Deadline: 22-Dec-20
Kakuma Kalobeyei Challenge Fund (KKCF) are now inviting grant applications from established social enterprises for projects that aim to increase sustainable access to public goods and essential services for refugees and host communities in Kakuma and Kalobeyei areas.
The Social Enterprise Window specifically seeks to promote business models which increase access to water and sanitation, engage in recycling, or provide childcare services for low income families.
All proposed projects should be commercially viable and sustainable and have the potential to raise incomes, provide goods and services, create jobs, and improve living standards for families living in these areas – both refugee and host communities.
Priority Areas
The KKCF Social Enterprise Window is open to businesses that focus on the following priority sectors:
- Water;
- Recycling;
- Childcare;
- Sanitation.
Funding Information
- Social enterprises currently present in the areas or those willing to enter the market are invited to apply for performance-based grants, ranging from US $100,000 to a maximum of US $750,000, which will also require co-financing from the enterprises.
- Funding must be used for a specific project in Kakuma and Kalobeyei areas, e.g. entry to the market or scaling up an existing project.
Eligibility Criteria
To be considered a Social Enterprise your business should:
- Have a clear social or environmental agenda included in your governing documents;
- Re-invest a large portion of your profits back into the business for sustainability purposes;
- Generate most of your income through trading activities;
- Not an NGO or government institution; and
- Be transparent and accountable.
Applicants must meet eligibility criteria including:
- Be legally registered as an organization (e.g. Companies Limited by Guarantee) or a company (e.g. Limited Liability Company) and physically established in Kenya at the time of grant award by AECF. International organizations are welcome to apply but will need to be legally registered and physically established at the time of funding award.
- Business model must be in line with definition of a social enterprise. I.e. an organization or business which uses commercial strategies for the benefit of society or the environment while making a profit.
- Have been in operation for a minimum of two years, with the ability to produce two years of audited accounts (these could be from the parent company, if recently established as a branch/subsidiary in Kenya).
- Women and youth-owned/led businesses are highly encouraged to apply.
Selection Criteria
Each applicant will be evaluated and scored against the following criteria:
- Geographic focus areas of Kakuma and Kalobeyei and how the project intends to benefit either host or refugee communities, or both.
- Capacity of the project to deliver and sustain social impact, particularly on refugees and women and youth.
- Strength of the project’s commercial viability and sustainability.
- Demonstrated potential to attract further commercial funding, beyond the grant provided by KKCF, if needed.
- Demonstrated capacity of the applicant’s management team to implement the proposed business / project.
- Demonstrated understanding of the humanitarian development context, gender issues and culture of Kakuma refugee camp and host community.
- Adherence to the blended finance principle.
Selection will prioritise business models that address gender-related constraints by supporting women’s economic advancement through the creation of new entrepreneurial and job opportunities, as well as improving their lives.
For more information, visit https://kkcfke.org/social-enterprise-window/