Focus on Job Creation and Access to Social Protection
The Facility Investing for Employment (IFE) has launched competition rounds in Ghana, Morocco, Rwanda, and Senegal. Companies as well as public and non-profit organisations can apply for co-financing grants. To be eligible for a grant, investment projects must create jobs in the private sector. In addition to the grant, applicants can apply for a contribution to social protection schemes offered by the employer. Applications can be submitted until 15 April 2025. Applications submitted by 28 February 2025 will participate in an early evaluation round.
The Calls for Proposals seek applications for four types of investment projects:
Focus on Job Creation and Access to Social Protection
The Facility awards grants ranging from EUR 650,000 to EUR 10 million per project for the job creation component. Preference will be given to projects that combine job creation with social protection measures, such as:
- Projects that give employees and their families access to social protection benefits beyond mandatory minimum requirements (e.g., additional health or accident insurance, pension schemes or other social protection measures offered by the employer),
- Projects that formalise the employment status of workers who are in informal employment.
The Facility only co-finances mature projects that have not yet started and that offer reasonable chances for being operationally and financially sustainable. Applicants are obliged to contribute own funds to complete the project finance. Projects that contribute to the promotion of women’s employment or to the socially just transition to a climate-friendly economy have a better chance of receiving a grant.
Temporary co-financing of additional social protection schemes
In addition to the application for a grant, investors have the option to apply for temporary co-financing by IFE of additional social protection schemes that are provided to employees and their families.
Social protection benefits provided to workers in informal jobs are also eligible for co-financing. These social protection schemes must go beyond the minimum standards required by law. This could cover:
- Enhanced social security (e.g., additional health or unemployment insurance),
- Investments in social measures (e.g., kindergartens, healthcare centers, conversion of workplaces with the aim of making them more accessible for persons with disabilities),
- Combinations are possible.
Two-stage application procedure
Applications can be submitted from 27 January to 15 April 2025. In a first step, the Facility will make a pre-selection from the submitted concept notes. In a second phase, the selected applicants will be invited to submit fully elaborated project proposals, which will then be evaluated in detail. Applications received by 28 February 2025 will qualify for an early assessment. The competition criteria are available in the Download Center. You can access the application platform by going to the web page of this Call.
Further Information and Webinars
IFE provides a Helpdesk for questions related to the application process and to the financing of social protection schemes. This helpdesk can be contacted via email under the following address: helpdesk-ife@invest-for-jobs.com
If you have other questions about this Call for Proposals, please write to: cfp-ife.2025@invest-for-jobs.com
Four English language webinars will be organised while the Call for Proposals is open. Potential applicants will get in-depth information on the objectives of this grant facility, the application criteria, and the application process and platform. The webinars will take place on 4 February, 18 February, 18 March, and 1 April 2025.
To receive the link, please write to: cfp-ife.2025@invest-for-jobs.com or visit our website.
Please visit our website for further information about the Facility Investing for Employment
The Facility Investing for Employment is an investment mechanism created by KfW Development Bank on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) as an integral part of the Special Initiative "Decent Work for a Just Transition". The Special Initiative operates under the brand Invest for Jobs. The development objective is to work together with companies to create up to 100,000 good jobs and to improve working conditions and social protection in its eight African partner countries.
DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE