Frequently Asked Questions
The call for proposals in India is now closed. ANDE expects to announce subgrant winners by 25th June 2024
Q: Is the grant only for Enterprise Supporting Organisations (ESOs)?
A: The grant is available for ESOs. Please note, investors, foundations, and SGBs are not eligible to receive the grant.
Q: Will the selected ESO have to disburse funds to Small and Growing Businesses (SGBs) from the grant?
A: Disbursal of the fund is not required by the ESO. However, the ESO may do so if required by the design of the program.
Q: Can the program be run for less than 18 months?
A: Yes, it can.
Q: Concerning the determination of cohort numbers, are the ESOs granted autonomy in the decision making process?
A: Yes. Please note that it is necessary to comply with the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that are disclosed as part of the proposal.
Q: How will ANDE’s team be involved in the implementation of the program?
A: ANDE will assess the implementation in accordance with the targets provided by the ESO.
Q: Are SGBs eligible to apply for the fund?
A: No, SGBs are not eligible for the fund.
Q: If the ESO currently has an active cohort of SGBs, are we eligible to apply using that cohort as a basis?
A: Yes. The program can encompass any form. The program does not necessarily need to be an accelerator or incubator. ANDE’s evaluation criteria will focus on the innovation itself, its distinctiveness, and its potential to generate increased funding for a broader range of SGBs in waste and circularity.
Q: Is Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) cost also included in the grant amount?
A: Yes, it is.
Q: We are also planning to apply for the Investment Innovation fund call put out by your Kenya chapter. Can we apply as a global consortium?
A: Yes, you can.
Q: You spoke that ESO investor consortiums will be preferred.Does your definition of investors also include High Networth Individuals (HNIs)?
A: Yes, it does.
Q: We are an Impact focused startup studio. We put up seed capital and work with accelerators. so we are investors in that sense but we do undertake ESO functions as well. However, our focus is on impact and not waste & circularity. Are we eligible for the grant?
A: Your organization fits the definition of ESO and that makes you eligible to apply. It is fine if you are currently not looking into waste & circularity. But your proposal must illustrate your willingness to look into it as we are looking for solutions in the waste & circularity sector. Your proposal will be evaluated based on how your program will drive more funds to waste & circularity.
Q:We are a for profit private limited organization. Are we eligible to apply?
A: Yes, you are eligible. Please note that for private limited companies it will be a service contract instead of a grant.
Q: What is the percentage of administration fee deducted by ANDE from the grant amount?
A: ANDE will not be deducting an administration fee from the grant amount. Administrative overhead will not be transferred to the awardees.
Q: How is ANDE planning to use the insights that will emerge from the program? and what kinds of insights are you expecting?
A:The insights generated will be made publicly available and disseminated locally and globally. We are looking for nuanced findings; insights that provide clarity on what it would take for investors to invest. Of course, other related insights are also welcome. Insights will also feed into our Policy working group and its findings and how we use that to influence the ecosystem.
Q: Will ANDE provide any support to the awardees in publishing the insights generated via the program?
A: Yes. We will extend support towards publishing and disseminating in relevant forums. We also bring awardees together through various convenings where you will get the opportunity to share the insights.
Q: What is the process post submission of the proposals?
A: We have a two step process. Firstly, an internal review where the ANDE team will create a list of potential grantees from the applicants. Then a five member investor led external selection panel will finalize the awardees. You can expect the results by the end of June 2024. Then it would take us approximately one month to finalize the contract with the awardees.
Q: Can we work with a consortium consisting of multiple investors?
A: Yes, you can, in fact we encourage it. However, please note that investors themselves aren’t eligible to receive the grant amount. Reiterating that we have a preference for consortiums as we want ecosystem actors to collaborate with each other.
Q: In the proposal submission guidelines, you have mentioned three categories – transformational approaches, supplementary services and novel approaches to addressing systemic constraints . Can the solution cut across all three categories or does it need to address a single category in its entirety?
A: The solution can cut across multiple categories. However, at least one of the three categories needs to be significantly covered. We are ultimately interested in knowing how your solution will drive more financing towards SGBs.
Q: In our cohorts, we have a mix of early stage startups and also individuals who are yet to start a company. We focus on Micro and Small categories of the MSME category . Are we eligible for the grant?
A: ANDE’s focus is on SGBs. Please see the ANDE definition of SGBs here. Your proposal will need to convey your plans for working with SGBs.
Q: Would you prefer a proposal specifically targeting SGBs working on waste & circularity?
A: We are very much focused on waste & circularity. We are particularly interested in the textiles sector. However, we welcome all submissions engaging with the waste & circularity sector.