A List of Newly Launched Opportunities in 2024 for Kenya

[MAY 2024]

Grants to support Private Entities Operating in Kenya
Deadline: 23 June 2024
The United States African Development Foundation (USADF), in partnership with the Stanbic Kenya Foundation (SKF), invites applications for grant financing and local support from small and medium enterprises to help them address gaps in their internal systems and capabilities to 100% meet investment requirements by commercial investors.
Funding Information

• Maximum Award US $25,000.

Who is eligible?

• SMEs to be considered are only those that are 100% African-owned and managed, legally registered in Kenya, with basic functional management and financial controls for at least 2 years and banking history of no less than 12 months. Applicants must have applied for commercial investment in the past, but had the application denied due to internal systems and capability gaps.

Successful Applicants Must

• Complete the standard USADF/SKF application form.
• Have a clearly identified and well-defined problem that can be addressed with the grant funding to make the enterprise investment ready.
• Be able to identify a path for growth after the USADF/SBI grant ends with a clear investment plan.
• Be able to contribute at least 50% of the total cost of addressing the identified problem.
• Have a clearly defined market opportunity to grow revenues that can increase incomes.
• If selected, be willing to comply with minimum funds usage, routine monitoring, reporting and full disclosure requirements applicable to the grant.
• If selected, be willing to share details and evidence of why their past application for commercial investment was declined.

For more information, visit USADF.

Visa Kenya She’s Next Grant Competition
Deadline: 12 June 2024
Advance your efforts to fund, run and grow your small business with Visa Kenya She’s Next Grant Competition.

She’s Next is part of Visa’s efforts to support the creation of an inclusive, equitable world where women business owners can flourish. It aims to support women-owned small businesses through funding, training, and mentorship.

Benefits

Here’s what you can unlock:

• A KES 2.5 million grant to take your business to the next level.
• An exclusive mentorship program designed to help you grow and shine.

Eligibility Criteria

• The entrant must be at the time of the entry a legal resident of Kenya.
• The entrant must, at the time of entry, be an adult (18 and above).
• The entrant must own at least 51% of their business and operate their business in Kenya.
• The entrant’s business must have been operating for over 1 year.
• The entrant must have a business that has a product or service in market and is generating a minimum annual revenue of US Dollars 5,000 (or its equivalent).
• Limit of one (1) Entry per person.

For more information, visit Visa.

Climate Action Window launches 2nd Call for Mitigation Proposals – $3-$5 million for a Single Project
Deadline: 8-Jul-24
The African Development Fund has launched the second call for proposals through its Climate Action Window (CAW) on the sidelines of the 59th Annual Meetings of the Board of Governors of the African Development Bank Group currently underway in Nairobi.

Recognizing climate change as a major threat to Africa, the African Development Fund’s Sixteenth Replenishment (ADF-16) established a Climate Action Window (CAW) for Africa’s 37 least developed countries. CAW, with an initial commitment of approximately US$ 429 million, aims to boost adaptation actions and expects to increase funding through contributions from various actors. The funding is primarily allocated to adaptation (75%), with the remainder for mitigation (15%) and technical assistance (10%).

The focus of this Second Call for Proposals under the CAW is the Mitigation Sub-Window. The CAW will launch a subsequent call focused on Technical Assistance this year.

