Request for Proposals: Impact Mapping, Documentation And Storytelling in Nigeria

Deadline: 17-May-23

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is issuing this Request for Proposal (RFP) to engage the services of a Service Provider (from May 2023 to September 2023) to conduct impact mapping, documentation and storytelling for Strengthening Nutrition in Priority Staples (SNIPS) Project with a focus on women and youths (Farmers, businesses and workers in the selected value chain) led businesses functioning in four selected Local Government Areas (LGAs) in each of the four selected states of Kaduna, Benue, Nasarawa and Oyo in the Vitamin A Cassava, Vitamin A Maize, Rice and Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato value chains.

The Strengthening Nutrition in Priority Staples project is currently implemented by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition in partnership with GIZ and the Green Innovation Centre for the Agricultural and Food Sector in Nigeria (GIC), with support from the German Government through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The project was developed to add a nutrition lens and deliver an integrated suite of activities to support GIZ’s Green Innovation Centre (GIC) in Nigeria. The Strengthening Nutrition in Priority Staples project aims to strengthen the GIC priority value chains and improve food and nutrition security through improved diets for farmers, farm workers, other workers in businesses in these value chains, and among the wider population in Nigeria. The broad objectives for this programme are:

Increasing the consumption of nutritious foods by smallholder farmers, farmworkers, their households, and the wider population.

Strengthening the cassava, maize, sweet potato, and rice value chains in Nigeria to provide more safe nutritious foods to consumers.

Increasing the use of nutritious varieties of the target staples in processed foods.

Improving the productivity & efficiency of farmers and businesses to increase the production of nutritious foods in the cassava, maize, sweet potato, and rice value chains.

Objectives

The main objective is to engage a service provider to conduct an impactful mapping, documentation and storytelling on the Strengthening Nutrition in Priority Staples (SNIPS) project in four selected states.

The specific objectives are:To map out the stories of change focusing on farmers’ transition from traditional to biofortified foods,processing and commercialisation of biofortified food products by MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) and household and workplace consumption in Kaduna, Benue, Nasarawa and Oyo States.Conduct targeted trainings on storytelling for impact and document success stories on the project.Translate select training manuals focused on food safety, food processing and business sustainability into two indigenous languages, Yoruba and Hausa.To promote the production, processing, and consumption of these nutrient-enriched staples through documentaries, and photo stories about the SNIPS project activities in the selected states of implementation.

Scope of Work and Deliverables

The successful applicant shall complete the following services:Engage stakeholders in the food system, particularly farmers, food processors, aggregators, cooperatives, farmers associations, distributors, wholesalers and retailers engaging in the production, processing and commercialization of biofortified food products and some target households engaging in the consumption of biofortified foods.

Develop storytelling guides and templates for the project to document stories to be used till the end of the project cycle.Conduct training of select stakeholders, including the project team, desk officers and extension workers, on storytelling for impact.Create compelling, impact change stories and documentaries in English, Yoruba and Hausa (written and audio content for the podcast, video footage and photo stories) on the SNiPS Project.Translate select training manuals into Hausa and Yoruba languages.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be reviewed by the Selection Team. The following indicate a list of the significant criteria against which proposals will be assessed. This list is not exhaustive or 100% inclusive and is provided to enhance the applicants’ ability to respond with substance.

Applicants are required to submit the following information, conforming to the guidelines given in this section:Understanding of the scope of work:Proposal shall demonstrate a clear understanding of the project objective and deliverables as outlined in Section I.Demonstrate a clear understanding of the technical requirements of this RFP:Providing detailed technical documentation of the proposed strategy.Evidence of experience delivering solutions using the proposed information technology platform.The creative and methodological approaches required to implement each of the parts of the scope of work.

Comprehensiveness of work plan and reasonableness of proposed time frame:Proposal shall include a feasible work plan to ensure successful completion of deliverables.The work plan details how activities will be coordinated.Detailed budget and cost-effectiveness of proposed approach:Evidence of cost-effective approaches to undertaking the scope of work within the proposed budget.Proposal shall identify possible challenges and include creative approaches to addressing them.Management and personnel plan:The team members working on this project shall have the relevant qualifications and overall experience required to successfully implement the project.Roles and responsibilities of each team member shall be clearly defined. GAIN shall have one main contact person clearly identified in the proposal.A duly completed offer of services.

Unacceptable

The following proposals will automatically not be considered or accepted:Proposals that are received after the RFP deadline at the specified receiving office.Proposals received by fax.Incomplete proposals.Proposals that are not signed.

