The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is launching a Request for Expressions of Interest (EoI) for the Access to Clean Energy for the Poor through Microfinance (CleanStart) programme in Uganda. The EoI is open to eligible financial service providers (FSPs) that have retail operations in Uganda. The programme will award grants and technical assistance to leading FSPs to create new financing models and expand their retail or wholesale operations in the clean energy markets, in particular to provide microfinance for clean energy solutions to low-income households and micro-entrepreneurs in areas which are underserviced at the moment. CleanStart will work closely with the Government of Uganda on its priorities on decentralized energy, including those recently elaborated under the Rural Electrification Strategy and Plan and by the SE4All Task Force. CleanStart will operate over a period of four years (2014-2017) and provide business development support to at least three qualified financial institutions, pending the clearance of the CleanStart Uganda Business Plan by the Government of Uganda.

After reviewing responses to this EoI, CleanStart, in consultation with the Ministry of Energy & Mineral Development, will invite shortlisted FSPs to participate in a structured training on business plan development for energy lending (pre-investment support). As part of the final process of selecting grantees, shortlisted financial institutions that have participated in this initial stage will later be invited to submit their business plans for investment appraisal through a Request for Application process.

The CleanStart programme focuses on improving access to modern energy and contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by assisting poor households and micro-entrepreneurs to obtain access to sustainable low-cost, clean energy solutions through microfinance. By end of the programme in Uganda, at least 40,000 low income households and micro-entrepreneurs (200,000 total beneficiaries) will have access to clean energy through microfinance. Implementation will be based on the CleanStart Business Plan.

Deadline for submission: Monday, 14 April 2014 (12:00noon Uganda time)

Please read the three attachments before making an application.