Finding and securing the needed financial resources to start and scale initiatives for sustainable development can be difficult, particularly in African countries where there are many economic, social, and environmental challenges with limited resources available to tackle them.
Grants have been one of the financial vehicles used by local and international organizations to support social enterprises addressing these issues in such contexts but are usually very competitive and requires certain skillsets and experience to successfully navigate its demands.
While grantors are never short of applications for funding, majority of grant applications fail, creating frustration and despondency on the part of grant seekers as well as feedback and management pressures on grant makers. What do grant organizations expect from social and environmental entrepreneurs looking for funding and how should applications be tailored to increase their chances of success?
This was the focus of this two days’ workshop aimed at gathering Grantmakers and seekers to discuss expectations and issues around grant funding, while sharing procedures and tips for writing successful grant applications. The following grant organizations were on ground to share insights about their programmes and take questions from participants: UNDP GEF Small Grants Program, Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation, Abilis Foundation, Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), African Women Development Fund (AWDF), Purposeful Productions.
An expert from Non-profit Grant Solutions (NGS) and AWDF coordinated a workshop where participants explored the practicalities of developing or completing a proposal they can use for future funding. Also, the workshop had a fireside chat with the co-founder of one of Africa’s foremost waste recycling companies, Recyclepoints Limited, where a practitioner’s perspective on Grant Funding were explored.
Participants benefited from:
