Through the Challenge Fund intervention, the Mastercard Foundation Fund for Resilience and Prosperity will run competitive challenges or calls for proposals aimed at Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) that show the potential to create work opportunities for young women and men, young people living with disabilities or refugee youth in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Fund will run these challenges across three sectors to establish a robust portfolio of innovative SMEs as they create work opportunities in SSA.
THE AGRIBUSINESS CHALLENGE FUND  The Agribusiness Challenge Fund is a rolling call for proposals open for nine months from 18 March 2024. The challenge is open to applications from any country as long as the projects are being implemented in one or more of the 20 focus countries and meet the eligibility criteria of the challenge. | THE CLIMATE ADAPTATION CHALLENGE FUND  The Climate Adaptation Challenge Fund will be a rolling call for proposals that will launch in 2025 and be open for nine months. Details of the challenge will be provided at a later stage. | THE DIGITAL ECONOMY CHALLENGE FUND  The Digital Economy Challenge Fund challenge will be a rolling call for proposals that will launch in 2026 and be open for nine months. Details of the challenge will be provided at a later stage.
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APPLICATION PROCESS
Below are the important dates and deadlines for the Agribusiness Challenge Fund. Additional periods will be announced at a later stage.
Challenge periods | Dates |
Pre-registration | 04/03/2024 - 15/03/2024 |
Agribusiness Challenge Fund launch | 18/03/2024 |
Harvest 1 | 07/06/2024 |
Harvest 2 | 30/08/2024 |
Harvest 3 | 22/11/2024 |
Challenge closes after Harvest 3 | 22/11/2024 |
ELIGIBILITY AND SELECTION
Each challenge fund sector is different. However, all challenges will seek proposals from SMEs that are innovative, commercially viable, and that will create dignified and fulfilling work opportunities for young women and men, young people with disabilities or refugee youth. In each challenge , applicants will be required to meet certain criteria. Selection will be based on applications meeting a certain threshold of the Fund selection criteria. Read more about this on the specific challenge page.
