2nd Round Call for Applications to MEDA’s Innovation Grant Program (EIGP) 136 views0 applications

2nd Round Call for Applications to MEDA’s Innovation Grant Program (EIGP)

Background

MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates) is an organization dedicated to creating business solutions to poverty. MEDA’s Global Affairs Canada-funded Ethiopians Motivating Enterprises Rise in Trade & Agri-Business (EMERTA) project is being implemented for six (6) years, from 2016 to 2022, with the objective of contributing to increased income and employment opportunities for 16,000 entrepreneurs and 275 MSMEs. Focusing on three sectors—rice, vegetables and gemstones—the project employs various strategies to maximize the growth and profit potential of producers and businesses in these sectors with the goal of supporting the Amhara Region, particularly its women, to contribute to Ethiopia’s economic growth. One approach that MEDA employs to achieve this objective is to promote a grant program-known as EIGP-to support small businesses in the region. In almost all cases, MEDA expects that applicants will match their grant requests as an important part of their applications.  Match expectations are detailed further below.

Objective

The objective of these grants-in rice, vegetables and gemstones- is to spur innovations in business activities, value addition, aggregation, technology, gender outreach, and environmental improvements. These grants provide the economic incentives that companies need to invest in operations and/or products which are more innovative for clients, more gender appropriate, more environmentally sustainable, and/or reach more marginal (poor) clients.

Areas of Proposals

To access the EMERTA Innovation Grant (EIGP) opportunity, all applications should be directly related to the three sectors (rice, vegetables and gemstones).  Possible proposals include:

Rice

• Technology upgrading (procurement of equipment for processing, grading, moisture testing, row making and planting, drying, parboiling, packaging, harvesting, storage)
• Production &/or distribution of improved seeds
• Conversion of by-products (husks) to energy sources
• Private seed multiplication and marketing
• Development of packaging/labeling
• Introduction of new business models
• Information dissemination
•  Marketing /Advertising
•  Rice promotional events, participation in trade fairs
• Advocacy, registration, certification for business associations

Vegetables

• Equipment and technology for vegetable processing (for example, procurement of processing machines for value addition of tomato and onion, vegetable harvesting and drying, tomato staking, etc.)
• Private seed multiplication for vegetables
• Warehouse construction for vegetable storage
• Simple harvesting and transporting machines for vegetables
• Cost effective and simple post-harvest handling technologies for vegetables
• Supply of inputs (Improved, hybrid vegetable seeds, bio fertilizers, irrigation technologies, etc.
• Introducing of organic pesticides
• Supplying affordable plastic sheets for rain fed vegetable production
•  Participation in trade fairs
•  Marketing /advertising, creating market linkages for vegetable producers /innovative ideas on vegetable marketing
• Business plan development for MSMEs
• Advocacy, registration, certification of business associations

Gemstones

• Technology and equipment upgrading (procurement of lapidary machines and equipment, jewelry making machines and tools, gemstones storage machines)
• Production &/or distribution of lapidary and jewelry machines and equipment
• Expansion of lapidary business
• Establishing gemstone jewelry for local and tourist market
• Gemstones business promotion and accessing export markets
• Introduction of new business models in the gemstone industry
• Involvement in market information and dissemination
•  Participation in international trade fairs/bazaars and market linkage forums, experience sharing and exposure visits
•  Marketing /Advertising
• Advocacy, registration, certification that could benefit business associations

What Will EIGP Not Fund? 

Proposals on business ideas and models that do not address the objectives of the program will not be funded. Initiatives and costs not covered under the EIGP include:

• Proposals that cannot demonstrate impact and sustainability
• Proposals that do not support the continuation of the business beyond the life of the EMERTA project
• Administrative costs:  EIGP will not cover routine, ongoing business operations such as:

ü  Purchase of office equipment and supplies not directly related to the proposed activity

ü  Working capital

ü  Loan repayments and similar expenses

ü  Proposals that have adverse environmental or gender effects

ü  Applications over Canadian $100,000 in value or under $500 will not be considered.

ü  Applicants with links to known terrorist organizations or funding for such organizations.

 

Job Requirements

Application requirements and necessary documents:

• Business license
• Registration from relevant regulatory organizations, TIN number
• Demonstrated 1-2 years (depends on the nature of the project) of successful business operation as evidenced by sustained sales and profitability except for start-up businesses with strong evidence of success potential.
• The applicant should demonstrate briefly how the proposed project will bring benefit to the people of the project area.
• In most cases, applicants are expected to contribute 20-50% of the total value of the project as a matching fund.
• The proposal should clearly indicate how women can benefit from the project
• The proposed project should be environmentally friendly
• Project proposals should be prepared and submitted with the following standard templates:

ü   Concept Notes

ü   Detail implementation Plan

ü   Project Budget Estimate

ü   In addition, scanned applicant’s business license, business registration, Tax payer Identification Number (TIN) & Professional competence (if necessary) certificates should be attached.

How to Apply

If you are interested to be part of the EIGP Program, you can submit your proposal to the following address.

Mr. Kassaw Woldie, Grant Specialist,

Email:        [email protected];   Phone: +251-918768029

Interested applicants may contact MEDA/EMERTA project through the following address should they seek additional information.

                  MEDA/EMERTA Regional office, Bahirdar

                  Kebele 13, Behind ANRS Bureau of Education

                  +0583206489