For more

FOR MORE INFORMATION

The Leakey Foundation is inviting applications for the Francis H. Brown African Scholarship.

Deadline: 15-Jul-23

The Leakey Foundation is inviting applications for the Francis H. Brown African Scholarship.

The purpose of the Francis H. Brown African Scholarship Fund is to expand human knowledge and scientific interest in earth sciences and botany related to human origins by providing financial assistance to East African researchers and students pursuing research in these areas.

The fund is further intended to support research that builds on the work of Dr. Francis H. Brown and builds capacity in the earth and botanical sciences in East African institutions and countries

Funding Information

The maximum award amount is $30,000 per applicant per year.

Eligibility Criteria

Students or researchers of African heritage who are citizens of Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Djibouti, Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia or Eritrea whoare pursuing a graduate degree at an accredited university, preferably from, but not limited to, an institution located in sub-Saharan Africa orhave completed their doctoral degrees not longer than ten (10) years prior to the time of application for funding from this source. Applicants must be pursuing research in earth sciences and/or botany related to human origins. Applicants shall demonstrate a commitment to a career in their field of study with an emphasis on research and teaching in his/her country of citizenship following the completion of his/her degree.

Allowable Expenses

Analysis costs to which the applicant might not otherwise have access, including, but not limited to, elemental, isotopic, geological mapping technology, or genetic analysis of geological or botanical specimens. It is expected that analytical costs will be charged at in-house rates in cases where analytical costs are different for internal vs. external users of a laboratory. It is intended that the applicant will participate in the measurements in order to enhance his or her capabilities, and not simply send materials to a laboratory for analysis.

Travel costs for the applicant to a university for the purpose of preparing samples for measurement, or for making measurements such as those described in the first bullet of this section. Funding may be provided to offset the cost of economy airfare, economy lodging, and/or subsistence during the time an individual is visiting an institution where the measurements are made.

Travel costs for the applicant to a field site in order to collect materials for analysis which would otherwise not be available. It is intended that such travel will be of short duration (i.e., normally less than two weeks, unless the fieldwork warrants a longer trip), and that the travel is for the express purpose of necessary research including, fieldwork, sample collection, or mapping. Such costs may include economy airfare, food, economy lodging, vehicle rental and maintenance, fuel, a local competitive salary for temporary field assistants, and costs of visas or other documents necessary for travel.

Minor supply items such as sample containers (e.g., bags, bottles, markers, etc.).

Tuition, student fees, insurance, books, and other relevant categories of expenditure for a recipient of support from the Francis H. Brown African Scholarship Fund.

Modest stipend to recipient

Excluded items

No funds shall be provided from this fund for:

Salary or wages for the applicant, coworkers, or assistants other than those specified.

Institutional “bench” fees.

Travel to conferences or professional meetings.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the timing of travel for purposes of research coincides with a meeting by a professional society at no additional cost to the traveler, then there is no objection to dual use of funds from this source.

APPLY HERE

Call for Grant Proposals – Accelerating Inclusive Green Growth Through Agri-based Digital Innovation in West Africa(Up to EUR 663,000)

Deadline: 31st May 2023

Background

The ‘Accelerating inclusive green growth through agri-based digital innovation in West Africa (AGriDI)’ intervention supports innovations to address key challenges related to climate change, sustainable use, and management of biodiversity as well as responsible production and consumption among farming communities in West Africa. It is funded through the ACP Innovation Fund of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS),0000 financed by the European Union (EU), and implemented by the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), under its Regional Coordination Unit of the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF), in partnership with the University of Abomey Calavi, (Benin), and Agropolis Foundation (France) and Gearbox Pan African Network (Kenya).

AGriDI aims at strengthening innovation systems and fostering adoption of agri-based digital technologies in West Africa. Digital technologies offer potential to make it easier and more efficient for farmers and small business owners, especially women and youth, to produce (thanks to access of information and technologies) and market their goods and services, leading to greater profits. AGriDI will increase identification, adaptation, and use of agri-based digital technologies by farmers, SMEs especially women and youth to enhance agricultural production and marketing though strengthened linkages between research communities, industry, and policy actors, and improved policy environment.

AGriDI will contribute to the implementation of ECOWAS and national policies and strategies related to Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) and ICT, as well as the African Union’s Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA) 2024. Outputs support the roll–out of the Africa Continental Free Trade area.

