Local partners have a unique ability to bring a first-hand understanding of their market needs and context, to support tangible and lasting progress towards SDG7. As part of the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform’s Local Partnership Inclusion activity, TEA is launching a Technical Assistance (TA) Facility, to maximise the potential of local partners to successfully access grant funding, unlocking opportunities to drive impact in the markets they know best.
Innovators and enterprises in the clean energy sector are fundamental to efforts to realise SDG7 and improve access to affordable, reliable, sustainable energy. Among the key barriers faced in getting innovative solutions from concept stage to commercialisation, difficulty accessing finance can hinder progress. Grant funding has an important role to play in bridging this finance gap – to provide a springboard for enterprises to derisk new innovations, develop business models, and demonstrate their potential to secure further funding.
To secure grant financing, applications typically enter a rigorous and highly competitive selection process. Applications are assessed on the articulation of their vision, projected impact on target region, and ability to outline the long-term viability of their business model. For many locally-led organisations, who may not have the same levels of experience and technical skill in developing competitive proposals, it can prove to be a barrier to access available funding.
To overcome this, the TA Facility will take a tailored approach to supporting local partners to understand key requirements in the grant application process and develop their grant writing skillset, to improve their chances of success.
The TA Facility will be delivered by EED Advisory, a multidisciplinary Pan-African consulting firm offering technical, analytical and advisory services in energy, water and climate change.
What is covered
There is no one size fits all model. The TA Facility is both comprehensive and bespoke to the needs of applicants, to provide support in areas that offer most value to them. Topics will include –
- Understanding and navigating common challenges in grant applications.
- Budgeting techniques.
- Developing key performance indicators (KPIs).
- How grant applications are evaluated and differentiators of success.
- Reporting requirements and compliance measures.
- Short- and long-term planning.
- Internal human resource allocation strategies.
- The role of networking in successful grant funding.
- How to measure and evaluate the impact of funding.
- Integrating social and sustainability considerations.
- Risk mitigation strategies.
Alongside developing a rounded skillset to target future funding opportunities, the TA Facility will also seek to support local partners applying for current grant funding opportunities across the TEA platform partners*.
Stage 1: TA Dissemination
(1-2 weeks)
- EED + TEA partner puts out a notice on the availability of the TA and details of the upcoming open call
- Screening of local partners based on eligibility criteria
- EED conducts TA needs assessment for the local partners
Stage 2: Open calls
(4-5 weeks)
- Open calls are officially launched
- EED provides the pre-application support to successful local partner applicants in putting forward their bids.
Feedback from local partners
- EED to collect feedback from local partners on the TA to help improve on the TA process.
Figure 1: Process flow for each TEA platform open call during the project period.
Eligibility
The TA facility is open to applications from local partners in the following regions:
- Sub-Saharan Africa: All countries except South Africa
- Pacific Island Countries: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu
- South/South-East Asia: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, and Vietnam
TEA’s definition of local partners:
- Organisations, businesses, entities, enterprises, academic institutions, and entrepreneurs that are fully head-quartered in sub-Saharan Africa, South/Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Island Countries (and which only operate in these regions/countries).
- Organisations, businesses, entities, and enterprises that are majority (over 51%) ‘owned’/founded by citizens, diaspora, indigenous people, or refugees, migrants or forcibly displaced people, of sub-Saharan Africa, South/Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Island Countries.
- Autonomous national/regional networks/organisations/associations/academic institutions operating in sub-Saharan Africa, South/Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Island Countries. This can include autonomous organisations that are part of an international organisational, enterprise, network or institutional framework.
How to apply
There are no opportunities currently open for applications at this time. To be alerted to the opening of the next application window, and to be kept informed of future opportunities, we recommend registering your interest using the form below.
*Please note that registering your interest does not constitute an application for support. Registering your interest will ensure you are notified by email when applications open, you must then follow the required steps to submit an application.
Register your interest
For any questions or enquiries about the TA Facility, contact: tealocalpartnersips@eedadvisory.com