Call for Grant Proposals for Innovative Skills Projects Skills Initiative for Africa Financial Cooperation(400 000 EUR to be awarded)

DEADLINE: 6 February 2023 at 23:59 SAST (GMT+2)

The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) hereby, under the Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA) Financial Cooperation (FC), funded by the Federal Republic of Germany and the European Union, is looking to support Innovative solutions in the field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training that will contribute to higher productivity, employability, and job promotion for African youth. Emphasis is on supporting products, services, and processes that will contribute to employment-oriented skills development for young people in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Togo, and Tunisia. Grant funding is provided up to 400 000 EUR per project with a matching counterpart contribution required of 10%.

Interested applicants are invited to respond to the SIFA FW3 open Call for Proposals 1/2022 by submitting a proposal for funding under one of the following themes:

 

Theme 1: Digital Tools and Skills – Supporting enhanced delivery of TVET via digital technologies and applications to enhance employability in the post COVID-19 era.

 

Theme 2: Female Entrepreneurship and Employability – Supporting enhanced employability and enterprise creation amongst women, youth, and vulnerable groups in TVET.

 

Theme 3: Training Innovation in Informal Sectors – Supporting innovative TVET to deliver training and skills in informal sectors and vulnerable groups.

 

More specifically, SIFA FW3 is looking to fund projects1 with products, services or processes existing at the prototype and/or concept stage but requiring testing in a real-life environment with users. The SIFA FW3-funded project will help the project owners to seek clarity on technical features and business models before the final market roll-out. Alternatively, the project can be based on an already existing product, service or process that is proposed to be transferred into a new geographical location or for the benefit of new users’ group. The projects receiving funding could be:

 Products & Services A: provision of new or improved TVET services, courses for skills competencies, and qualifications in demand by the labour market but not yet offered by existing TVET

Product & Services B: provision of new or improved TVET services and courses to actors, such as students, content developers, companies, and governments, who previously had no access to such courses and

Teaching and Learning Processes: implementation of new or improved teaching and

Project is a temporary activity in that it has a set beginning and end in time, and therefore has a clearly out- lined scope and set of A project is unique in that it is not a routine operation, but a specific set of operations designed to accomplish a singular goal. See e.g., Project Management Institute (PMI): https://www.pmi.org/

learning approaches and methodologies, including devices and tools.

Organisational Practices: activities that support TVET organisations to develop and strengthen partnerships and stakeholder engagement, particularly with labour market partners, to promote new approaches and collaboration in training provision and

 

Potential Applicants

 

Potential applicants for a FW3 project are partnerships2 such as TVET organisations joining resources with role-players such as innovation hubs and labs, research/academia, private sector, public entities, and NGOs hosting and supporting youth entrepreneurship and start-ups. Partnerships with the private sector are encouraged to apply.

 

Call for Proposals Submission & Indicative Timeline

 

Applicants must submit a detailed application in time for the deadline for submission. SIFA uses the SmartME electronic platform for the preparation and submission of proposals. This tool is available to applicants on the SIFA website: www.skillsafrica.org.