Investing in women entrepreneurship for a greener economy In Benin and Burkina Faso

Window 1: Investments in SMEs and FIs

Window 1 – Investment in SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) and FIs (Financial Institutions and Financial Services Intermediaries) is part of the Investing in Women’s Entrepreneurship for a Greener Economy in Benin and Burkina Faso programme, a C$16 million programme funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC).

This component of the fund includes repayable and non-repayable grants totalling C$7.5 million.  The programme will unlock the potential of the agricultural sector by financing women-owned and led agribusinesses. It will also de-risk financial intermediaries, enabling them to facilitate access to finance for women-owned and led SMEs focused on climate-smart agriculture to benefit low-income households.

The programme aims to:

  1. Strengthen the private sector’s commitment to women as economic actors.
  2. Increase private and public sector investment in local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) owned and managed by women, as well as in other types of local enterprises that create economic opportunities for women.
  3. Reduce systemic gender inequalities that hinder women’s effective economic participation in high environmental impact markets and in the private sector more generally.

Window 1: Termsheet for applicants

Programme Brief

Frequently Asked Questions