TYPES OF FUNDING:1. Enterprise Development The Enterprise Development Funding Window looks for initiatives that develop innovative commercial approaches to long-term job creation in ways that combine profitability with high social impact. These projects should reduce risk, remove barriers to market access or improve or broaden supply chains. Projects can include funding “umbrella” initiatives that can act as channels of support for smaller enterprises or benefit smaller enterprises indirectly, such as facilitation of market linkages and supply chain diversification. Essentially this window looks for new ways of doing things: new business models, products and markets. An example of a project funded through the Enterprise Development windows is the Awethu Project.2. Infrastructure Investment The Infrastructure Funding Window looks to co-finance light infrastructure investment projects that are necessary to unlock job creation potential in a particular area. These projects could include providing critical missing infrastructure that creates trading opportunities; enhances access to markets; improves the business environment for enterprises and catalyses employment linked investment. The key characteristics of competitive infrastructure projects include: large scale impact; contribution to systemic change; innovation; value for money; a clear link to job creation, and a demonstrable capacity to implement. An example of a project funded through the Infrastructure window is the Akwandze project. 3. Support for work seekers The Support for Work Seekers Funding Window seeks to link active work-seekers, especially the youth, to formal sector opportunities and job placement. This window targets initiatives aimed at facilitating rapid access to employment and work-related training for unemployed people, particularly the youth. Projects should clearly demonstrate the potential to ultimately place work-seekers in the work environment. Broadly, this can be through the provision of training, entrepreneurial development, and job placement services. In essence, the projects should be able to leverage their capacity for skills development to create linkages between those that have successfully completed the training and job placement. The goal is to improve the quality and supply of labour. An example of a project funded through the Support for Work Seekers Funding Window is the Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. 4. Institutional capacity building The Institutional Capacity Building Funding Window recognises that institutional weaknesses may in some cases inhibit the creation of jobs. This window targets projects that will improve operational efficiencies, remove barriers to doing business, catalyse innovation and thereby scale up the potential for job creation. The objective of this funding window is to assist organisations that can influence the demand for labour and that can improve the efficiency of the labour market. The goal is to unlock institutional barriers to job creation. An example of a project funded through the Institutional Capacity Building window is The Small Enterprise Foundation APPLY TO THE FUND - Current call for proposals TermSheet 2018
Catalysing Inclusive Economic Growth
While South Africa faces difficult economic conditions, low economic growth as well as high unemployment, National Treasury is focused on narrowing the fiscal deficit and stabilising the growth of public debt, while protecting core social and economic programmes. Fiscal measures are not enough and thus to create jobs in a sustainable manner, South Africa needs much faster and more cost-efficient rates of inclusive economic growth.
The National Development Plan identifies the need to support sectors with high potential for job creation and benefits for the rest of the economy. Expanded partnerships with business, labour and civil society to realise the objectives of the National Development Plan will be a key feature of government activity over the medium term.
The Jobs Fund inviting proposals from organisations that can clearly demonstrate the ability to use public funding to stimulate demand for sustainable employment. This is in line with the Jobs Fund’s core principle of utilising public funds to reduce risks to firms in pursuit of expanded employment opportunities
Our funding windows
Applications can be submitted through the Enterprise Development, Support for Work Seekers or Infrastructure Investment funding windows:
- Enterprise Development: Targets initiatives that develop innovative commercial approaches to long-term job creation in ways that combine profitability with high social impact. These projects should reduce risk, remove barriers to market access or improve or broaden supply chains.
- Support for Work-seekers:Seeks to link active work-seekers, especially youth and women, to formal sector opportunities and job placement. This window targets initiatives aimed at facilitating rapid access to employment and work-related training for unemployed people, particularly youth and women.
- Infrastructure Investment:Looks to co-finance light infrastructure investment projects that are necessary to unlock job creation potential in a particular economic sector or geographical area.
How do you qualify for funding
At a minimum, applicants and applications must meet all of the following criteria:
- The minimum funding request is R10 million;
- Applicants must demonstrate the ability to secure matched funding at a minimum matched funding ratio of 1:1. Projects that offer a higher matched funding ratio will receive preference.*
- Projects will be given a maximum of three years (36 months) to implement and deliver the direct jobs promised;
- Applicants must be in full compliance with administrative requirements (including a valid tax clearance certificate or if expired expiry must not be older than 6 months);
- Applicants (contracting party) must be solvent, have been operating for more than two years, and have complete annual financial statements for the previous two financial years (these criteria apply specifically to the lead applicant);
- Implementers must have a verifiable track record of at least three years technical experience in the area of interest;
Thereafter projects will be competitively assessed against the following impact criteria: sustainability; value for money; potential for job creation; systemic change and specific opportunities for women and youth.
Doing business with the Jobs Fund
- Two stage application process (Concept Note and full Business Case Appraisal) to assess eligibility and proposed impact of the projects;
- Due diligence is conducted to verify plausibility of proposals, job targets and validity of partner details;
- Applicant administration systems must support good governance and robust monitoring and evaluation must be built into project design;
- FICA compliance is essential.
View Application process here
Contact details: Tel: 012 406 9166 | Email: jobsfund@treasury.gov.za
Source:
http://www.jobsfund.org.za
The Jobs Fund Grant (Owner)
