EfD’s strategic focus is support for early stage healthcare and agricultural businesses that: aim to generate substantial benefits for those on lower incomes; and either are, or have credible plans to become financially viable and have potential to scale. Grant support is targeted on generating benefits for those on lower incomes which could not have been realised if funded solely with commercial finance.
Why the focus on financial sustainability? Why the focus on businesses capable of achieving scale? Why grant funding for businesses that are financially sustainable? For answers go to our frequently asked questions.
Strategic focus in health care
Selection of healthcare businesses to support?
Four criteria must all be met:
- Will it generate substantial improvements in quality of care and health outcomes for people on lower incomes in sub-Saharan Africa?
- Are charges for services affordable for households on lower incomes?
- Is the business currently or prospectively able to achieve financial sustainability?
- Is the business capable of scaling up activity and impact while also retaining high quality care and affordable service charges?
Selection of activities to fund
- Quality improvement and/or prevention programmes which add social value and increase costs but not revenue.
- Early stage ventures where there are good prospects of achieving the criteria set out above, with the aim of proving the concept and attracting commercial capital once the grant has been expended.
For examples of healthcare businesses that have received EfD support see Healthcare.
Strategic focus in agriculture
Selection of agri-businesses to support?
Three criteria must all be met:
- Is the business focused on achieving sustainable improvements in the livelihoods of farmers in sub-Saharan Africa?
- Is the business itself currently or prospectively financially sustainable?
- Is the business capable of scaling up activity and impact while remaining financially sustainable?
Selection of activities to fund
- Early stage ventures where there are good prospects for achieving the criteria set out above, with the aim of proving the concept and attracting commercial capital once the grant has been expended.
- Early stage ventures where there are good prospects for achieving the criteria set out above, with the aim of demonstrating to others examples of successful agri-businesses.
- Technology innovation where grants are used to fund R&D and the benefits will be made available in the public domain.
For examples of agricultural businesses that have received EfD support see Agriculture.
We welcome proposals
EfD currently have capacity support for one or two further healthcare, forestry or agri-business grantees that meet our described criteria.
If you are already successfully established with a developed business case and supporting financial plan and have a grant proposal where EfD support is likely to result in a sustainable and scalable outcome, please feel free to contact us at [email protected] with full details and supporting documentation. We look forward to hearing from you.