Priority Sectors

• The CfP on Mitigation Sub-Window is specifically seeking projects from these priority sectors:
  • Agriculture, forestry, land use and fisheries
    • Projects eligible for financing under the CAW mitigation sub-window include projects that mitigate methane and other greenhouse gas emissions from livestock, improve carbon sequestration through rangeland management, and promote forestry or agroforestry projects for carbon sequestration and sustainable land management. The Mitigation sub-window will also support projects that reduce CO2e intensity in fisheries or aquaculture through activities such as improved energy efficiency of fishing fleets and machinery in the fisheries or aquaculture value chain. Additionally, investment outcomes will include support to farmers, food producers, and agri-SMEs to access climate-smart agriculture technologies. These technologies include efficient irrigation systems and renewable energy solutions geared towards enhancing agricultural productivity and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, eligible projects will support reduction in energy consumption in operations, an increase in carbon stock in soil, or the avoidance of soil carbon loss through erosion control measures.
  • Water Access and Wastewater management
    • Eligible projects include solid waste treatment, wastewater treatment, and water/wastewater reuse. This includes improvements in water supply systems through the deployment of low-energy consumption technologies or equipment, promotion of better auditing practices, or reduction of water losses. Additionally, the Mitigation sub-window will finance wastewater projects that reduce emissions through energy efficiency improvements or improved treatment targets. Projects promoting improved operation and maintenance to reduce water losses, promote energy savings, or meet or exceed wastewater treatment targets will also be funded.
  • Energy access and renewable energy:
    • The mitigation sub-window will finance projects enabling ADF countries to accelerate a just energy transition through sovereign and public-private partnerships, aiming to green the energy mix and increase access to clean, sustainable electricity. This includes grid expansion and decentralizes renewable energy access programs. Additionally, the CAW will support projects greening power infrastructure, delivering additional renewable energy generation capacity, and enhancing resilience and energy supply reliability. Projects involving green hydrogen and other new renewable energy technologies, as well as the production, transport, or storage of low-carbon hydrogen or low-carbon products, will be eligible. Adoption of energy-efficient appliances, such as clean cooking technologies, will also be funded, bringing substantial mitigation benefits and adaptation co-benefits. Other eligible mitigation projects involve utilizing waste gas as a feedstock or fuel to provide electricity, heat, mechanical energy, or cooling energy. This includes waste gas from sources such as landfill methane, abandoned mine methane, associated gas currently being flared or vented, and biogas from municipal sewage, wastewater, or agricultural activities.
  • Transport and infrastructure
    • Eligible projects will contribute to the development of climate resilient transport and urban infrastructure that is integrated and inclusive, is carbon neutral and supports better air-quality, while also enhancing regional trade, in line with the Integrate Africa High 5s. Investment outcomes will include urban mobility projects to be implemented and urban streets with Intelligent Traffic Management Systems (ITMS) and Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) facilities. Resilient transport infrastructure projects will leverage green climate funds in concessional and commercial co-financing, resulting in greening seaports, shipping, railways, intermodal logistics and urban public transport systems. Emphasis will also be placed on regional road networks including one stop border posts and auxiliary facilities. Other eligible projects include use of waste gas as transport fuel and construction of urban and rural public transport infrastructure.
  • Green and sustainable finance
    • Investment outcomes will include the development of country-led green bonds, climate funds, or sustainable investment funds to attract private sector climate co-finance for mitigation projects in ADF countries. Additionally, to catalyze support for integrated natural resource investment, the CAW will support governance and green financing interventions through rent repurposing, blue/green bonds, bio-credits, debt-for-nature swap, and resource-backed loan transactions in RMCs on a case-by-case basis. The Mitigation sub-window will also support interventions that use Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which includes market and non-market mechanisms, to scale up access to climate finance for mitigation projects.

