SNV Ghana has launched the second call of its matching grant competition dubbed: ‘GrEEn Innovation Challenge’ for 15 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the Western and Ashanti Regions.
The Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn) Innovation Challenge, will be awarding a matching grant of up to €25, 000 to businesses that have undergone six months GrEEn Incubation or Acceleration Programme.
Under this project, SNV Ghana is dedicated to assisting entrepreneurs and businesses in Ghana’s circular economy to promote sustainable jobs and development.
Also, it is to support green businesses who have innovative products and services in SNV’s three sectors; namely: agriculture, renewable energy and energy efficiency, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in the Ashanti and Western Regions of Ghana.
About the project
SNV launched the GrEEn Innovation Challenge in June 2021 to award a matching grant of up to €25,000 each to selected businesses in Ghana’s green sector who are located in the Western or Ashanti Regions of Ghana, and are graduates or still undergoing business advisory support under the six-month GrEEn Incubation Programme and GrEEn Acceleration Programme.
Last year, a total of 12 businesses, including six businesses in the Ashanti Region, five in the Western Region and one in the Greater Accra Region who would be establishing an outlet in the Western Region, received a total matching grant of GH¢1.17million under the maiden GrEEn Innovation Challenge.
In the Western Region, SNV works with Duapa Werkspace, Social Entrepreneurship (SE) Hub, and U-hub of the University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa to provide business advisory support to start-ups under the GrEEn Incubation Programme.
The project also provides business advisory support to start-ups to help them scale up and mature while helping existing businesses to be investment-ready.
The GrEEn project is a four-year action from the European Union, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana, SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF). The project aims at creating greater economic and employment opportunities for youth, women and returning migrants by promoting and supporting sustainable and green businesses. GrEEn is implemented under the European Union Emergency Trust Fund (EUTF) for Africa with a total contribution of €20,600,000.
Launch of the matching grant
Mr. Sadda Laouali, Project Manager, explained that the launch is to expose participants, especially those under various incubation processes, to learn from the previous beneficiaries.
Also, it is to enable them to become well-informed about the activities, requirements, processes, the application, as well as the way forward.
He noted the access to finance is so important for all SMEs, and that is why the project is keen on matching grants in promoting job creation.
Mrs. Genevieve Parker-Twum, Senior Incubation and Acceleration Advisor of SNV Ghana, encouraged the participants to take all training seriously as it is one of the measures used in the selection of award of grants.
She advised the incubators to create concepts that will generate more jobs and solve environmental issues.
Mr. Patrick Akowuah, Western Regional Director of Agriculture, commended SNV for their desire to increase innovations, advocacy and high-level engagement in climate change and other forms of environmental degradation.
“The collaboration between the ministry and SNV is to build synergies and coordination to provide technical support for SMEs.
