Encouraging women’s entrepreneurship
FemFocus funds African civil society groups to boost women’s entrepreneurship by tackling barriers and promoting policy change and business growth for women entrepreneurs.
Funder: Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Due Dates (Anticipated): January 2027 (Full application deadline, projected)
Funding Amounts: Total available funding: €54,835,000 for this instrument; award size and duration vary by project.
Summary: Supports civil society organisations in selected African countries to empower women entrepreneurs by removing barriers and strengthening their economic participation.
Key Information: Applicants must target at least two eligible African countries; at least 30% of funds must be allocated to service provision.
Description
This grant, under the FemFocus program of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aims to strengthen women’s economic participation as entrepreneurs in selected African countries. It supports local civil society organisations by providing financial and capacity-strengthening assistance, enabling them to deliver services and engage in stakeholder dialogue to foster policy change and business growth for women entrepreneurs. The initiative emphasizes local ownership, gender equality, and demand-driven capacity building, with a focus on removing socio-cultural and institutional barriers to women’s entrepreneurship and linking grantees to other relevant initiatives for greater impact.
