2019 World Bank Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) Second Call
Deadline: February 4, 2019.
The Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) is pleased to announce its second call for proposals. The objective of We-Fi is to address financial and non-financial constraints faced by women-owned/led small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in countries/territories that are eligible for financing from the International Development Association (IDA) and/or the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), provided they are also eligible for Official Development Assistance (ODA) (refer the list of eligible countries).
We-Fi aims to achieve its objectives by using funding to mobilize billions of dollars in additional financing from commercial and international financial institutions (IFI) to provide women entrepreneurs with access to debt, equity, venture capital, insurance products, capacity building, networks and mentors, and opportunities to link with domestic and global markets; and for governments to improve the business environment for women-owned/led SMEs. We-Fi has a strategic goal of allocating 50 percent of its resources to activities in IDA countries and/or fragile and conflict affected countries/territories.
ELIGIBILITY
1. We-Fi seeks proposals that demonstrate comprehensive and strategic approaches to supporting the growth and impact of women’s entrepreneurship.
2. We-Fi is a platform to align country-level reforms and private investment, build on and implement lessons learned about what works for starting and growing women owned/led firms, collect key data from the public and private sector on women entrepreneurs and their firms, and support innovation and learning for results at scale. 3. We-Fi proposals should break down barriers to financial access and provide complementary services such as capacity building, access to networks and mentors, and opportunities to link with domestic and global markets as well as improve the business environment for women-owned or women-led SMEs in supply chains across the developing world.
4. Special consideration will be given to proposals that focus on women entrepreneurs operating in rural settings.
5. For those proposals targeting Africa, special consideration will be given to those with activities in G-20 Compact Countries.
6. We-Fi can finance programs or projects in ODA-eligible countries and territories that are eligible to receive funding from the IBRD and/or IDA, including through trust funds administered by the World Bank.
FUNDING
Up to USD120m of financing is available for this call and is likely to be allocated to the three to four highest ranking proposals.
APPLICATION
1. Proposals should be no longer than 25 pages, must be in English, and all funding amounts/costs should be presented in U.S. dollars. No one organization may submit more than two separate proposals.
2. Proposals should be submitted as a PDF file via email to the We-Fi Secretariat at:
3. The applicant should obtain all internal management clearances for the proposal in accordance with their own policies and procedures, prior to submission.
OFFICIAL LINK