Cross-Cutting Priority Areas 

• Paris alignment: Project investments must be both carbon neutral and climate resilient, and investments either invested via Paris aligned projects or into pipelines that are themselves carbon neutral and climate resilient. Investments here will include well-developed national LTS, NDCs, NAPs and/or Adaptations Communications that are also aligned with National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans, and these will be supported through the Technical Assistance sub-window.
• Gender, youth, and social inclusion: The gender gap in access to productive resources shapes climate change impacts on men and women and how they can respond. Contributing to closing the gender gap will be a key criterion in assessing the eligibility of projects to access CAW funding. Projects will align with the Bank’s Gender Strategy and Action Plan (2020 – 2025) and the Bank’s Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy (2016-2025). Through the concept notes, project teams should address how the project will provide women and youth with enhanced and equal access to, inter alia: finance for climate-smart agricultural, digital, business and SME innovations; services to improve production and increase access to markets; climate and disaster risk finance and insurance; land rights; clean cooking and renewable energy technologies; water and sanitation systems; safe and inclusive transport systems; participation in the development of climate adaptation and mitigation strategies; and climate and weather forecasts and other forms of risk mitigation information. Gender-focused and youth-focused projects addressing climate change issues will also be considered.
• Biodiversity and nature-based solutions: The CAW will support projects that address nature-based solutions and aim to restore mangroves and wetlands, allow water to be stored and purified in a natural way (green infrastructures), aquaculture, forestry, and biodiversity conservation. The CAW will help to identify and deliver solutions to assist ADF countries to develop plans and projects for investments in nature-based solutions in key areas such as food and water security, restoration of degraded lands, sustainable forest management, flood and erosion control, blue economy, and coastal protection. This will be reflected in the ADF country and regional strategies and will be strengthened through the design of robust investments in Nature-based Solutions (NBS) in future ADF project pipelines.
• Enhancing climate governance and green public finance: CAW will finance projects that support activities aimed at strengthening governance systems for climate change. This includes: creating public policies and making decisions that directly relate to the international climate governance processes of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); ensuring participation and engagement with Civil society around the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs); Ensuring appropriate framework laws, regulations or public policies on climate change are developed in line with the NDCs; Greening public financial management1- promoting climate sensitive budgeting; monitoring and management of climate fiscal risks; promoting climate related revenue reforms i.e. carbon taxes- fuel taxes and green bonds; integrating climate into public investment management systems; strengthening accountability and transparency of climate spending.
• Skills and Capacity Building: CAW projects will support capacity building activities in the context of evolving climate challenges. Recognizing the imperative of transitioning to climate-smart technologies and practices across key sectors like energy, agriculture, and transport, the CAW is committed to supporting initiatives that bridge the current skills gap. By facilitating upskilling of the workforce, promoting innovation, and endorsing the adaptation of new technologies, the CAW seeks to elevate national systems, with a particular focus on higher education and research capabilities. This ensures not only a proactive response to climate disruptions but also a robust foundation for RMCs to integrate and capitalize on climate-resilient strategies. This could also include capacity strengthening on establishing Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems for mitigation, greenhouse gas accounting among others.

Funding Information

• For this mitigation call, the Climate Action Window will allocate approximately US$ 64 million. The funding is in the form of grants. Funding requested for a single project or programme may range between US$ 3 million to 5 million. In exceptional cases and on recommendation by the Independent Evaluation Panel, funding may be granted above or below these limits.

Eligible Beneficiaries

• Governments and government entities of ADF countries
• African Development Bank departments: Bank departments may submit proposals directly or may work with eligible external beneficiaries to support them in preparing high quality project concept notes.
• Regional or sub-regional intergovernmental bodies, including climate centers, river basin organizations, economic communities.
• Non-sovereign entities (such as Non-Governmental Organizations, Community Based Organizations, and UN Agencies).
• Proposals from consortia are allowed if all members of the consortium are eligible beneficiaries.

Eligible African Development Fund Countries

• Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe. (Note: Projects from or covering ineligible countries will not be funded).

Eligibility Criteria

• The second call is open to government entities, ministries, departments, agencies, departments of the African Development Bank, non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations and inter-governmental organizations (including United Nations organizations, regional economic communities, regional river basin climate centers).

For more information, visit ADF.

Apply for Darwin Initiative Main Grants
Deadline: 8-Jul-24

The Darwin Initiative is seeking applications for the Main grants to deliver strong results for biodiversity conservation and multidimensional poverty reduction based on good evidence, and strongly demonstrate the potential to scale further.

Elements

• Elements of all successful Darwin Initiative projects are likely to include:
  • delivering outputs that will achieve both biodiversity conservation and multidimensional poverty reduction;
  • enhancing the capability and capacity of national and local partners and stakeholders, to help ensure a project’s long-term legacy;
  • strengthening, promotion and use of evidence to inform and scale the action;
  • the implementation of a novel or significantly improved approach;
  • scalable approaches that have the potential to deliver greater impact.

