Capacity Development Grants (Public Sector Window)

Capacity Development Grants (Public Sector Window) is sponsored by BADEA (Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa). These non-refundable grants support economic development in eligible African countries, contributing to social infrastructure (education and health), powering Africa (energy), food security (agriculture value chains), SMEs and entrepreneurship, finance, digital economy (ICT), su…

Capcity Development - badea Capacity Development Grants are provided as part of Public Sector Window, core products and services to support economic developmental growth in eligible African countries. For grant-related enquiries, please contact us at: badea@badea.

org A Passion for Strengthening Capacities and Empowering Entrepreneurs in Africa BADEA believes that no amount is too small to make a huge difference to people’s lives and to build a sustainable future in Sub-Saharan Africa.

In line with the Bank’s establishing agreement, a portion of yearly profits are systematically allocated to non-refundable grants – a flagship financial instrument that acts as an in-house foundation directed by a strong governance framework, a thorough screening process and a rigorous approval policy. As the epitome of Arab-African solidarity, USD 240+ million has been extended, since inception, as capacity development grants.

These grants have contributed to: Social Infrastructure (Education and Health) Food Security (Agriculture Value Chains) SMEs and Entrepreneurship Sustainable and Resilient Transportation (Roads, Rails, Airports, Seaports) Sustainable and Connected Cities (Urban Development) Seeking BADEA’s non-refundable grants offers strong benefits.

A one of its kind, in-house foundation for impact investing Our distinctive business model enables us to allocate, every year, a dedicated budget based on the Bank’s annual profits to non-refundable grants supporting initiatives in line with the BADEA 2030 Strategy, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the African Union’s 2063 Agenda.

An intrinsically non-refundable financial instrument for impact As a financial instrument at the service of Arab-African solidarity, our grants are, in essence, non-refundable in order to give back to communities, promote inclusive societies, and build a more sustainable future.

A genuine capacity development approach Our broader capacity development vision leads us to empower from within, foster shared ownership, coach through training of trainers (ToT), improve institutional capabilities and focus on a participative and long-term strategy.

A holistic grant-project approach Our unique 360° integrated approach enables us to sponsor feasibility studies showcasing a project’s vitality for local communities, demonstrat the vitality of a project to those communities and, at a later stage, mobilize financial resources to bring these projects to fruition. Conversely, grants can also be utilized to fund new equipment for a newly built or renovated public sector construction.

An innovative scalable pilot project approach We have an appetite for scalable pilot projects. Our purpose is to start small, experiment with new solutions at that scale and draw lessons to implement on a bigger scale. Such projects have the potential to be replicated in other areas, countries or industries, for further impact.

A top-notch entrepreneurship expertise Our entrepreneurship expertise enables us to support MSMEs tackling sustainability and women and youth economic empowerment, among others, through technical assistance, training, equipment and microfinance.

Solid Arab-African expertise and network Our proven 50-year track record for Arab-African shared prosperity leads us to foster the transfer of knowledge between the two regions and direct additional Arab funds towards African economies for greater impact.

Entrepreneurship at BADEA​ The entrepreneurship ecosystem in Africa is very diverse and has evolved significantly over the years, being perceived as one of the developmental solutions to drive inclusive growth. – The spectrum is wide-ranging from formal MSMEs and startups to income-generating activities.

– Women and youth are important stakeholders – Resilience and, at times, unemployment lead individuals to adopt a resourceful attitude and to begin income-generating activities to support their families – New employment and career paradigms have emerged for youth, leading them to perceive self-employment as a more meaningful career path than traditional employment.

– Many incubators have been inspired to support brilliant ideas and turn them into reality – Social entrepreneurship has risen and tackles developmental challenges in a way that blends social responsibility, sustainability and profit.

– New opportunities through e-commerce have blossomed, thanks to mobile banking, social media platforms and the emergence of tech companies – Access to financing has increased, thanks to financial institutions (microfinance), governmental initiatives, NGOs and incubators, among others. Many feasibility studies have led to BADEA and other partnering institutions’ financing the actual project.

​ To improve access to financing, we provide grants to conduct feasibility studies and demonstrate the strong necessity of projects. Provision of Arab Experts Service We provide grants to ministries and institutions to strengthen their capacities through the provision of an Arab experts, based on their needs. This type of grant aims at providing entities with new and vital equipment to enhance the capacity of the institutions.

National or Regional Training Courses Such grants have the purpose of funding training for countries, regional institutions and NGOs. We sponsor important international and national events with a focus on supporting Sub-Saharan Africa. Reverse linkage programmes aim at fostering knowledge sharing exemplified by South-South partnerships.

Pilot projects aim at experimenting and testing solutions to tackle development challenges, draw conclusions, learn lessons and replicate the projects at a larger scale in other regions, countries and industries. A project’s scalability component is conducive to optimizing impact and creating synergies. This post is also available in: