Deadline: 30-Jun-2026
The UN-Habitat Kenya Country Programme, with funding from the European Union, has launched a Call for Proposals to identify an implementing partner for green eco-coproduction initiatives and housing finance support in Muhoroni, Kisumu County, Kenya. The initiative supports community-led incremental housing, sustainable construction materials, vocational training, housing finance solutions, and local housing supply chain development. Eligible applicants must be legally registered not-for-profit entities with strong governance, financial documentation, and operational capacity.
Overview
The UN-Habitat Kenya Country Programme is inviting proposals to identify an implementing partner for green eco-coproduction and housing finance support for incremental housing development in Muhoroni, Kisumu County.
The initiative is part of the Partnership Implementing the New Urban Agenda project, also known as PINUA.
The project is funded by the European Union and implemented by UN-Habitat in partnership with the Government of Kenya.
It aims to promote inclusive, green, and resilient urbanisation by addressing housing supply gaps and supporting community-led housing development.
Key Focus Areas
The project focuses on green housing, community participation, and affordable housing finance.
Key focus areas include:
- Community engagement in pilot housing construction
- Eco-coproduction of green incremental housing
- Community-led housing development
- Vocational training partnerships
- Practical learning for construction skills
- Sustainable building materials
- Production of building materials
- Artisanal and semi-industrial SME development
- Housing supply chain business opportunities
- Innovative housing finance solutions
- Affordable housing finance
- Stakeholder engagement
- Sustainability frameworks
- County and national government collaboration
- Documentation of best practices
- Lessons learned from pilot implementation
- Digital tools for finance and construction services
Purpose of the Call
The purpose of the Call for Proposals is to select an implementing partner that can support the execution of green housing and housing finance activities in Muhoroni.
The selected partner will help communities participate directly in incremental housing development through training, co-production, savings, sweat equity, and practical construction support.
The project also seeks to strengthen local housing systems by promoting sustainable materials, building local skills, supporting SMEs, and exploring finance mechanisms that can make housing more accessible.
Project Background
Kenya continues to face a significant housing deficit due to rapid urbanisation and increasing demand for affordable housing.
Formal housing production remains limited, while cooperatives and individual homeowners continue to play an important role in housing delivery.
The PINUA project responds to this situation by piloting innovative approaches to homeowner-led incremental housing, blended finance, sustainable construction materials, and community-driven development.
Project Location
The project will be implemented in Muhoroni Town, Kisumu County, Kenya.
Target informal settlements include:
- Shauri Yako
- Shauri Moyo
The project builds on previous interventions under the Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Programme and participatory slum upgrading initiatives.
Housing Development Approach
The project will support the development of starter homes through a community-based model.
This approach includes:
- Sweat equity
- Community savings
- Vocational training
- Housing finance mechanisms
- Green incremental housing
- Sustainable construction materials
- Community participation in construction
- Practical learning linked to housing production
The model aims to strengthen community ownership while supporting practical and affordable housing solutions.
Role of the Implementing Partner
The selected implementing partner will support coordination, delivery, and documentation of project activities.
Responsibilities may include:
- Coordinating green housing construction
- Supporting community mobilisation
- Facilitating training and curriculum development
- Supporting co-production skills development
- Promoting sustainable building materials
- Strengthening MSME capacity
- Supporting construction management
- Engaging stakeholders
- Exploring digital tools for finance and construction services
- Supporting housing finance linkages
- Documenting lessons learned and best practices
Community Engagement
Community engagement is central to the project.
The implementing partner should demonstrate a strong understanding of local communities, including their socio-economic conditions, cultural contexts, and previous development experiences.
Community engagement may include:
- Working with residents of Shauri Yako and Shauri Moyo
- Supporting local participation in housing planning
- Facilitating community savings and sweat equity models
- Strengthening trust and ownership
- Ensuring local voices inform project implementation
- Supporting inclusive participation in housing development
Vocational Training and Skills Development
The project promotes collaboration with vocational training institutions.
This collaboration will support practical learning and the production of building materials.
Skills development may include:
- Construction-related training
- Green building skills
- Sustainable material production
- Practical site-based learning
- Curriculum development
- Co-production skills
- Youth and community skills development
- Training linked to local housing needs
MSME and Housing Supply Chain Support
The project will support the development of housing supply chain business opportunities.
This includes support for artisanal and semi-industrial SMEs involved in construction, materials, and related services.
MSME support may include:
- Capacity strengthening
- Business opportunity development
- Support for sustainable building material production
- Linkages to housing supply chains
- Technical and business development support
- Promotion of local economic participation
Housing Finance Support
The project will promote innovative and affordable housing finance solutions.
Housing finance support may include:
- Exploration of blended finance models
- Support for community savings approaches
- Finance mechanisms linked to incremental housing
- Digital tools for finance services
- Support for affordable homeowner-led housing
- Engagement with finance stakeholders
These solutions are intended to help communities access practical pathways for incremental housing development.
Sustainability and Best Practices
The project places emphasis on sustainability and learning.
The implementing partner will be expected to support:
- Sustainability frameworks
- Green construction practices
- Documentation of best practices
- Lessons learned from implementation
- Evidence from community-led housing models
- Stakeholder learning and coordination
- Replicable approaches for future housing initiatives
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants must be legally registered not-for-profit entities.
Applicants must provide proof of registration and demonstrate operational presence in their country of operation.
Eligible applicants should also show strong governance, financial management, and implementation capacity.
Required Documentation
Applicants must provide organizational and governance documentation.
Required documentation includes:
- Proof of legal registration
- Organizational profile
- Governance structure
- Certified board information
- Audited financial statements for the last two years
- Confirmation of ability to maintain a separate bank account for project funds
- Completed integrity documentation
- Completed governance documentation
- Profiles of key organizational leadership
Applicants should ensure that all documents are accurate, complete, and up to date.
