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22 Best Business Grants for African Entrepreneurs & Startups 2023

by Omale Philip
Business Grants For African Entrepreneurs

Table of Contents

18 Mins Read

Are you an entrepreneur or business owner in Africa and looking for reputable business grants for your startup or to grow an existing business?

If you are seeking for reputable available grants offered to African entrepreneurs with simple registration, some documentations, and business pitching, you are sure in the right place.

Discover the leading business grants offering African startups, entrepreneurs and SMEs funding support with ease of application. Read on!

Here in this article, we at College Reporters have taken the responsibility to help you find, the most recommended and available business grants offering African entrepreneurs the needed financial support. You will find the best business grants you can start applying now for business funding

Business grants are the perfect funding options to access funds for entrepreneurs and business owners to boost your startups. These Business Grants for African Entrepreneurs who are business owners, and startups provide you with some amount of money to take your enterprise to another phase or growth level.

The Business grants and funding opportunities for African Entrepreneurs listed here are offered to individuals, firms/company, business or corporations to enable them cover scale up or develop their business, pay workers’ salaries, and run ads.

Business funding can be challenging to receive funds if you don’t know how to go about them, and they are also competitive. A few trending challenges faced by many applicants applying for SME grants are incomplete registration, competitiveness, poor business idea, lack of business plan, etc

About Business Funding

Business funding is support provided as grants or loans to business owners and entrepreneurs in need in order to help them start or grow their business- Startups. Funding are usually provided by governments, NGO -corporations, foundations, or trusts. Unlike loans,

However, business grants are funding support provided to business owners, entrepreneurs, startups free without any payback of fund or interest. Since business grants have no interest attached and are not paid back after a certain period.

The business grants are given to business owners with no expectation of return and business owners aren’t required to give up equity in exchange for a grant. There are also SME grants for African entrepreneurs to promote their business, unlike loan that you do have to pay and possible pay with interest.

Why Apply for The Business Grants as Entrepreneur

There are a number of reasons you will need a business fund for your business. Many entrepreneurs seek grants as funding option to start a business idea, others really on growing and expanding the existing business and settle other cost.

However, many individuals, business owners are discouraged due to reasons such as – application disapproved or get rejected due to incomplete applications, invalid documents, false information submitted. To successfully get the business grants for Africans with ease you need to submit complete application.

What Business Grant Providers Expect from You as an Entrepreneur

If you are considering gaining access to some of the business grants as an entrepreneur and business owner in Africa, The key success lies in understanding what the grant providers expect from you.

Here is a few insight of  what business grant providers do seek from  Entrepreneurs especially those business owners and startups from African region.

  • Submit your business plan or ideas
  • Have an existing business or convincing business idea
  • Submit Cost of starting the business if have an idea
  • Business that will yield turn over in short duration or ideas that are realistic
  • Provide business registration details with CAC
  • Provide financial records of business or idea
  • Provide record of employees and their salaries if business have been in existence
  • Adequate and correct business and personal informations

Tips to Getting Business Grants for Your Organization/Business

If you are in search of business funding – grants and loans to support your business or  looking for how to access business grants for your startup and business, here are some insight you should know in acquiring the needed business grants as an entrepreneur in Africa.

  • Have a Valid Business Idea

You can find and access grants for your business startups and ideas in Africa with a valid and realistic business idea, Many grants providers will want you to pitch your ideas and plans to see if it is realistic, has strong convinction and can survive the test of time.-check these best business grant providers and how to apply for the available business funding and grants.

  • Have a Business Idea/ Already Existing Business

What Business Grants Are Available to Start Business?

Finding a business grant to start your business does not just come by checking search engine. You will be able to find grants for your small business by visiting specific websites and organizations, such as these listed below.

Here Are Best Business Grants for African Entrepreneurs, Startups & SMEs to Apply

Discover the business grants available for African entrepreneurs and SMEs and are offered to individuals, firms/company, business or corporations to start, scale up or pay workers’ salaries.

Click your preferred choice of grants for complete overview information and application process.

