Call for Proposals for Grants Applications for women-owned or led farmer-based organizations, cooperatives, SMEs, and VSEs within the Post Production Rice Value Deadline: 14th June 2024 The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank, is launching a five-year initiative called Empowering Women-led SMEs (EWASME). This Project, funded by the World Bank's Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi), aims to support and Promote women-owned and women-led Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Very Small Enterprises (VSEs) engaged in the post-production rice value chain. The initiative focuses on four countries: Guinea, Niger, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. EWASME seeks to eliminate obstacles and provide extensive support to women entrepreneurs in these regions. It prioritizes improving the processing and distribution capacities of appropriate and deserving businesses by offering them targeted capacity-building programs and matching grants. Furthermore, the project will establish connections between enterprises and private sector buyers and explore options for providing loan collateral. This call specifically targets women-owned and women-led small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and very small enterprises (VSEs) involved in the post-production segment of the rice value chain within the agriculture sector in Torma Bum, Bonthe District, Sierra Leone. Women-owned or led farmer-based organizations, cooperatives, SMEs, and VSEs operating in this area are invited to participate and take advantage of this transformative initiative. Who Is Eligible to Apply? Applications from prospective women-owned or led farmer-based organizations, cooperatives, SMEs and VSEs in the Post Production Rice Value Chain in the project location (Torma Bum in Bonthe District) should be filled and submitted online on: CLICK HERE https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=Xtvls0QpN0iZ9XSIrOVDGQyrWi8UsflIuS1Dq_g9nN5URUtFTjUyV0lDQlBFWjRHWTNZSzVOMjNURy4u&wdLOR=c80D152E9-6BD6-4A36-B75F-2DE56779BC46 Alternatively, application forms duly completed and put in a sealed envelope may also be submitted physically at the District Agriculture office in Bonthe District in Sierra Leone. If one is submitting physically, please get a copy of the application form from the District Agriculture office in Bonthe District.
Submission Deadline: The deadline for applications is 1:00 pm on Friday 14th June 2024. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. A team from UNDP and the Ministry of Agriculture will visit Torma Bum to provide training for interested women on how to complete the application forms. The dates for these visits will be announced later through local radio stations and other traditional means of communication in the project area. The deadline for applications is 1:00pm on Friday, 14th June 2024. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. INTERESTED ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD DOWNLOAD APPLICATION DOCUMENTS AND ADDITIONAL DETAILS FROM LINK:UNDP | Procurement Notices FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS SENT MAIL THROUGH vendors.sle@undp.org | 
