Fertilizer for Food Innovation Challenge

We're helping Ethiopian farming by finding new ways to make fertilizer easier to get. We're giving grants of up to $200,000 for this.

Application is now closed.

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About

Improving Ethiopian Farming with Fresh Ideas!

The Fertilizer for Food Innovation Challenge is an open competition designed to identify and accelerate innovative solutions and business models that can increase the production, distribution, or access to affordable and effective fertilizer within Ethiopian agriculture value chains.

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Eligibility

Who Can Enter the Innovation Challenge

Be legally registered in accordance with the laws of Ethiopia

Not be part of a government or any government structures

Not affiliated with any political party

Be able to submit a complete concept paper

Comply with the application format guidelines

Not appear on any list of debarred or suspended entities

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AWARDS

Types of support provided to successful innovators

Milestone-Based Grants

CATALYZE MS4G plans to issue 6-10 fixed amount, milestone-based award grants, each between USD $20,000 and $200,000, paid in Ethiopian Birr.

Tailored Technical Assistance

CATALYZE MS4G will offer tailored technical assistance for Fertilizer for Food Challenge finalists.

Fertilizer for Food Innovator Community

Each quarter, the Fertilizer for Food Challenge team will organize innovator exchanges.

Fertilizer for Food Investor and Funder Briefings

CATALYZE MS4G promotes its finalists through quarterly briefings with a group of aligned investors and funders.

Partnering to Scale support

CATALYZE MS4G will help scale the commercialization and adoption of their innovation amongst target customer segments in Ethiopia.

 

 

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F.A.Q

Frequently Asked Questions

The USAID CATALYZE MS4G is a program designed to strengthen and mobilize the private sector to transform the food security and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sectors to deliver improved outcomes for the Ethiopian people. To achieve these goals, MS4G mobilizes capital, increases access to finance, connects enterprises to markets, pilots inclusive business models, empowers young people, and supports stakeholders to self-advocate towards policy change which will promote opportunities for the private sector community as a partner in transformation. This F4F Innovation Challenge is implemented by the USAID CATALYZE MS4G Activity, in partnership with iceaddis..

It is an open competition with the objective to identify and accelerate innovative solutions and business models that can increase the production, distribution, or access to affordable and effective fertilizer within Ethiopian agriculture value chains.

Private sector businesses, social enterprises, and market-oriented non-governmental organizations with an innovative service delivery approach, product or technology, financing solution, or business model that addresses one or more significant challenges impacting the availability, accessibility, affordability, and use of fertilizer in Ethiopia.

The program prioritizes applicants that:
  • Operate with a financially sustainable business model as a private company and are able to demonstrate a revenue track record reaching the targeted populations listed above within Ethiopian agricultural value chains.
  • Have a well-defined plan for sustainable growth.
  • Understand the local enabling environment.
  • Promote user-centered design and demonstrate direct or indirect benefits for the BoP.
  • Show how their innovation benefits women.
  • Offer the potential for significant impact in a 12 – 18-month time period.

The Fertilizer for Food Innovation Challenge is designed to accelerate and build the pipeline of 6-10 innovative fertilizer-oriented Ethiopian enterprises through a combination of milestone-based grants, technical assistance, networking support, and community building. Types of support provided to successful innovators include:
  • Milestone-Based Grants. This RFA is intentionally designed with the understanding that the financial and non-financial needs of applicants vary greatly. CATALYZE MS4G plans to issue 6-10 fixed amount, milestone-based award grants, each between up to $200,000, paid in Ethiopian Birr.
  • Tailored Technical Assistance such as Business Operations, Market Intelligence and Information: Operations, Marketing, and Communication, and As-Needed Technical Expertise.
  • Partnering to Scale support.

    • Applications must be submitted via the online application form. If the applicant experiences any difficulty with applying, or needs Amharic-language support, please contact. CATALYZE-Ethiopia.ms4g.grants@thepalladiumgroup.com