S/N Business Grants for African Entrepreneurs
1. SeedStars World
2. Shared Interest
3. Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Grant
4. Lundin Foundation
5. Root Capital
6. The Anzisha Prize
7. Schwab Foundation
8. MEST Africa Challenge
9. Savannah Fund
10. She Leads Africa Accelerator Grants
11. Tshikululu Social Investments
12. Miss Africa Seed Grants for African Women in Tech Businesses
13. YALI Regional Leadership
14. Ashden International Awards for Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries
15. African Entrepreneurship Award
16. GroFin Grants
17. African Women Development Fund
18. Unilever Young Entrepreneurs Award
19. Innovation Prize for Africa
20. African Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship (AWIE)
21. VC4Africa
22. Guzakuza Agribusiness Fund
23. African Development Foundation
24. Acumen Business Fund
25. African Enterprise Challenge Fund

1. SeedStars World

SeedStars World is one of the business grants offered to entrepreneurs from Africa. Seedstars Africa is an organization active offering SME grants in over 53 countries in the world, especially regions like Africa, Asia, Middle East and South America.

To access business grants from Seedstars, you will need to apply for the annually offered Business grant competition, a competitive grants for young business owners and emerging markets.

These business grants for entrepreneurs from Africa help to identify promising business owners, organizations and companies in the very need of capital.

Target/Audience

Basically, support Entrepreneurs who have a business in any African country

To build and support online businesses in Africa.

To fund web and mobile tech startups in Africa.

2. Shared Interest

This business funding for Africans is lending support with a target on food producers, farmers and craftmen who are resident in developing countries to help them trade their way out of poverty. Shared Interest was established in 1990, as lending society situated in England with the aim of financing a fairer world artisans,

Shard Interest has satellite offices in major African countries like Ghana, Kenya, Costa Rica, Peru and some Eastern Africa countries. Having a very large investment and members investing about $1,000 from over 9,000 investors has help provide a shared capital to support entrepreneurs including startups in Africa.
There are two types of finance disbursment

Target/Audience

To support Entrepreneurs in Africa from developing countries.

Provided SME grants to make finance available to business owners such as food producers, farmers, artisans.

Website: https://shared-interest.com

3. Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Program

The Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Grant is offered by the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) to provide 10,000 aspiring African Entrepreneurs an opportunity to benefit from $100 million grant to create 1,000,000 jobs and contribute $10 billion in annual revenues to Africa’s economy over the next 10 years

The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship grants Programme (TEEP), a Pan-African entrepreneurship initiative of the Tony Elumelu Foundation founded by a Nigerian billionaire investor is a multi-year programme of training, funding, and mentoring, designed to empower the next generation of African entrepreneurs.

Target/Audience

Provide finance to aspiring African entrepreneurs

Offer $100 million grant to create 1,000,000 jobs and contribute $10 billion in annual revenues to Africa’s economy.

African entrepreneurs who are business owners or startups with achievable innovative ideas.

Find Out:  9 Ways To Improve Your Selection Chances For Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Grant Programme

Website: http://www.tefconnect.com

4. Tshikululu Social Investments

Tshikululu Social Investments provides wide range of social investment and business grants to Entreneurs residing in Africa. The provider is a South African Corporate Social Investment (CSI) manager responsible for dispensing SME Grants to Africans.

Tshikululu Social Investments over the years is managing CSI funds of different organizations like Rand Merchant Bank Fund, De Beers Fund, and many others.

Target/Audience

To support entrepreneurs in Africa with SME grants

Provide Business grants to wide range of business owners, companies ranging from community support and growth, arts and culture, health’s, medical assistance, health care etc.

Check Now: 10 Tech Skills Every Aspiring Entrepreneur Graduate Need to Have-Experts Advice

Website: tshikululu

5. Lundin Foundation

The Lundin Foundation is one organization offering business grants. established by the Swedish family by name Lundin in the year 2005 to offer Entrepreneurs in African countries business grants.

Lundin Foundation has it’s headquarters situated in Canada, but operate branches in these African countries- Ghana and Kenya.

Several business owners and entrepreneurs across Africa has received this business grants offered by Lundin Foundation.

Target/Audience

Provide financial support to already established business, organizations around the world

Provide business grants, risk capital and mentorship to business owners, companies across Africa.

Website: lundinfoundation.org

6. Root Capital

The Root Capital offer Business grants to empower entrepreneurs, businesses in Africa. Root Capital is a non-profit investment fund established in 1991 to positively provide funds and impact businesses, families in rural communities and bridge social interaction with business owners.

Over 450 businesses have receive grants worth $million dollars within the years of business grants offered. However, the policies has it a 100% payback for the Root Capital investors.

Target/Audience

Bridge business grant gap and promote rural development with business capital

Provide business training and sourcing funds options to strengthen small and medium sized businesses.

Connect to agricultural business and deliver financial training including funds to strengthen and grow businesses in Africa.