Expected Results
The project is expected to contribute to inclusive, green, and resilient housing development in Muhoroni.
Expected results may include:
- Improved community capacity for housing co-production
- Construction of pilot green housing units
- Increased practical skills in green construction
- Stronger collaboration with vocational training institutions
- Improved access to housing finance support
- Strengthened local housing supply chains
- Enhanced MSME participation in housing development
- Increased use of sustainable construction materials
- Stronger community ownership of incremental housing
- Documented lessons and best practices for future replication
Why It Matters
Affordable housing remains a major challenge in Kenya, especially in rapidly urbanising areas and informal settlements.
Many communities need practical, affordable, and sustainable housing solutions that reflect local realities.
This project matters because it combines community participation, green construction, vocational training, housing finance, and SME development into one integrated approach.
By supporting homeowner-led incremental housing, the initiative can help communities become active eco-co-producers while improving access to safer, greener, and more resilient housing.
How to Apply or Prepare a Strong Proposal
Applicants should prepare a clear proposal that demonstrates technical capacity, local understanding, community engagement experience, and ability to manage housing-related implementation activities.
Step 1: Confirm Eligibility
Applicants should confirm that they are legally registered not-for-profit entities and can provide proof of registration.
They should also confirm that they have the governance, financial, and operational systems required to manage project funds.
Step 2: Demonstrate Local Understanding
A strong proposal should show understanding of Muhoroni, including Shauri Yako and Shauri Moyo.
Applicants should explain:
- Knowledge of local communities
- Understanding of socio-economic conditions
- Awareness of cultural contexts
- Experience with informal settlement development
- Understanding of previous interventions such as KISIP and participatory slum upgrading
Step 3: Present a Clear Implementation Approach
The proposal should explain how the applicant will support green housing construction, community participation, vocational training, MSME support, and housing finance activities.
The approach should include:
- Community mobilisation
- Training activities
- Construction coordination
- Sustainable material promotion
- MSME engagement
- Finance support mechanisms
- Stakeholder coordination
- Monitoring and documentation
Step 4: Build Partnerships
Applicants should identify relevant partners that can support implementation.
Potential partners may include:
- Vocational training institutions
- County government actors
- National government stakeholders
- Community groups
- Housing cooperatives
- MSMEs
- Finance institutions
- Construction professionals
- Local leaders
Partnerships should strengthen delivery, learning, and sustainability.
Step 5: Explain Sustainability
Applicants should describe how project benefits will continue beyond the implementation period.
Sustainability may include:
- Local skills development
- Community ownership
- Sustainable building material supply chains
- MSME business opportunities
- Housing finance mechanisms
- Replicable housing models
- Documentation of lessons learned
Step 6: Prepare Required Documents
Applicants should ensure that all required documents are complete before submission.
These include registration documents, audited financial statements, governance information, leadership profiles, integrity documentation, and confirmation of a separate bank account for project funds.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid submitting incomplete or weak proposals.
Common mistakes include:
- Not providing proof of legal registration
- Submitting incomplete governance documents
- Not including audited financial statements for the last two years
- Failing to show operational capacity
- Not demonstrating understanding of Muhoroni’s local context
- Ignoring community-led housing principles
- Providing a weak vocational training approach
- Not explaining housing finance support clearly
- Not showing how MSMEs will be engaged
- Failing to address sustainability
- Not documenting how lessons learned will be captured
- Not confirming ability to maintain a separate project bank account
Tips for a Strong Proposal
A strong proposal should be practical, community-focused, and technically sound.
Useful tips include:
- Clearly explain how communities will participate in housing development.
- Show strong knowledge of Shauri Yako and Shauri Moyo.
- Include practical plans for green housing construction.
- Demonstrate collaboration with vocational training institutions.
- Explain how sustainable materials will be promoted.
- Include MSME capacity strengthening and supply chain opportunities.
- Present realistic housing finance support mechanisms.
- Show how county and national government stakeholders will be engaged.
- Include a strong sustainability and learning framework.
- Provide complete governance, financial, and integrity documentation.
FAQ
1. What is this UN-Habitat Kenya Call for Proposals about?
The call seeks an implementing partner for green eco-coproduction initiatives and housing finance support for incremental housing development in Muhoroni, Kisumu County, Kenya.
2. Who funds the project?
The project is funded by the European Union.
3. Who implements the PINUA project?
The project is implemented by UN-Habitat in partnership with the Government of Kenya.
4. Where will the project be implemented?
The project will be implemented in Shauri Yako and Shauri Moyo informal settlements in Muhoroni Town, Kisumu County.
5. What activities will the implementing partner support?
The implementing partner will support community engagement, green housing construction, vocational training, sustainable materials, MSME capacity building, housing finance support, stakeholder engagement, and documentation of best practices.
6. Who can apply?
Eligible applicants must be legally registered not-for-profit entities with proof of registration and operational presence in their country of operation.
7. What documents are required?
Applicants must submit organizational profiles, governance structures, certified board information, audited financial statements for the last two years, confirmation of ability to maintain a separate bank account, integrity and governance documents, and profiles of key leadership.
Conclusion
The UN-Habitat Kenya Call for Proposals offers an important opportunity to support green, inclusive, and community-led housing development in Muhoroni, Kisumu County.
Through the PINUA project, the selected implementing partner will help advance incremental housing, sustainable construction, vocational skills development, MSME participation, and affordable housing finance. Strong proposals should demonstrate legal eligibility, strong governance, financial accountability, local understanding, community engagement capacity, technical expertise, and a practical approach to green eco-coproduction and housing finance support.
For more information, visit UN-Habitat.