Deadline: 15 August 2017
NORAD, Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation is seeking proposals under Enterprise Development for Jobs to fund projects that can start implementation during 2017 or the first half of 2018.
The main objective for this grant scheme is to contribute to job creation in developing countries by stimulating to more, sustainable commercial investments. In addition, it aims to stimulate renewable energy projects that increase access to renewable energy and thereby contribute to job creation and poverty reduction.
Funding Information
The minimum grant size is NOK 500 000.
Target Group
- Potential grant recipients are companies that can demonstrate ability to create new private sector jobs through sustainable investments in developing countries, or companies (producers) that can demonstrate ability to increase access to renewable energy.
- The ultimate beneficiaries of the activities funded through the grant scheme are people in developing countries for whom new jobs are created.
Eligible Activities
The scheme does not provide investment support or loans but does provide grants to activities that contribute to early-phase project development and activities that limit commercial risk before investment decision.
Eligible activities include but are not limited to pre-feasibility studies, partner search, trial production, training of local staff, strengthening of local suppliers in the value chain, and local infrastructure investments related to the company’s investment in production capacity.
All sectors can apply. However, projects in the following sectors will be given priority:
- Energy, defined as 1) renewable energy and 2) local suppliers of goods and services related to the oil and gas sector
- Agriculture, including agro-processing
- Fish and marine resources
- Maritime sector
- Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Geographical Scope
- Funding will be prioritized to projects in the six focus countries for Private Sector Development, as defined in the Government’s White Paper, “Working Together”: Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal and Tanzania.
- Projects in other developing countries eligible for Norwegian development assistance may also be considered.
Eligibly Criteria
- Grants are only allocated to established enterprises, based on demonstrated track record of performance and competence. The definition of “established” is based on an overall assessment of competitive advantages, expertise, capital, management and skills for managing projects in developing countries.
- The applicant must be a legal entity. The applicant must provide information about its legal status in the application, and describe its owner and all its partners.
- Grants are only awarded to companies for which adequate due diligence processes can be carried out within a reasonable time and cost. Norad may reject any application if this is not considered possible, if Norad considers the applicant’s risk profile as too high or if the documentation from the applicant, including the commercial assumptions, is insufficient.
- The applicant must document access to the necessary and sufficient financial resources to implement and follow up the investment. Applicants without audited accounts for the last three years must otherwise demonstrate access to the required financial resources.
- The applicant must have an annual turnover of at least NOK 10 million shown in the audited accounts for the previous financial year. Any exception to this rule must be based on special justification.
- At least 50% of the approved costs shall be covered by the Grant recipient’s own funds. This contribution shall be identifiable in the project accounts. Any exception to this rule must be based on special justification.
- The applicant must own a minimum of 25% of the planned investment (in cases where joint ventures are considered). Any exception to this rule must be based on special justification.
- Grant recipients must have ethical guidelines for their business operations. These shall as a minimum meet the requirements of “Guidelines for the preparation of ethical guidelines for Norad grant recipients”.
- The applicant shall confirm that it has undertaken adequate security assessments for the employees that will work in high-risk areas, hereunder any mitigating measures related to training, guidance material, insurance and equipment.
- Projects supported under this scheme must comply with the EEA Agreement rules on state aid.
How to Apply
- All applicants must use the grant scheme’s standard template.
- A complete application with attachments must be sent via e-mail at the address given on the website with, “Enterprise Development for Jobs” as the subject line.
For more information, please visit Call for Proposals.