Website: http://www.rootcapital.org

7. Anzisha Prize

The African Leadership Academy’s Anzisha Prize provide young innovative African entrepreneurs with business grants if you are a founder of an established business venture.

Not only will you get business grants but leadership and entrepreneurial training for young Africans between age of 15 to 22 years.

This is a perfect business grants for young innovative entrepreneurs in Africa be it any venture, business, and project.

Target/Audience

To provide business grants to young innovative African entrepreneurs

Business mentorship for business owners of age 15 to 22 years.

Website: https://anzishaprize.org

8. Schwab Foundation

In order to advance social entrepreneurs in across the globe, Schwab Foundation continually seek for business owners who are social entrepreneurs in different areas such as agribusiness, tech, health, education.

The Schwab Foundation was established in 1998 as a social entrepreneurship firm situated in Geneva, Switzerland to provide business grants across Africa region with rigorous selection stages which upon selection you will receive the business grant.

Target/Audience

Provide grants to social entrepreneurs in areas such as education, agribusiness, health, technology e.t.c

Basically, fund social entrepreneurs after intensive screening with the business grants.

Website: https://www.schwabfound.org

9. MEST Africa Challenge

Are you a young tech entrepreneur emerging in the tech industries? MEST Africa Challenge offers annual Africa wide-pitch competition with business fund of $50,000 in equity investment for startups.

MEST Africa Challenge is a great business grants for entrepreneurs who are in tech business based in any of the country-Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sénégal, South Africa and Tanzania. The challenge is a unique search for African tech entrepreneurs and focus on giving them coaching, business capital, wide networking with other entrepreneurs, startup.

Target/Audience

To support African entrepreneurs with business investment capital.

Provide business grants to young emerging technology entrepreneurs in Africa.

Website: https://meltwater.org

10. Savannah Fund

The Savannah fund is also another fantastic option, as it provides startups, business grants to African entrepreneurs. Savanah fund have over time generated a revenue more than $8million as it focuses on nursery stage high growing technology entrepreneurs and startups in Africa.

Since it has been assisting entrepreneurs with business grants. It has records of support to African entrepreneurs from Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and other neighborhood countries.

Target/Audience

To strongly bridge the business funding gap between ventures capital investments and early startups and entrepreneurs in Africa.

Website: savannah

11. She Leads Africa Accelerator Grants

This business grants is offered annually to female entrepreneurs between the age of 18-35 and have already business that need funding in Nigeria.

The She Leads Africa Accelerator prize will raise your profile, have access to Nigeria funding, best business minds in the country and an opportunity for investment in your business.

The program duration is 6 months with a N2Million in investment capital to entrepreneurs who are females.

Target/Audience

To provide investment capital of N2million

To give female entrepreneurs between age of 18 to 35 with existing business based in Nigeria, business fund, media coverage to boost profile.

Website: https://sheleadsafrica.org/hgcp/

Find Out: 5 Industries with the Most Opportunities for Tech Entrepreneurs and Startups

12. Miss Africa Seed Grants for African Women in Tech Businesses

A US$5 000 business grant as prize for winner while $1 000 grand prize for finalists. Miss Africa Seed funding supports tech business owned by African entrepreneurs who are women/girls.

The Business grants for African entrepreneurs is an initiative organized by DCA Academy offering funding as support to females in science related fields.

If you are current resident of any African country with demonstrated leadership potential as company representative or social enterprise situated in Africa. Then consider these grants as it’s support STEM fields and related subjects.

Target/Audience

To provide grants to support women and girls who demonstrate leadership qualities.

Females in STEM fields and related subjects with US$5 000 business grant as prize for winner while $1 000 grand prize for finalists.

13. YALI Regional Leadership

The Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI) was launched to support African entrepreneurs and invest in the future generation businesses in Africa.

Basically, civil leaders, entrepreneurs, and business owners receive grants including other benefits such as leadership training, creativity and innovation, effective communication as entrepreneur.

Target/Audience

To provide business grants

Support African entrepreneurs between age 18 to 35 years

14. Ashden International Awards for Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries

Ashden International Awards for Entrepreneurs is one of the world’s biggest green energy business awards which provide innovative entreprises with the contribution of creating sustainable energy systems.

The entrepreneurship grants is open to non-government organizations, social entreprises helping to build a low carbon society now for the future generations.

Business and social entreprises do receive $20, 000 and have to be based on United Nations list of eligible countries. African countries are on the list of eligible countries so this give you a one privilege to consider this grant.

