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Grants to Support SMEs in Uganda

Deadline: 20-Aug-21

UNDP is calling for proposals to Support the Development Minerals Sector in Uganda.

The ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme is capacity building program that aims to build the profile, and improve the management, of Development Minerals. The program is an initiative of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific (OACP) Group of States, financed by the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and implemented by UNDP. The programme, currently under a second phase of implementation, aims to enable ASMEs in the Development Minerals sector to achieve better livelihoods through higher employment and incomes from their mining operations.

UNDP Uganda wishes to initiate an Innovation Challenge Call for “Scaling up inclusive business models in support of Uganda’s Development Minerals sector to create opportunities for all”. This Innovation Challenge Call seeks to support the scale-up of inclusive business solutions, by addressing key business level barriers through targeted funding and/or targeted technical assistance and co-creation to scale. Applicants should present an innovative idea/solution that helps them to scale-up operations and impact, with appropriate contextualization for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives

  • To support two SMEs in the development minerals value chains to pilot and/or scale up inclusive business models that increase women’s participation in development minerals value chains (Target: minimum 100 women in mining- applicants to detail targeted direct and indirect number of people targeted)
  • To support one organization to develop an appropriate financial product for SMEs in the Development Minerals value chains. The product will provide a reference point for financial services providers to customise credit and other financing instruments to support capitalization of Development Minerals value and supply chains. (Key reference – Report on the Value Chain and Market Analysis of Development Minerals in Uganda)
  • To support one organization to develop a digitals solution to enhance access to markets and market information; and access to appropriate technologies in the Development Minerals value chains.
  • To support three SMEs in the development minerals value chains to pilot and/or scale-up inclusive business models for product development and value addition that benefit the poor and low-income people. (Target: Minimum 300 Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners)

Funding Information

  • Winners can receive between US$10,000 – US$ 25,000 in cash and/or in-kind support (goods and services) through this Innovation Challenge. For example, if your business/organization struggles with a lack of skilled staff, the funding could be used for a training program. It could also be used to fund trainings of local communities to deliver products or services at a quality that matches market demand.
    • Component One: Grants to Pilot and/or scale up inclusive business models that increase women’s participation in their Value Chains (Funding available: US$10,000 – US$ 25000) Target: Minimum 100 women in mining
    • Component Two: Grant to develop and operationalize a credit financial product for SMEs in the Development Minerals sector and pilot mass online training to a minimum of 500 Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners on the user interface of the product (Funding available: US$10,000)
    • Component Three:
      • Grants to:
        • Develop and launch an online-offline digital solution/platform with smartphone user interface to enhance access to markets and market information; and appropriate technologies in the Development Minerals sector and
        • provide training or other similar support at least 500 usersincluding ASM miners and Development Minerals market stakeholders on the practicalities of the solution (Funding available: US$10,000 – US$ 15000)
    • Component Four: selected SMEs in the DM sector to pilot and/or scale-up their inclusive business models for product development and value addition (Funding available: US$10,000 – US$ 25000) Target: Minimum 300 Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners
  • The grants award contribution must be matched with at least the same amount by the recipient of the award, in cash or in-kind. In cash contribution on the part of innovators are encouraged and will be preferred in the evaluation. In case of in-kind matching, only new contributions (as opposed to existing resources) by the applicant will be taken into consideration. However, reassigning current employees to implement the proposed solution by carrying out new activities shall be considered an in-kind contribution.
  • The grant award winners will go through sessions of mentorship to allow for co-creation and ideation of the solution to scale. This will be technical assistance in further improving or tweaking the solution to meet the desired scalability.

Eligibility Criteria

Applications must be led by a private sector firm or a not-for-profit social enterprise with a financially sustainable business model.

  • The organization must already operate an inclusive business. It must be able to show that a significant number of low-income people are already included in its value chain in a strategic way and for mutual benefit.
  • It must match the price award as part of its proposed budget (in cash or in-kind).

For more information, visit https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=81021