Funding Information

• Darwin Initiative Main grants, ranging from £100,000 to £800,000 (averaging a maximum of £200,000/year), are expected to deliver strong results for biodiversity conservation and multidimensional poverty reduction based on good evidence, and strongly demonstrate the potential to scale further.
• Duration: Projects should last for between 1 to 5 years maximum, starting on or after 1 April 2025 (but before 30 September 2025), and complete by 31 March 2030.

Scoring Criteria

• Technical, Biodiversity, and Poverty Reduction
• The assessors acknowledge the significant differences between the two stages, especially differences in the supporting evidence (e.g. CVs are not required at Stage 1). At Stage 1 assessors are looking for applicants and proposals that have the potential to deliver a competitive proposal at Stage 2. At Stage 2, assessors are looking for evidence that proposals are new and distinctive, with a strong probability of delivering sustainable benefits and a scalable approach.
• Capability and capacity building activities should form a core role within the approach, to underpin the legacy of the grant.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applications must be made by the Lead Organisation, not an individual, agreeing to the Terms and Conditions including managing the grant, its finances, reporting and governance. Foreign governments and their agencies cannot be Lead Organisations, though they can be a partner; UK government agencies can be Lead Organisations or partners.
• Lead Organisations can be based anywhere, but they strongly encourage projects to have in-country Lead Organisations where possible.
• The maximum annual value of funds requested should not exceed 25% of the Lead Organisation’s average annual turnover/income for the previous 3 years.
• All projects are required to be led by or partner with local/national organisations of the country/ies in which it is based, with the meaningful and early engagement of in country stakeholders.
• Darwin Initiative is entirely Official Development Assistance (ODA) funded, and therefore projects must promote the economic development and welfare of eligible countries as a primary objective.
• Darwin Initiative is expected to be mostly focused on Low Income and Lower Middle-Income countries, and at least 70% of funding will be allocated to these countries, however Upper Middle-Income countries (UMICs) are eligible.
• Projects applying to work in a UMIC must clearly demonstrate a stronger case for support; this includes operating in areas of high importance for biodiversity and a clear poverty reduction need. UMIC applications must clearly demonstrate that they will:
  • advance knowledge, evidence and impact in Least Developed or Low-Income Countries, or
  • contribute to a global public good, for example by advancing understanding and/or strengthening the knowledge base related to biodiversity conservation/sustainable use and poverty reduction, or
  • contribute to serious and unique advancements on a critical issue as a result of specific circumstances of the upper-middle income country that could not be made elsewhere.

For more information, visit Darwin Initiative.

CFPs: National Organizations of Persons with Disabilities to undertake Lobbying & Advocacy Programmes (Kenya) 
Deadline: 07-Jun-2024
The National Council for Persons with Disabilities is inviting National Organizations of Persons with Disabilities, to submit proposals to undertake lobbying and advocacy.

Objective 

• The lobbying and Advocacy programme aims to raise awareness and mobilize action for mainstreaming disability issues at the county and national levels government. This objective is achieved through making grant to Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) to build platforms for raising awareness, piloting of innovative ideas, influencing policies and interventions aimed at benefiting persons with disabilities.

Thematic Area 

• Building resilience of persons with disabilities to cope with climate change and climate related disasters in Kenya.

Aim of the Thematic Area

• To build the capacity of OPDs to more effectively take action in improving the resilience of persons with disabilities to climate change and climate related disasters;
• Capacity Building for Organizations of persons with disabilities, persons with disabilities and local governments to address Climate Change, and enhance institutional frameworks;
• Advocating for establishment of early warning infrastructure and last mile services targeting the specific needs of persons with disabilities to better manage and reduce vulnerability of climate change induced risks;
• Knowledge generation and dissemination of the effectiveness of targeted measures to reduce the vulnerability of persons with disabilities to climate change risks.

Funding Information

• The maximum grant is KES 500,000 for projects that relate to “Building resilience of persons with disabilities to cope with climate change and climate related disasters in Kenya.

Eligibility Criteria

• The project scope in terms of geographical area must be within a County. This call is open to National OPDs in all the 47 Counties in Kenya.

For more information, visit National Council for Persons with Disabilities.