Website: https://ashden.org/awards/

15. African Entrepreneurship Award

The business grants is provided by BMCE bank of African with a focus to provide a platform for mentorship. SME grants to entrepreneurs in Africa for smart business ideas.

African Entrepreneurship awards is another funding grants offered to African Entrepreneurs whose business are applicable to the African environment with social impact.

You can consider this business grant for Africans if you are a citizen of any African country and of age 18 years and above whose business fall into the categories of innovation & sports entrepreneurship, and sports entrepreneurship.

You can choose this business grant as it offers $1million to selected African entrepreneurs.

16. GroFin Grants

Small and medium sized business in Africa that are into manufacturing, agribusiness, education, healthcare and basic key services such as energy, water, sanitation do receive business grants and supports such as financial loans.

GroFin Grants is a private financial institution with the aim of providing business and enterprises in Africa with medium term financial support. Ever since it was launched in 2004, it has provide business support to over 700 small and medium enterprise and helping to sustain jobs in some countries in Sub Saharan African and MENA regions.

Target/Audience

To provide financial support to business and enterprises in Africa

Offer financial loans to medium sized business in manufacturing, agribusiness, education, and healthcare.

17. African Women Development Fund

The business grants is provided to support organizations that are women led or tackling issues of female rights, security, and justice.

African Women development funding is a pan African female grants that support any organization that strives to support women right and participation for peace.

The business must have been in existence up to 3 years, registered and located in African country, led by a woman and have structured organization board for effective project implementation.

Target/Audience

Provide funds to business/organization registered and situated in an African country

Offers fund to business/enterprise that are led by women and tackling women rights, security and justice in their country/region.

18. Unilever Young Entrepreneurs Award

This business grants support innovative entrepreneurs tackling some world challenges, specifically the globe sustainability goals.

Unilever young entrepreneurs award can be the perfect grant for you if you a a social entrepreneur with impact and need supports as funds to scale your business, enterprises to a next level.

This business grants for African entrepreneurs have fund lots of businesses and reached a large number of young entrepreneurs through funding and support.

Target/Audience

To provide business grants to innovative young entrepreneurs

To support social entrepreneurs with funds to scale business tacking world sustainability challenges.

19.Innovation Prize for Africa

Innovative prize is one of the grants for African entrepreneurs. The business grants is aimed to encourage an innovation driven solutions to the challenges in Africa.

Have an idea or solution to a critical challenge affecting Africa countries. Innovation prize for Africa is a platform to help you amplify your voice and innovative solution to the challenges faced.

So, you need a funding, then apply for innovative prize for Africa, if you have a business idea or solution that is impactful to Africa.

Target/Audience

The award support an innovation driven ideas and business that solve challenges in Africa.

20. African Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship (AWIE)

This program seeks to provide business grants to accelerate entrepreneurship that are female led organization. AWIE is among the entrepreneurship grant platforms that support and provide funding to innovative, creative female entrepreneurs across the African region.

Each year AWIE recognizes and support females in private non-profit businesses in Africa doing tremendous change and impacting the economic growth of Africa.

Target/Audience

To support women led organizations registered in any African country.

Award nominated female entrepreneurs in some award categories.

21. VC4Africa

This community is an exception as it tries to provide startup funding for African Entrepreneurs. However, VC4Africa is an online community which started as a LinkedIn group in the year 2008 and has grown to be one of the largest community with members in 159 countries.

Also, the platform is targeted at equipping Entrepreneurs as they expose you to opportunities and link you to investors through free online tools and mentorship opportunities.

To build game-changing companies in Africa by linking investors to small businesses regardless of the industry.

Website: https://vc4a.com

22. Guzakuza Agribusiness Fund

GUZAKUZA is growing generation of Agripreneurs​. They are touching lives by growing women Agripreneurs, growing new generation of graduate and wealthy farmers and growing healthy organic foods.

They are offering the following programs- Ignite, SheFarms, and Dopal for entrepreneurs

IGNITE

Ignite is an Agribusiness programme designed to spark creation of jobs and wealth in young women through Agripreneurship. Ignite nurtures and turns ground-breaking ideas into profitable and sustainable Agribusinesses.

SHE FARMS
Are you a SheFarmer,? 20+ year old female, with or without farming experience. Ready to commit 6 months full time (40+ hrs a week). Burning desire to grow/ build a farming career. Ghanaian or resident in Ghana.

DOPAL

We train other women farmers on these sustainable farming practices in order to produce high yielding, healthy and safe consumable crops, and also add value to what they produce.

