Skills Development Fund Offers Funding Support to Firms and Institutions of Ghana

Deadline: 9 June 2019

The next call of Skills Development Fund is now open for applications. It is offering funding support to firms and institutions that ultimately improves ghana’s competitiveness in the global market place.

The funds are directed towards skills training that improves the productivity and competitiveness of the skilled workforce and raise the income-earning capacities of people, especially women and low-income groups, through the provision of quality-oriented, industry-focused, and competency-based training programmes and complementary services. Applicants’ Firm, Enterprise or Training Institution can benefit from the following types of training needs and activities:

Upgrading the skills of employees for productivity improvement and to enable employees adopt emerging new technologies
Enabling current employees to earn higher technical and vocational skills qualifications and incomes
Upgrading the skills of master crafts-persons and self-employed graduate apprentices
Support to develop new and innovative training product required by industry

Priority is given to enterprises engaged in agribusiness/agro-processing and sustainable energy. As a demand-driven fund, some attention will also be given to outstanding grant proposals from other sectors that demonstrate significant opportunities for productivity enhancement and extended benefits SDF is administered as a Challenge Fund, providing a demand-driven response to three critical challenges encountered by the productive sectors of Ghana: (i) an adequately qualified labour force; (ii) the urgency of providing new entrants to the labour market with gainful, employable skills; and (iii) inadequate access to new technologies and innovations.

Type of Windows & Funding Information

Formal Sector Enterprises (GHS 400,000): The objective of this window is to promote collaborations between industry and training providers. Funding will be provided to co-operation projects between industry from the formal sector and training providers. The key focus areas for funding are agribusiness and renewable energy although others areas with good potential to improving productivity and competitiveness will be considered.
Informal Sector/MSEs (GHS 80,000): Funding under this window will primarily be provided to increase the skills level of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in the informal sector although formally registered MSEs are not excluded from support. The key focus areas for funding are agribusiness and renewable energy although others areas with good potential to improving productivity and competitiveness will be considered.
Innovative Training (GHS 500,000): The objective of this window is to develop new innovative models for delivery of training and new training concepts. Funding will focus on innovative proposals from training providers that respond to economic demand, especially in the priority sectors of agriculture and renewable energy. Under this window, SDF may provide financing to training institutions such as public or private training institutes, higher education institutes, incubators, accelerators, technology centres, or business advisory centres – that may not have an explicit linkage with a firm – for expenditure on training innovations.
Formal Sector Coaching of Management & Supervisory Staff (GHS 100,000): This window offers support for the training and coaching of management and supervisory staff of companies and associations on how to practice HRD and improve production efficiency. While priority will be given to mid-level management and supervisory staff of companies already supported by SDF (I and II), also staff of companies with no previous relationship with SDF and senior management staff will be eligible for support. SDF will make a special effort to ensure that female management and supervisory staff are included. In order to qualify for support by the SDF, the enterprise must have a minimum of 20 staff and a well-established management structure. The grants for areas are agribusiness and renewable energy although others areas with good potential to improving productivity and competitiveness will be considered.

Eligibility Criteria

Window 1: SDF will benefit employers and employees of priority economic sectors who gain additional skilled employment, higher earnings and improved productivity. The specific beneficiaries of the SDF include Ghanaian owned limited liability companies
Window 2:
- Informal sector businesses (Associations, organisations and micro and small enterprises mainly belonging to Trade Associations)
- Farmer-Based Organisations
- Micro and small scale enterprises operating in the informal sector
Window 3: Training institutions, both public and private
Window 4: Priority will be given to mid-level management and supervisory staff of companies already supported by SDF (I and II). Also staff of companies with no previous relationship with SDF and senior management staff will be eligible for support. Priority is also given to female management and supervisory staff.