Desired outcomes

AGriDI has three main objectives to achieve:

(i) Increased uptake of agri-based digital technologies by farmers and SMEs, especially women and youth in West Africa

(ii) Strengthened linkages between research communities, industry, and policy actors in digital innovations in the region

(iii) A strengthened policy environment for scaling agri-business digital innovations in the region.

Nature of grants

As in the first call for proposals (launch: 21 April 2021, close: 30 June 2021), the second call for proposals of AGriDI will provide competitive grants to enhance the capacities of key stakeholders in diverse areas of digital technologies and agro-ecological systems, and strengthen synergies with the private sector, civil society, and other community-based organisations. The grants support the development of tangible digital solutions that address real challenges for farmers and agribusinesses, especially among women and youth, thereby increasing opportunities for jobs and income in the region.

Target groups

The target groups for this call are:

i) scientists and researchers in universities and research institutes

ii) agri-business owners and proprietors of legally incorporated small and medium enterprises

iii) innovators in tech hubs, innovation labs, and university technology transfer offices

iv) policy makers in national government ministries, departments, and agencies responsible for creating enabling policy environment to promote digital innovations, including those responsible for rural development, gender and social inclusion

v) farmers in legally registered groups and cooperatives based in the eligible countries.

The call encourages participation of women and youth, organizations and individuals (scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs, policy actors, among others) from organisations in other parts of Africa and globally may also participate in the call. However, they can ONLY participate as ‘collaborators’ in a project. A collaborator brings a specific skill or expertise to implement specific activities in a project. Collaborators should be described in the proposal, and their role and contribution to the project should be clearly articulated.

APPLY HERE

Women Breakthrough Award 2023 for Female scientists (up to 3,000 EUR)

Deadline: May 31, 2023

Nominations are open for the Women Breakthrough Award 2023. Launched together by Falling Walls Female Science Talents and the Elsevier Foundation, the Women Breakthrough Award distinguishes three women scientists each year who conduct visionary research while also engaging with issues of gender equity and equality in science.

With the Women Breakthrough Award, they look for women from science, conducting a research project in one of the fields related to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They seek exceptional talents who conduct interdisciplinary, groundbreaking research in their field and contribute to gender equality and diversity in science and academia.

Awards

Category Innovation – 3,000 EUR

The researcher addresses in her research a specific gender-related issue in science in an innovative way.

Category Gender Mainstreaming – 3,000 EUR

The researcher incorporates gender equality into the design of her research project in alliance with the standard similar to those formulated by the European Research Council or German Research Foundation.

Category Empowerment – 3,000 EUR

The researcher empowers women or other underrepresented people around her with her research or the design of her research project.

Other Benefits:

Get a travel scholarship for Berlin from 7-10 November 2023 and participate Falling Walls Science Summit 2023;

Benefit from an increased reach and visibility for you and your research on a global level;

Get unique opportunities for networking with global leaders in science, politics, business, and the media;

Become part of the inspiring Female Science Talents community and get access to the Female Science Talents community channels;

Become a champion that inspires the vision of gender equality in science;

Have in-depth peer exchange with Falling Walls community members, including Falling Walls Venture, Falling Walls Engage, Falling Walls Lab and partners.

Eligibility

Nominators

Universities and research institutions

Companies with research labs

Scientific foundations

Partner organisations of Falling Walls

Leading scientists in their field

Nominees

Researchers who are at the final stage of their project from all disciplines, including the arts, at university and non-university research institutions worldwide — PhD (late stage), Postdoctoral Researchers and Junior Professors, or similar level;

Women from science and industry conducting a research on one issue related to the 17 SDGs;

The research project must be running and active at the time of the submission. Being in the funding or ideation phase is not considered as a running research project;

The nominee must be 18 years or older when submitting the application.

Nomination

Fill in your nomination, self-nomination, or complete your nominee submission.

Nominees will get a email with further information regarding the competition process.

Nominate Here

Google Africa Youth Envoy Digital Skills Campaign: For Youth Led SMEs.

The Office of the Youth Envoy, in collaboration with Google Africa, is excited to invite you to participate in the Digital Skills Campaign for youth-led SMEs, which will be held on the 12th of May in Antananarivo, Madagascar. 

Eligibility Criteria:

To participate in the Digital Skills Campaign in Antananarivo on May 12th, interested individuals must meet the following criteria:

Must have an existing small business or intent to start a business soon

Must be based in Antananarivo, Madagascar

Must be present at the venue on May 12.

Please note that this inaugural workshop will only be available to participants who meet the above criteria and can attend the workshop in person. After submission of interest, the selected list of participants will receive the official invitation letter on email with more information.

