INNOVATE Call for Proposals: Fostering the Adoption of Agricultural Innovations

Deadline: 6 October 2017

The INNOVATE Call for Proposals (the Call) is seeking applications from eligible organizations, companies and institutions:

to pilot a NTF product/service focused on rapid testing and learning
to document through a case study an ongoing or completed initiative related to NTF.

The initiatives should demonstrate the potential and/or ability of products, services, or delivery channels that can catalyze and/or foster the adoption of agricultural innovations by women and men smallholder farmers in East Africa, South America (the Andes) and South Asia.

INNOVATE aims to learn from the experiences of the grant recipients; to test and document which products, services or delivery channels have potential to catalyze agricultural innovation by smallholder farmers. Therefore, a key focus of the Call is learning. The Call also has a focus on gender, in which applicants shall clearly differentiate between women and men’s priorities and needs, treating them as distinct market segments in the proposal and research process.

INNOVATE, a three-year initiative implemented by Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) with funding support by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), intends to spearhead research on Non-Traditional Finance (NTF) in South Asia, South America (the Andes), and East Africa.

Funding Information

Funding is available in the form of two types of grants:

a pilot study grant (up to CAD $200,000)
a case study grant (up to CAD $50,000).

Eligibility Criteria

Minimum organizational requirements:
- Legally registered entities with audited financial statements for the last two years and proof of legal registration for a commercial entity/NGO, or proof of legal registration for a research institute AND current financial policy and procedures
- Minimum three years’ experience in research, finance and/or agriculture
Applicants shall indicate the region/country for the proposed initiative:
- East Africa (Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda)
- South America (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru)
- South Asia (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka)
Applicants shall apply only for one type of grant and clearly identify/demonstrate a matching contribution from internal sources and/or third-party sources.