Call for Proposals: Empowering Kenyan Youth, Civil Society and independent Media Organisations.
Deadline: 07-Jun-24
The European Commission (EC) has announced a call for proposals is to strengthen the capacity and voice of Kenyan civil society and human rights organisations as independent actors of accountability and governance through deepening their participation in national and/or sub-national policy and democratic reforms discussions in the main areas of EU-Kenya partnership.

Objectives of the Programme and Priority Issues 

• The specific objective(s) of this call for proposals are defined in the 3 following lots:
  • Lot 1: Engaging, empowering and connecting Kenyan youth
    • Based on the objectives of the Youth Action Plan in EU external action, this first lot will support meaningful youth participation, empowerment and leadership in the twin green and digital transitions. While ensuring youth-led activities and well-elaborated mainstreaming of disability, minority and gender in all activities and targeting of both rural and urban locations, the action under this lot will support initiatives that seek to foster youth empowerment and leadership development, including political empowerment, through:
      • Equip young people with knowledge, leadership and interpersonal abilities and support decent youth employment and entrepreneurship in the green and digital economy;
      • Enhancing youth participation in policy design, decision-making, political and social dialogue at national and local levels, with a view to amplify youth voices on social inclusion, social accountability and to contribute to a more youth-friendly investment and business environments;
      • Support youth organisations in enhancing knowledge on and engaging in social entrepreneurship activities with a view to expand access to inclusive employment and income generation opportunities for youth in viable business areas and expand their access to sustainable funding.
    • All activities must be youth-led, and indicatively, proposed activities may include:
      • mapping and capacity assessments of youth-led organisations, resources/resource persons, initiatives, policy and decision-making spaces, best practices, success stories and other relevant, reliable data of relevance to support evidence-based activities including in the green and digital transition sectors;
      • mapping and identification of non-formal and formal education and training gaps to be bridged to enable youth to understand local and national development and investment initiatives including in the green and digital transition sectors their potential impact for them and other community members, including in enhancing education, job and income opportunities for youth;
      • mapping of fundamental rights, duty-bearer responsibilities, opportunities and risks for fostering more inclusive and youth-informed political participation, policy- and decision-making including in the green and digital transition sectors at local and national level in Kenya;
      • assessment of mandatory and voluntary social and environmental impact assessment tools used in the green and digital transition sectors in Kenya and make recommendations to promote and strengthen people centred and particularly youth-sensitive approaches in these and other sectors;
      • explore and identify youth centred priority investments for Kenya to excel in the green and digital transition sectors;
      • prepare and disseminate youth centred information products to increase youth awareness of the importance of their local and national political participation including in the green and digital transition priorities in Kenya and beyond, as well as untapped development potentials in Kenya;
  • Lot 2: Accountability of trade and the business sector
    • The specific objective of this lot is to support civil society in promoting accountability in business and trade in Kenya, with an emphasis on the Guiding principles on Business and Human rights, and related EU legislation on human rights and environmental due diligence in Kenya, notably by:
      • Enhancing the oversight role of civil society and social partners in promoting business accountability and anti-bribery initiatives, as well as monitoring, preventing and responding to human rights violations and abuses, including abuses of labour rights;
      • Facilitating access to remedies for aggrieved parties by resourcing local civil society organisations and social partners to investigate corporate human rights violations and abuses and engage in collective redress;
      • Promoting dialogue, reporting and experience-sharing between corporate actors, civil society and human rights organisations, governments, including EU institutions, about the implementation of human rights, social accountability and environmental due diligence including access to remedies.
    • Indicatively, proposed activities may include:
      • data collection with a view to provide evidence on the business and human rights situation in Kenya, including in specific urban and rural geographical locations and productive sectors;
      • facilitate private sector understanding and compliance with human rights obligations arising from the proposed/draft EU Corporate Sustainable Due Diligence Directive;
      • identify and report on abusive and fraudulent labour practices notably against young workers, domestic workers, workers from ethnic/religious minorities, workers with disabilities and women workers, in the formal or informal sectors;
      • promote dialogue, reporting and experience-sharing between corporate actors, civil society organisations, government on the implementation of human rights due diligence, labour rights disputes, access to remedies and grievance mechanisms;
      • enhance the oversight role of civil society and social partners in monitoring, preventing and responding to human rights violations, including abuses of labour rights and facilitating access to remedies, in line with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights.
  • Lot 3: Independent and pluralistic media
    • The third lot of this call will therefore support independent and pluralistic media, access to information and quality journalism with a focus on in-depth reporting and investigative journalism, notably by:
      • Supporting local and regional media outlets in their efforts to inform and engage their specific audience(s);
      • Supporting independent and investigative journalism;
      • Supporting collaboration between independent media and civil society.
    • Indicatively, proposed activities may include:
      • data collection and capacity building to promote and support independent and quality journalism and the media sector operational context;
      • activities to strengthen and adapt strategic and business plans of local and national media including alternative media models to the changing Kenyan, African and global media sector context and support sustainable media sector developments;
      • support to innovation and learning to improve adherence to high standards of ethics and balanced reporting, credibility, accountability and gender equality to strengthen media professionalism in Kenya and counter media capture and disinformation;
      • strengthening collaboration between civil society, academia and media professionals with different social accountability backgrounds, experiences, specialisations and interests;
      • support national and local media sector networks and coalitions, stakeholders dialogues and consultations on increasing youth reporting/journalism, innovation, tolerance and inclusion in media coverage.