Website: https://guzakuza.org/

23. African Development Foundation

The African Development Foundation (ADF) is an independent Federal agency of the United States government that was established to support African-led development that grows community enterprises by providing seed capital and
technical support.

USADF connects community enterprises with capital and technical support. It helps organizations and businesses in Africa to create and sustain jobs, improve income levels, achieve greater food security, and address human
development needs. In 2014 alone, the USADF gave out 336 grants worth over $50 million and impacted over 1.3 million people in Africa.

Target Audience/Focus

The USADF focuses on Small holder Farmers, youths, women and girls, and recovering communities. It provides grants of up to $250,000 directly to hard to reach and underserved community enterprises that are ready to do their
part.

24. Acumen Business Fund

The Acumen Fund invests in entrepreneurs who have the capability to bring sustainable solutions to big problems. Incorporated in 2001, Acumen is a charity organization with seed capital from the Rockefeller Foundation, Cisco Systems Foundation and three individual philanthropists.

In May 2014, The Acumen Fund co-invested $1.5 million in Esoko Networks Limited (“Esoko”), a Ghanaian-built technology platform that connects African farmers to markets via mobile phones. In October 2014, Acumen announced a $1.4 million investment in Solar Now, a company that sells and finances solar home systems in Uganda.

25. Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund

The Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund is a US$ 207m fund capitalized by multilateral and bilateral donors (the AECF donors) to stimulate private sector entrepreneurs in Africa. The AECF is supported by the governments of Australia, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom, as well as the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Target Audience

The Fund awards grants and repayable grants to private sector companies to support innovative business ideas in agriculture, agribusiness, renewable energy, adaptation to climate change and access to information and financial
services.

The AECF makes its funding available through competitions. Private sector companies are invited to compete for AECF funds by submitting their new and innovative business ideas to a particular AECF competition. The best ideas are awarded up to US$1.5m in grants and interest free loans.

Business Funding Opportunities for Young African Entrepreneurs

Among the numerous business grants funding available, these are the leading business grants for any young African entrepreneurs.

Grofin Grants And Funding

GroFin Fund is among the funding opportunities for African entrepreneurs and was launched in 2015. It operates in nine African countries and has being a business grants that committed $500 million to fund small and medium businesses (MSMEs) across African countries including Nigeria.

Grofin entrepreneurship funding operates through these five platforms: Aspire Small Business Fund, Growth Africa Fund, Aspire Growth Fund, Small Growing Business Fund, and Aspire Nigeria Fund.

The Aspire Small Business Fund provides a minimum of $100,000 and a maximum of $1.5 million to support various businesses in Africa. These business funding opportunity delivers funds mostly for a maximum duration of six years.

Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Grants

It provides an annual SME grant aimed at empowering 10,000 African Entrepreneurs with $100 million yearly.
The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Grant program was founded by Mr. Tony Elumelu, a Philanthropist and Entrepreneur from Nigeria. It provides an annual SME grant aimed at empowering 10,000 African Entrepreneurs with $100 million yearly.

Aside business funding and grants, this entrepreneurship program is designed to also mentor and train Entrepreneurs across the 54 African countries of the Continent. To create 1 million new jobs and generate a revenue of $10 billion yearly to Africa’s economy through the selected young businesses.

Target Audience And Condition

All applicants must be legal residents of one of the 54 African Countries.
All businesses must be in existence for at least three years.

Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs (A.Y.E)

Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs (A.Y.E) is designed to empower young African entrepreneurs. It is a non-profit organization that helps facilitate intra trade among African entrepreneurs in 19 countries. There are no winners in A.Y.E but different businesses walk away with varying degrees of funds and empowerments.

Mest African Challenge

The MEST Africa Challenge is the first Pan-African pitch competition hosted by MEST, which gives applicants the opportunity to vie for a trip to Cape Town to pitch at the finals during the MEST Africa Summit and a chance at up to $50k in equity investment.

The Summit and funding opportunity for African entrepreneurs will bring together leading global investors, entrepreneurs and executives in African tech to discuss trends impacting the continent.

How You Can Qualify for Most Business Grants & Opportunities For Africans

Some grant opportunities for Africans supports and encourages startups with new ideas, others provide assistance to entrepreneurs who have business already existing and need fund for running cost.

Your business or organization must have proven records of existence, business name registrations, company registration, business account details as many grant providers want banks account registered in your business name.

