Annual Program Statement (APS)
Call to Participate in Enterprise Growth, Employment, and Entrepreneurship Partnerships in Rwanda’s Agri-Food System
The Feed the Future Rwanda Hanga Akazi (HA) Activity is a 5-year activity designed to facilitate growth leading to inclusive job creation and entrepreneurship in Rwanda’s agri-food system. Using a market systems approach, the Activity aims to support access to productive resources for enterprises and entrepreneurs in the agri-food system that are poised to grow and hire. The Activity will also work on the labor supply side through a workforce development component, linking demand from growing enterprises to curriculum development and training so that job seekers bring the skills employers need. The Activity will support increased entrepreneurship in the agri-food system, helping to identify areas of opportunities for entrepreneurs and connecting them with the supporting services—such as business development, access to finance, and market linkages— they need to succeed.
The Activity wishes to partner with existing and new businesses, cooperatives, training providers, and other private sectors operating in the agri-food system in Rwanda to increase employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, particularly for women, youth, and persons with disabilities. Examples of actors in the agri-food system who may be interested in responding to this APS are shown below and include a range of actors including, but not limited to, enterprises, producers, processors, transporters, and consumers.
The Activity has no geographic restriction and is therefore looking for partners throughout the country. Hanga Akazi is also working to strengthen the business enabling environment through improving access to finance, policy and regulation, and business development services, and may match applicants with other forms of technical assistance.
Final funding levels will depend on quality of applications received, number of fundable applications received, market needs, availability of funding, suitability of the application in line with HA’s scope of work and competing priorities Grants will be awarded competitively in amounts commensurate with their impact but shall not exceed the maximum amount of USD 250,000.
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Title |
Feed the Future Rwanda Hanga Akazi Call for Partners |
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APS No |
APS-HA-2023-001 |
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To download the APS Application form |
APS Application Forms are posted in: www.rti.org/rfp APS Application Forms can also be requested at CGF-Grants@Hanga-Akazi.org |
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Any questions please email |
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Submit Concept Note to |
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Date of Issue |
March 13, 2023 |
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Deadline to Submit Questions |
Round 1: March 24,2023 Round 2: May 22, 2023 Round 3: July 17, 2023 |
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Response to Questions published |
Responses to questions will be published at www.rti.org/rfp on the dates indicated below. Round 1: March 31, 2023 Round 2: May 29, 2023 Round 3: July 24, 2023 |
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Date of Closing |
September 30, 2023 |
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Date Applications are Due |
Hanga Akazi will accept APS Applications through April 12, 2023, for the first round. The second-round application will be accepted through June 9,2023 and the third-round applications will be accepted through August 3, 2023. |
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Eligible Activities |
Under this APS, Hanga Akazi seeks to channel resources to support enterprises growth and increase employment opportunities, especially for women, youth, and people with disabilities. Proposed concepts should align with one or more of the sub-objectives indicted in Section I. Illustrative Partnership Activities. Hanga Akazi will consider applications that request various forms of support including grants, technical assistance, and training for enterprises who have identified a market opportunity that can be met through increased access to the aforementioned productive resources. |
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Eligible Applicants |
Applicants must either be 1) privately registered business operating in the agri-food system in Rwanda or 2) public or private institutions who build the skills of system actors such as Technical and Vocational Education and Trainings (TVETs) and Integrated Polytechnic Regional Colleges (IPRCs) in Rwanda. All applicants should:
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Application Process |
To apply, complete the attached application package. Below is an overview of the application and evaluation process.
Please note that being selected as an eligible applicant under this APS or applying to this APS does not mean any type of assistance is being awarded. |
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Selection Criteria |
Factors that will be considered in selecting partnership include feasibility, impact, sustainability and scale, inclusivity, past performance and contribution (leverage). See details of criteria in section III: Applications Review. Leverage is encouraged under this APS. See Section II: Leverage. |
APS Application Package
Application to Participate in Enterprise Growth, Employment, and Entrepreneurship Partnerships in Rwanda’s Agri-Food System
Dear Applicant:
The Feed the Future Rwanda Hanga Akazi (HA) Activity is a 5-year development project designed to promote and facilitate inclusive economic growth in Rwanda leading to increased employment and entrepreneurship. The project seeks partnership with new existing and new businesses of all sizes operating in Rwanda’s agri-food system. Hanga Akazi is also working to strengthen the business enabling environment by strengthening and increasing access to business development services, finance, incubation/acceleration in Rwanda. Through these efforts, the project aims to facilitate 19,000 new full-time jobs and to improve the employment of 23,000 Rwandans while increasing the participation of women, youth and people with disabilities in the economy as entrepreneurs, employers, and employees.
HA is seeking applications to participate in partnerships to implement activities that lead to enterprise/firm growth and generate jobs and entrepreneurs in Rwanda’s agri-food system. The partnership agreements will be awarded and implemented in accordance with USAID and US Government regulations and Hanga Akazi management policies.
The Application Package includes:
Section I. Illustrative Partnership Activities
Section II. Leverage
Section III. Technical Evaluation
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
Section V. Types of Awards
Section VI. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
This is an open application process with evaluations made in three rounds. The first round of evaluations will be based on applications received on or about April 24, 2023, the second round of evaluation will occur on June 19, 2023, and the third round of evaluation will occur on August 15, 2023. Resources are limited and applicants are strongly encouraged to respond promptly.
All questions and APS Application Forms must be submitted to CGF-Grants@Hanga-Akazi.org For applicants who need support or assistance completing this application, please contact CGF-Grants@Hanga-Akazi.org