Funding Information

• The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 3,535,000. The contracting authority reserves the right not to award all available funds.
• Indicative allocation of funds by lots:
  • Lot 1: EUR 1,485,000
  • Lot 2: EUR 1,000,000
  • Lot 3: EUR 1,050,000
• If the allocation indicated for a specific lot cannot be used due to insufficient quality or number of proposals received, the contracting authority reserves the right to reallocate the remaining funds between other lots.
• Size of grants
  • Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
    • Lot 1:
      • minimum amount: EUR 1,485,000.00
      • maximum amount: EUR 1,485,000.00
    • Lot 2:
      • minimum amount: EUR 1,000,000.00
      • maximum amount: EUR 1,000,000.00
    • Lot 3:
      • minimum amount: EUR 1,050,000.00
      • maximum amount: EUR 1,050,000.00

Duration

• The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 30 months nor exceed 48 months.

Location

• In principle, all proposed activities must take place in Kenya. When duly justified and directly linked to the priorities for the specific lot under which the proposal is submitted, limited activities outside Kenya can be included in the Description of the Action.

Eligibility Criteria

• Lead applicant
  • In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:
    • be a legal person and
    • be non-profit-making and
    • be a civil society organisation and/or their associations and
    • be established in Kenya or in a Member State of the European Union or in countries as stipulated in the basic act NDICI-GE and
      • However; if the lead applicant is not established in Kenya nor in an EU Member State but in countries stipulated in the basic act NDICI-GE it must act with at least two co-applicants of which one should be established in an EU Member State and one established in Kenya;
    • must be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the co-applicant(s) and affiliated entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary.
  • International public-sector organisations set up by international agreements, specialised agencies set up by such organisations and other organisations assimilated to such international organisations are not eligible under this call for proposals. United Nations agencies are not eligible under this call for proposals.
• Co-applicant(s)
  • For all lots, the lead applicant must act with at least two co-applicants. If the lead applicant is established in Kenya, at least one of the co-applicants should be established in a Member State of the European Union. If the lead applicant is established in a Member State of the European Union, at least one of the co-applicants should be established in Kenya;
  • Co-applicants participate in designing and implementing the action, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead applicant.
  • Co-applicants must satisfy the eligibility criteria as applicable to the lead applicant himself.
  • Co-applicants must sign the mandate form.
• Affiliated entities
  • The lead applicant and its co-applicant(s) may act with affiliated entity(ies).
  • Only the following entities may be considered as affiliated entities to the lead applicant and/or to co-applicant(s):
    • Only entities having a structural link with the applicants (i.e. the lead applicant or a co-applicant), in particular a legal or capital link.
    • This structural link encompasses mainly two notions:
      • Control on the annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain types of undertakings:
        • Entities affiliated to an applicant may hence be:
          • Entities directly or indirectly controlled by the applicant (daughter companies or first-tier subsidiaries). They may also be entities controlled by an entity controlled by the applicant (granddaughter companies or second-tier subsidiaries) and the same applies to further tiers of control;
          • Entities directly or indirectly controlling the applicant (parent companies). Likewise, they may be entities controlling an entity controlling the applicant;
          • Entities under the same direct or indirect control as the applicant (sister companies).
      • Membership, i.e. the applicant is legally defined as a e.g. network, federation, association in which the proposed affiliated entities also participate or the applicant participates in the same entity (e.g. network, federation, association,) as the proposed affiliated entities.

