Deadline: 28-Feb-21
The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) and All On are excited to request proposals for the USADF-all On Off-Grid Energy Challenge. Proposals are invited from eligible Nigerian off-grid energy companies. Selected enterprises will receive funding in the form of convertible debt and grant capital.
Projects are to be focused on increasing sustainable energy access, specifically off-grid solutions, and extending the delivery of electrification to unserved and underserved communities in Nigeria. The type of clean energy technologies to be proposed may include, but are not limited to, solar, hydro, wind, biomass, biogas, gas, and hybrid systems.
Funding Information
- Proposals of up to US$100,000 in 50/50 blended financing (grant/ debt or equity) per award will be considered, with a maximum of twenty (20) awards anticipated.
- Winning applicants will receive:
- An investment in the form of a convertible loan at an affordable interest rate and/or an equity investment;
- Seed capital from All On in the form of grants, and from USADF in the form of Community Reinvestment Grant (CRG) funds. The CRG intends for grant recipients to recommit a percentage of grant funding to a local organization to further support community-level projects in Nigeria;
- Access to intensive local technical assistance and governance support.
Outcomes
- To increase electrical generation to unserved and underserved communities through sustainable business model solutions;
- To expand electricity access – delivered through off-grid solutions such as home systems or micro-grids;
- To increase access to electricity for productive and/or household use – while this may include power to meet household consumer needs, emphasis is also given to the delivery of power to productive or commercial activities including agricultural production and processing, commercial enterprises, and others.
Eligibility Criteria
- USADF and All On will consider proposals from 100% African-owned and majority Nigerian-owned and Nigerian managed companies. Passports or other government-issued IDs of all owners and senior managers must be submitted with the applications. If the applying company is owned wholly or in part by another company, passports or other government-issues IDs of its owners must also be provided. The applying companies must be for-profit enterprises and must not be government-owned or operated in any way. Applicants may be developers of their own technology and/or may be acquiring and implementing technology developed elsewhere. Applicants need to be legally registered in Nigeria and demonstrate the capacity to track and manage the project resources and operate in good standing with the local governments in which they operate.
- Winning proposals must:
- Further develop, scale up or extend use of proven technologies for off–grid energy in Nigeria.
- Benefit marginalized, or low-income rural or urban populations currently underserved by utility companies, ideally with a focus on benefits to women and girls and communities in the Niger Delta.
- Demonstrate financial sustainability or the potential for financial sustainability. The proposed investment period must include approximately three months of generation of electricity (or generation of energy) and revenue/cash flow from sales.
- Demonstrate a proven track record of experience or have project sponsors or partners with a proven track record of related experience.
- Propose a budget of no more than US$100,000. Proposals with budgets greater than US$100,000 must bring leveraged resources from one or more other sources that meet the total financing requirements.
- Leveraged funds from other private sector and donor sources are encouraged.
- Demonstrate clearly whether and how many new connections will be added, as well as potential for future replication. A “new connection” is defined as new mini-grid connection or home system installed.
- Applications for projects/ businesses leveraging wind, hydro, biomass, and gas as the energy source are greatly encouraged.
- Women-owned or -managed business is a plus.
For more information, visit https://www.usadf.gov/apply