What is the challenge put forward by the CleanStart window?

The SHIFT Challenge Fund - CleanStart Energy Access Window challenges banks, non-bank financial institutions, microfinance Institutions, private sector companies, cooperative societies to introduce innovative financial products, approaches and services which facilitate expansion of consumer and/or enterprise financing, benefitting low-income consumers, especially women and marginalized groups, who want to transition to cleaner and more efficient energy.

What are the objectives of the SHIFT Challenge Fund – CleanStart window?

Expression of interests submitted should fall within the energy access objectives of the SHIFT Challenge Fund - CleanStart window, which are:

• Through end-user financing and/or enterprise financing to catalyse private sector innovation in the provision of basic energy services to underserved communities;
• To encourage the development and refinement of scalable revenue driven consumer and/or enterprise financing models for clean energy to reach more low income consumers and women;
• To foster new partnerships for provision of financial services between energy enterprises, distribution channels, financial institutions, NGOs and cooperative societies for energy access.

Highlights

• The geographical focus of the SHIFT Challenge Fund – CleanStart energy access window is Lao PDR, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar.  During the evaluation process, more weight will be assigned to proposed projects which will have impact in Cambodia and Myanmar.
• Women are an important beneficiary segment of the SHIFT Challenge Fund.
• Grant size: a minimum of $100,000 per organization over two years (2016-2017)
• Rapid disbursement targeted before end of 2015
• Application process assistance available

Eligibility criteria

• The lead applicant should be a financial institution, or registered company with capacity to undertake financing, or an MFI or financial cooperatives,
• The lead applicant should be registered with their respective relevant national authority, and able to carry out operations in the CleanStart window focussed countries as per applicable country specific regulations;
• The lead applicant should have a minimum of 1 year of operations and audited accounts;
• Directly or indirectly involved in the energy access sector or have an interest in establishing operations in countries the CleanStart window focuses on;
• The idea is formulated as a Project and has a consumer  (preferably with focus on women) and/or enterprise financing element related to the energy access sector;
• Project idea is implementable in 2016 – 2017;
• The Project idea should contain an innovation and/or should aim to reach an increasing number of low-income consumers including women, who want to transition to cleaner and more efficient energy.

Submission requirement

• Complete the SHIFT CleanStart Window EoI form (word file)
• Up to 3 separate EoIs per applicant; 1 form per business idea
• All EoIs must be typed and no more than a total of 6 pages per idea
• Send applications by email to: clean.start@uncdf.org  and copy to inclusivefinance.asia@uncdf.org
• Email title: SHIFT CleanStart Window Challenge [company name]

Deadline: Monday, 05 October 2015

Documents attached [4]: 1] SHIFT CleanStart Window Challenge Info 2] SHIFT Challenge Fund Info 3] SHIFT CleanStart Window EoI form 4] SHIFT CleanStart Window FAQ

Assistance:  Assistance is available from Hee Sung Kim, CleanStart Programme Analyst - hee.sung.kim@uncdf.org, with copy to inclusivefinance.asia@uncdf.org;

For additional information, please visit www.uncdf.org/en/cleanstart and https://shift.uncdf.org/en