For more information, visit European Commission.

Call for Applications: Karura Photo Competition (Kenya)
Deadline: 31 July 2024
The Friends of Karura Community Forest Association (FKF) is inviting applications for the Karura Photo Competition.

The Friends of Karura is a Community Forest Association comprising Kenyans and other champions of participatory forest management who are dedicated in particular to protecting for future generations the city’s largest green area, the Karura Forest Reserve.

Friends of Karura Community Forest Association (FKF), in partnership with the Kenya Forest Service and numerous private supporters, is committed to a future for people and nature though participatory forest management. Since FKF was registered under the Societies Act of Kenya in October 2009, Karura Forest had offered tens of thousands of visitors some 50 km of well-maintained secure trails to walk, run or bike, as well as for FKF staff to restore the forest to its natural state and maintain it for future generations.

Apart from significant achievements in securing, managing, and preserving the Karura ecosystem, the forest has become one of Nairobi’s most frequently visited natural recreation locations, leading to it being known as “the people’s forest.” Karura has become an oasis of peace, tranquillity, safety and recreation for tens of thousands of Kenyans and overseas visitors from all walks of life.

Much of the success of Karura is due to the recovery of the array of biodiversity associated with a thriving tropical upland forest that has enjoyed a number of years of exceptionally good rains.

This year, they invite you to share with them what you have seen and photographed within Karura Forest Reserve at any time — rainy or sunny – ideally during, but not confined to, one of the two “rainy seasons” (typically March-May and October-November), recognising that in recent years, Karura can attract rain almost anytime. Aim to express and interpret the importance of preserving this special upland forest as a haven for human enjoyment and ecosystem biodiversity. Show them your interpretation of Karura’s Rainy Season Revival.

Prizes 

• Adult 
  • 1st: 50,000
  • 2nd: 30,000
  • 3rd: 15,000
• Junior 
  • 1st: 15,000
  • 2nd: 10,000
  • 3rd: 7,000

Eligibility Criteria

• The 2024 FKF Photo Competition (“Photo Competition”) is open to all professional and amateur photographers who have reached the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence at the time of entry.
• Entrants in the Junior category (less than 18 years old) must provide a note of Consent to Participate by a parent or guardian. Individuals under the age of 18 may enter the competition in the Junior Category, to which all Rules apply.
• Members of the same family may enter separately, but in such a case, each entry must be accompanied with a hand-written note signed by each entrant to the effect that he or she did indeed shoot a particular entry.
• Board Members, Employees, interns, or partners of FKF, as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) and household members of employees, are not eligible to enter.
• By submitting an entry to the Photo Competition, entrants certify that their participation in this Photo Competition is not illegal or in violation of any law, regulation, treaty or administrative act, and that the laws of their governing jurisdiction of residence at the time of entry do not prohibit or restrict the receipt of any Prize under this Photo Competition.
• FKF reserves the right to reject any entry if, in FKF’s sole discretion, the laws of an applicable jurisdiction, including but not limited to the entrant’s jurisdiction of residence at the time of entry, would prohibit or limit FKF from proceeding with the Competition as intended or the consideration or awarding of any Prize would impose additional administrative, tax, operational, or legal burdens on FKF.

