Strengthening women’s economic empowerment, enterprise development, business formalization, value addition and market access in Sierra Leone
UN Women funds a program to boost women’s economic empowerment and business development in five districts of Sierra Leone through enterprise support, digital innovation, and market access.
Funder: UN Women
Due Dates: August 15, 2026 (clarification requests) | August 20, 2026 (full proposal deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to USD 180,000 per award; project duration up to 3 years (2026–2028)
Summary: Funding for Sierra Leone-based organizations to strengthen women’s economic empowerment, enterprise formalization, and market access in five target districts.
Key Information: Only Sierra Leone-registered CSOs/Women’s Organizations with local presence in at least two target districts are eligible.
Description
UN Women, in partnership with the Government of Iceland, is seeking proposals from qualified Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hubs and women-led or women’s rights organizations (WLOs/WROs) in Sierra Leone to implement an integrated program aimed at advancing women’s economic empowerment. The initiative targets women, youth, and persons with disabilities in Bonthe, Moyamba, Kambia, Port Loko, and Western Rural districts.
The selected partner(s) will deliver a package of enterprise development services to help transition informal and subsistence economic activities into sustainable, competitive businesses. Key interventions include business diagnostics, tailored coaching, digital literacy and innovation training, support for business formalization and regulatory compliance, value addition, and facilitation of market access and financial inclusion. The program is grounded in three pillars: gender-responsive governance, community protection and GBV response (using digital platforms), and operationalizing economic empowerment for women and marginalized groups.
The broader objective is to dismantle structural barriers to local economic growth, enhance productivity and resilience of women- and youth-led enterprises, and strengthen institutional capacities to sustain these gains beyond the project period.
