capacity.
• Use practical and adaptable digital technologies.
• Show credible pathways to reach 50,000+ women.
• Leverage trusted community and institutional partnerships.
• Ensure long-term financial and operational sustainability.
• Can be adapted across regions and funding environments.
• Apply responsible AI principles and safeguards.

Expected Outcomes

Funded projects should deliver:

• Expanded access to digital services for women.
• Improved health and nutrition outcomes.
• Increased household income and resilience.
• Better educational outcomes for children and youth.
• Large-scale adoption of digital tools and platforms.
• Strengthened delivery ecosystems and partnerships.
• Sustainable models for long-term impact.
• Increased inclusion of underserved populations.

Why This Programme Matters

• Women in Sub-Saharan Africa often face barriers to digital access.
• Digital tools can improve health, education, and livelihoods at scale.
• Trusted local networks increase adoption and impact.
• Scalable models help reach underserved populations efficiently.
• Integrating AI responsibly can improve service delivery outcomes.
• Strong partnerships enhance sustainability and reach.
• Large-scale digital interventions can drive systemic change.

Application Tips

• Clearly define how you will reach at least 50,000 women.
• Demonstrate proven implementation experience in similar contexts.
• Show strong local partnerships and delivery channels.
• Provide a realistic 18-month scale-up plan.
• Explain your digital delivery model (LMSP, D2P, or hybrid).
• Include safeguarding and inclusion strategies.
• Highlight sustainability beyond the grant period.
• Ensure technology is appropriate for low-resource settings.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the SheConnects Digital Accelerator: Africa?

• It is a funding programme supporting scalable digital solutions that empower women in health, education, and livelihoods across Sub-Saharan Africa.

How much funding is available?

• Grants range from USD 500,000 to USD 1,000,000.

What is the project duration?

• The implementation period is 18 months, starting around January 2027.

Who can apply?

• Nonprofits, civil society organizations, mission-driven for-profits, academic institutions, and consortia.

What is the minimum user reach required?

• Projects must demonstrate a pathway to reach at least 50,000 women.

Are governments or multilateral institutions eligible as lead applicants?

• No, but they may participate as sub-grantees in consortia.

Can the funding be used for product development or business operations?

• No, it cannot be used for core commercial development, customer acquisition, or general operations.

Conclusion

The SheConnects Digital Accelerator: Africa Round 2 provides significant funding for organizations capable of scaling digital solutions that improve the lives of women and families across Sub-Saharan Africa. By prioritizing large-scale reach, practical innovation, and trusted delivery systems, the programme aims to strengthen health, education, and livelihoods outcomes while advancing sustainable women’s digital empowerment.

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