Ineligible

• The following submissions are ineligible:
  • Images of harmed or distressed animals, other than the results of natural mortality presented within the bounds of good taste.
  • Photos that violate or infringe upon another person’s rights, including but not limited to copyright and photographs of persons without the necessary consent required by Kenya. FKF reserves the right to require entrants to submit evidence of the subject’s legal consent to be photographed for the submitted photograph, which may include a signed waiver from the subject.
  • Photos that contain sexually explicit, nude, obscene, violent or other objectionable or inappropriate content.
  • Images that involve the wilful harassment of wildlife, or damage to the environment by the photographer.
  • Images that involve putting any individual or animal in danger.
  • Images that involve any wildlife in captivity.

For more information, visit Friends of Karura Forest.

U.S. Mission to Kenya: Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program
Deadline: 30-Jun-2024
The U.S. Embassy Nairobi, Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program.

Purpose of Small Grants

• PDS Nairobi invites proposals for programs that strengthen ties between the United States and Kenya and promote bilateral cooperation. All programs must advance a U.S. linkage including for example a connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policies, economic models, and perspectives on U.S.-Kenya partnership.

Priority Program Areas

• Proposals must address one of the following key program areas:
  • Economic Prosperity – Advances the prosperity of the United States and Kenya through a fair and reciprocal economic partnership, the strengthening of Kenya’s business climate, support for its startup ecosystem, clean energy solutions and climate change resiliency, and education that skills the next generation of workers.
  • Democracy and Governance – Deepens the bilateral relationship on a broad range of common interests including the respect for human rights, safeguarding civic space, rule of law, public accountability, anti-corruption efforts, shared democratic values, and protection of fundamental freedoms.
  • Celebrating 60 Years of U.S.-Kenya Partnership – 2024 is the 60th anniversary of U.S.-Kenya ties, a milestone to celebrate as well as build upon.  Amplify what the United States and Kenya are accomplishing together across various fields, including but not limited to the trade and investment partnership, climate action and renewable energy, public health advancements, education, shared values, and security cooperation.

Funding Information

• Award amounts: Awards may range from a minimum of $15,000 to a maximum of $30,000
• Length of performance period: Six to twelve months
• Number of awards anticipated: Subject to availability of funds
• Anticipated program start date:  No later than August 1, 2024

Participants and Audiences

• Kenyans who may be in any of the following categories;
  • Kenyans between the ages of 16 and 35, including students, civil society leaders and social influencers;
  • Business leaders and rising entrepreneurs;
  • Established opinion leaders, including cultural influencers and academic institution leadership.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Public Diplomacy Section encourages applications from U.S. and Kenyan organizations:
  • Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience.
  • Individuals
  • Non-profit or governmental educational institutions
  • Governmental institutions
• For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

Ineligible

• The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:
  • Programs relating to partisan political activity;
  • Charitable or development activities;
  • Construction programs;
  • Programs that support specific religious activities;
  • Fund-raising campaigns;
  • Lobbying for specific legislation or programs.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

Call for Nominations: Human Rights Defenders Awards (Kenya)
Deadline: July 31, 2024
The National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders Kenya (Defenders Coalition) and the Working Group on HRDs in Kenya, which brings together CSOs, the United Nations, and development partners concerned with the protection of HRDs, will be hosting the Eight edition of the Human Rights Defenders Awards.

The Awards aims to honor and publicly recognize the important work of HRDs in Kenya, by giving out awards to persons who have demonstrated great courage, innovation, and impact in the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The awards are presented in four categories: the Munir Mazrui Lifetime achievement award, the Human Rights Defender of the year Award, the upcoming Human Rights Defender of the year Award and the Global solidarity Award.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Working group will recognize the contribution of HRDs who promote and protect human rights in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.
• Nominations are open to human rights defenders with demonstrable courage, innovation, and impact of their human rights work on the community. You can self-nominate or nominate an individual that you believe are deserving.

Please Note:

• The shortlisting committee does not put into consideration the number of nominations received for an individual as a merit for the award. Shortlisting and selection is based solely on demonstrated impact and achievement.
• The Working Group reserves the right to recall and/or revoke any Award given out to any recipient where in the even the recipient is found to have contravened the basic principles of human rights.

For more information, visit Defenders Coalition.