Deadline: 15th April 2025.
The Facility Investing for Employment (IFE) has launched competition rounds in Ghana, Morocco, Rwanda, and Senegal. Companies as well as public and non-profit organisations can apply for co-financing grants. To be eligible for a grant, investment projects must create jobs in the private sector.
In addition to the grant, applicants can apply for a contribution to social protection schemes offered by the employer.
The Calls for Proposals seek applications for four types of investment projects:
- Not-for-profit projects -No revenues
90% maximum of co-financing of the total project costs. Applicant co-finances at least 10%
- Not-for-profit projects – Generating revenues
75% maximum of co-financing of the total project costs. Applicant co-finances at least 25%
- For-profit projects. Majority of jobs created at 3rd parties
35% maximum of co-financing of the total project costs. Applicant co-finances at least 65%.
- For-profit projects. Majority of jobs created at the applicant’s entity
25% maximum of co-financing of the total project costs. Applicant co-finances at least 75%.
Grant
The Facility awards grants ranging from EUR 650,000 to EUR 10 million per project for the job creation component.
Eligibility
Preference will be given to projects that combine job creation with social protection measures, such as:
- Projects that give employees and their families access to social protection benefits beyond mandatory minimum requirements (e.g., additional health or accident insurance, pension schemes or other social protection measures offered by the employer),
- Projects that formalise the employment status of workers who are in informal employment.
The Facility only co-finances mature projects that have not yet started and that offer reasonable chances for being operationally and financially sustainable. Applicants are obliged to contribute own funds to complete the project finance. Projects that contribute to the promotion of women’s employment or to the socially just transition to a climate-friendly economy have a better chance of receiving a grant.
Temporary co-financing of additional social protection schemes
In addition to the application for a grant, investors have the option to apply for temporary co-financing by IFE of additional social protection schemes that are provided to employees and their families.
Social protection benefits provided to workers in informal jobs are also eligible for co-financing. These social protection schemes must go beyond the minimum standards required by law. This could cover:
- Enhanced social security (e.g., additional health or unemployment insurance),
- Investments in social measures (e.g., kindergartens, healthcare centers, conversion of workplaces with the aim of making them more accessible for persons with disabilities),
- Combinations are possible.
Two-stage application procedure
Applications can be submitted from 27 January to 15 April 2025. In a first step, the Facility will make a pre-selection from the submitted concept notes. In a second phase, the selected applicants will be invited to submit fully elaborated project proposals, which will then be evaluated in detail. Applications received by 28 February 2025 will qualify for an early assessment. The competition criteria are available in the Download Center. You can access the application platform by going to the web page of this Call.
For more information.