UNCDF invites organizations legally registered to join the Digital Finance for Women Entrepreneurs - Innovation Fund Papua New Guinea, to increase access to Digital Financial Services (DFS), delivery channels and business model innovations for Women led Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and women entrepreneurs across four regions of the country – Southern Region (focus Port Moresby), Momase (Focus on Lae and Wewak), Islands region (focus on Arawa/ Bougainville) and the Highlands region. Applicants can pick one or more of above-mentioned locations for their interventions.

Applicants can be financial institutions (e.g., banks, microfinance institutions, savings, and loan societies), mobile network providers, non-bank financial service providers and Fintechs. Against the economic recession caused by COVID-19, the Digital Finance for Women Entrepreneurs - Innovation Fund Papua New Guinea will support applicants that have existing and innovative solutions to run projects within the country and capacitate the business resilience for Women led MSMEs and women entrepreneurs in formal and informal sector (e.g., trading, agri-business, textile, food, and beverage) to increase access and uses of digital financial services.

The Challenge Fund is launched and implemented by the United Nations Capital Development Fund. It targets to offer support to tackle the economic impacts on the formal and informal economy in the country. It aims to strengthen the Government of Papua New Guinea (GoPNG)’s ongoing efforts in achieving broader macroeconomic targets in the National SME Policy and National Financial Inclusion Strategy.

Candidates can apply independently or in a consortium. Please verify the eligibility conditions on Section 3.1 of this Request for Application (RFA).

Applicants can be registered in PNG or in any of the Asia and Pacific countries, however the interventions, irrespective of the registration country, should have their solution implementation in partnership with a PNG registered entity or institution. UNCDF strongly encourages PNG-based entities or institutions to apply. Entities registered outside of PNG are required to have a local partner that is registered in PNG.

Selected applicants be signing a Performance-Based Agreement (PBA) with UNCDF please check the attached PBA sample.

Selected applicants will be expected to fund at least 20 percent (20%) of the total project cost in cash (for costs such as technical resources, staff, and operational expenses).

Inquiries to this request for applications may be submitted by email to fakhrul.islam@uncdf.org cc uncdf.rfa@uncdf.org

For any email inquiries, please include in your subject line: “Digital Finance for Women Entrepreneurs - Innovation Fund Papua New Guinea”.

Applications should be submited through the e-investment platform by 12 April 2022 - 23:59 (EDT):
https://apply.uncdf.org/prog/22323_-_papua_new_guinea_-_digital_finance_for_women_entrepreneurs_-_innovation_fund/

Submissions using other templates or sent by other electronic or non electronic means will not be eligible.