WHAT?
Our quest is simple. We want to drive significant amounts of private investment capital to support women in developing countries. We are looking for your bold ideas, and actionable plans as well as the scale-up of proven solutions and the right people who will get it done. We expect you to show us how you will leverage USAID funds to mobilize and invest private sector capital to benefit women.
USAID’s Women’s Global Prosperity Program (W-GDP) is committed to closing the gender financing gap at scale and creating financial resilience for lower income women in the developing world. The program’s Invest in Women portfolio uses blended finance to catalyze private capital and mobilize sustained private sector involvement for women-owned or led businesses; businesses that disproportionately hire women; and businesses that deliver services and technologies particularly suited to serving women.
WHY?
Inequality and a lack of access to financial services can leave women in developing countries and their businesses more susceptible to, and less prepared for economic shocks. W-GDP can play a key role in strengthening women’s financial resilience and access to markets, to better manage risk during challenging times and to successfully sustain their livelihoods and achieve continued economic advancement. W-GDP’s Invest in Women program also lowers the risk for commercial investors in new markets, using blended finance approaches to spur new and additional investment, products, and services to create sustained economic opportunities for women.
HOW?
We will award up to US$6 million in total funding to the winning proposal(s), with a minimum eligible bid of US$1 million. We want to hear how you will deploy blended finance approaches to fund, test, and/or scale solutions that unlock significant private capital, innovative financial and commercial solutions, and/or sustainable economic opportunities to meet the demands of underserved women in developing countries.
WHO?
Prospective partners may also include organizations using guarantees or grant, equity, and/or debt capital to de-risk investments in scalable innovations, new financial products, and parts of the impact investing field that build greater financial resilience for women in the developing world. Qualified applicants:
● Should seek to significantly scale financial services/products and/or investment—into the hands of low-income women and/or W-SMEs;
● Should be NGOs and Private Sector (including Banks, non-bank financial institutions, microfinance institutions, insurance companies, fintechs, debt funds, venture capital funds, private equity funds, investment funds, fund managers, de-risking funds, and/or other entities that can raise and deploy capital);
● Demonstrate a proven track record of successful investments—though are not required to demonstrate “gender lens” experience. (In fact, we hope to bring new players to the W-GDP Investing in Women portfolio.)
WHEN?: Your submission is due January 31st, 2021
QUESTIONS: Please contact us at FINANCEWOMEN@thepalladiumgroup.com
Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact — the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with corporations, governments, foundations, investors, communities and civil society to formulate strategies and implement solutions that generate lasting social, environmental and financial benefits.