APPLY HERE

Investing in Innovation (i3) – 2023: For E-Health Start-ups $50,000 Grant)

DEADLINE: June 26, 2023

We are driving scale in data-driven innovation for health product distribution in Africa.

What is the program about?

Investing in Innovation Africa (i3) is a pan-African initiative for start-ups building the future of healthcare supply chains. Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and sponsored by AmerisourceBergen, Merck Sharpe & Dohme (MSD), Microsoft and Chemonics, i3 is supporting the commercialization of 60 promising early- and growth-stage companies. The program connects African-led supply chain innovators to donors, industry, and government partners, to power start-ups’ growth and impact.

Pillars of the program

Access to Markets: I3’s matchmaking program and flagship event connect innovators to leading local and international industry players, financial institutions, donors, and governments to establish partnerships and pilot projects that fuel impact and scale.

Risk-Tolerant Funding: I3 provides systematic grants of $50,000 to all participating startups. This flexible funding is provided to address key business model needs and advance the startups’ charitable impacts.

Investment Readiness Support: i3 provides participating startups with tailored investment readiness support, delivered by leading innovation experts at CCHub, Startupbootcamp AfriTech, Villgro Africa and IMPACT Lab. 

APPLY HERE AND READ MORE

Changemakers for the Planet Programme in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa

Deadline: 22-May-23

Applications are now open for the Changemakers for the Planet Programme in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa that provides young leaders with in-person summits, capacity building, funding for collaborative efforts and life-long access to ChangemakerXchange’s vibrant global network of changemakers and activists.

For the “Changemakers for the Planet” programme, they are looking for young changemakers who tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, air, sea and land pollution. They welcome applications from changemakers from a variety of backgrounds working to address the planetary crisis, including social entrepreneurs and innovators, social change agents and activists, and civil society leaders.

They intentionally recruit a diverse variety of changemakers because the climate crisis requires an intersectional and coordinated approach between numerous stakeholders that are both tackling the root causes, and those who are responding to the changes which will affect society in a variety of ways.

Eligible Countries

Latin America:

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela.

Sub-Saharan Africa:

Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Côte-d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Réunion, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Western Sahara, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Eligibility Criteria

This programme is for Changemakers aged 18-35 from Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa with solutions to tackle the planetary crisis.

It will commence with a summit from the 11th to the 15th of September 2023 in Latin America and from the 18th to the 22nd of September 2023 in Sub-Saharan Africa, followed by funding opportunities for collaboration among participants.

The Latin American summit will be hosted in Spanish. The team onsite will also speak English and Portuguese, to support any non-native speakers, but participants will need a strong level of Spanish to fully take part. Applications can be filled out in English, Spanish or Portuguese. You can apply for the summit in English or French.

Attending a ChangemakerXchange summit is the first step into the programme and to joining the global community of 1000 changemakers from all over the world.

APPLY HERE

The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives offering up to $100,000 Canadian Dollars (Côte d’Ivoire)

Deadline: 21-May-23

The Embassy of Canada in Côte d’Ivoire is pleased to launch its annual call for proposals for the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).

The CFLI is a program designed to support small-scale, high-impact projects in developing countries, which align with Global Affairs Canada’s thematic priority areas for engagement. The program is directed at projects conceived and designed predominantly by local partners. Projects are selected and approved by the relevant Canadian embassy or high commission. The CFLI also serves to support positive bilateral relations between Canada and recipient countries and their civil societies, by deepening contacts and supporting local endeavours.

Thematic Priorities

All projects must align with at least 1 of the following CFLI thematic priorities:Peace and security, with a focus on conflict prevention and building peace, including disinformation and the role that women can play as agents of reconciliation, living together and peace.Inclusive governance, including women, girls, youth and marginalized groups, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.Environment and climate action, focusing on adaptation for growth that works for everyone

Funding Information

The average CFLI contribution is $20,000 to $49,000 Canadian Dollars (CAD$100,000 is the maximum allocation amount for a project eligible under CFLI).

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible recipients include:Local non-governmental, community and not-for-profit organizations,Local academic institutions working on local projects,International non-governmental organizations working on local development activities,Intergovernmental, multilateral and regional institutions, organizations and agencies working on local development activities,Municipal, regional or national government institutions or agencies of the recipient country working on local projects, andCanadian non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations that are working on local development activities.The majority of CFLI funding is to be directed toward local civil society organizations (including non-governmental organizations) and other institutions working at the local level. Other entities, such as international, intergovernmental, multilateral and regional organizations may be eligible for funding, provided they are working with local partners and on local projects that are consistent with the objectives of the CFLI. Similarly, municipal, regional and national government institutions may receive funding, provided that their projects are essentially local in nature. The CFLI is always looking to fund innovative projects that deliver measurable results.

A GBA will require applicants to:consider how women, girls, men, and boys are affected differently by the problem their project is aiming to address, ensuring, at the same time, that the project does not cause harmconsult women and/or girls in the development of their project proposalensure that the views of those women and/or girls inform the project’s designNote that consultations can include, but are not limited to, speaking to women and girls from the local community, women and other individuals who work for civil society organizations that have worked in the local community and female and male decision and change makers who have knowledge of the local community.

Ineligible

The following costs are not eligible for CFLI funding:nuclear technologies and facilities,assistance to military or paramilitary organizations,gifts,luxury goods,direct fiscal support to a government,seed funding and/or microfinance,core funding or recurrent costs of an organizationexpenses incurred prior to the signing of the contribution agreement, or after it expires

APPLY HERE

Justice Entrepreneurship Programme 2023 – Kenya

Deadline: 31-May-23

Are you a Kenyan entrepreneur with a developed prototype or a startup with little traction and would like to grow your users and customers? The Call of Applications for the Justice Entrepreneurship School is now open!.

Hill Innovation Hub – East Africa is a social enterprise dedicated to finding and supporting the most promising justice entrepreneurs in East Africa. We seek startups that solve people’s justice problems and aspire for them to have access to justice at work, at home, in their neighbourhoods, and in business.

The Justice Entrepreneurship School is HiiL’s flagship incubation programme that supports early-stage entrepreneurs that are preventing or resolving pressing justice needs in their communities. The programme is catered to startups in the incubation stage, where there is a Minimal Viable Product or Service, but no traction and runs for a period of 6 weeks. Focused on delivering high-quality action learning, the programme focuses on business modelling, storytelling, pitching and justice design thinking. This year the programme is focused in supporting innovative early stage startups in Kenya.

During the incubation programme, the startups will work on getting their product into the hands of users as fast as possible, aggressively and consistently obtain their feedback, and refine the MVP accordingly. This includes getting enough users and running tests on them.

Funding Information

Grant Amount: €1000

Benefits

The Justice Entrepreneurship School offers a six-week-long programme that provides justice startups with:A one-week residential boot camp delivered by industry specialists: business growth, team & leadership, design thinking, and much more.Coaching sessions and mentorship on topics of your choice.Access to HiiL’s regional network of justice leaders, legal tech organisations, and top-level researchers.Certification and a learning platform for self-service.A chance to win up to €1000 at the end of the programme during the Justice Innovation Circle demo day.

Eligibility Criteria

The programme is suitable for Startups that:Have a solution that meets the needs of those with unmet justice needs who struggle to access effective, easy-to-understand, affordable, and accessible means to prevent or resolve their justice problems.Have a basic product or service, that is, an existing prototype or minimal viable problem.Have no traction, that is, the product is still not in the hand of users, or it’s only in hands of a small number of early adopter users, where they still do not see enough evidence that this product or business can work.Led by a team of 2 or 3 committed and passionate co-founders who shares a drive for justice and impact.

They support startups that empower people with break-through innovations to create better:working conditions with their employerseparation terms with their spouseprotection against theft, fraud, and violencearrangements about noise, damages, and property access with their neighbourhousing maintenance and rent conditions with their landlordagreements on ownership, registration, and use of landcontracts, fraud protection, and compliance for their small business.

Eligibility Criteria

• The programme is suitable for Startups that:
  • Have a solution that meets the needs of those with unmet justice needs who struggle to access effective, easy-to-understand, affordable, and accessible means to prevent or resolve their justice problems.
  • Have a basic product or service, that is, an existing prototype or minimal viable problem.
  • Have no traction, that is, the product is still not in the hand of users, or it’s only in hands of a small number of early adopter users, where they still do not see enough evidence that this product or business can work.
  • Led by a team of 2 or 3 committed and passionate co-founders who shares a drive for justice and impact.
• They support startups that empower people with break-through innovations to create better:
• working conditions with their employer
• separation terms with their spouse
• protection against theft, fraud, and violence
• arrangements about noise, damages, and property access with their neighbour
• housing maintenance and rent conditions with their landlord
• agreements on ownership, registration, and use of land
• contracts, fraud protection, and compliance for their small business.
• 
  

APPLY HERE