Business must be in the categories of business-agriculture, manufacturing, technology, education etc. The business grant for an entrepreneur support those located in Africa, countries in Africa region -East, West, North or South or a specified countries in Africa. Do check out for other information that must be provided, details such as total employed staffs, revenue  and turn over of the company.

Few grants want to support business owed by females, where female is the head of the organization. Do explore all the available opportunities offering grants to Africans and provide necessary and needed documents to qualify.

In recap on how you can qualify for business grants including SME grants for entrepreneurs and opportunities for Africans, do adhere to the criteria, rules if you want to avoid disqualification or rejection of application.

The eligibility criteria are provided to assist and sieve millions and thousands of applicants, especially those that failed to comply with the eligibility criteria, also do endure you avoid automatic disqualification by completing your application and submit before the set deadline/closing date.

How You Can Know the Type of Business Grant or Opportunity Offered

Before you start applying for any opportunities and business grants, what are type of grant exist? Before you start applying for any opportunity, do a check or background finding on the type of business grant that is offered.

The opportunities provided by the foundations, organization and government ranges, knowing the type of opportunity and the requirements get your closer in making your application process easy. Also, you have chances of standing out in the grant application.

What Are the Types of Business Grants?

So how do you know the type of business grant offered to Entrepreneurs in Africa? It’s great you know the available opportunities and SME grants for African that exist.  There are four main type of business grant as funding offered to entrepreneurs in Africa and many funding options focus on existing business, new ideas/startups. Here are the categories of grants offered.

Competitive or Discretionary Funding

Most of these grants are offered to entrepreneurs and startups works on selection based on the team of judges/board evaluation or review. Funding are given as result of merit of application i.e the best application is a winner and receives grant.

Examples are Federal government programs for farmers, traders, artisans and craft men e.t.c. Where the recipient are not pre-determined and funds are given for certain kinds of business innovations and ideas. So before applying for one fully ensure you understand and meet the eligibility/requirements.

Continuation Funding

This opportunity or grant and funding program basically focus on renewing as a recipient having an offer. It gives current grants awardee the opportunity of renewing the grants for the next duration period or years. If you are interested in such business grants and funding option, you should get ready to enter into partnership with the current awardee who is receiving the business grant.

Most times business entity who are already beneficiaries of the business grant receives recognition and trust for their business and receives the recommendation to be re-awarded the business grant.

Non-Competitive or Formula Funding

Non-competitive funding for entrepreneurs is offered to eligible business owners, all applicants who meet the minimum eligibility requirement of the application process are shortlisted to receive the money as award.

So, you can now say that formula grants are given to pre-determined recipients. In many cases grants are distributed by government, organizations that are sponsors and distributed from sponsors or organizers. The organizers can then determine the process to be used.

In other cases the host and sponsors determine the final qualified entrepreneurs for the business grants after the organizers have pre-qualified applicants.

Pass-Through Funding

These type of fund for business owners and starters are provided by Federal government to the States/Provinces for further distribution. It also can be given by donors, sponsors who are organizations and foundations to organizers for distribution to entrepreneurs. They give business grants to the entrepreneurs through formula allocations or open competitions.

Successful applicants can use the business grant (money) to facilitate and implement set strategies, activities and plans to either start or grow their business located in Africa.

If you are searching for some good grants for entrepreneurs in Africa or planning to apply for some opportunities for Africans, understanding and using this detailed guide on business grants, types of grants, eligibility requirements will assist you on which business grant you should channel you energy to apply. Make a wise choice and apply to as many to aid and boost your chances of receiving a grant. You can’t tell which will be your jackpot.

Which Business Grant for Entrepreneurs Are the Easiest to Get?

There are business grants for you who is an entrepreneur/startup to start a business, grow/development your organization to cover some challenges with fund or cover incurred loans.

Many or all of the business grants for entrepreneurs from African region mentioned here are from organizations, foundations who have been offering funds/grants support to business owners over the years.

So do ensure to apply for Business grants, SME grants for entrepreneurs especially those from African countries. Whoever said getting free money for business is not true or difficult to get, didn’t take recognition of some grants which are still ongoing and available for Africans who want to start business or already own one. Compare to before, there are more business grants offered by foundations, government and non-government organization in this later times and period and are available to support you in your business as an entrepreneur.

How Can African Entrepreneurs Scale Up Their Chances of Success For Business Grants?

As an African entrepreneur with business in African, you must understand what is expected of your business to have a positive result when you apply for business grants and any funding opportunities for young entrepreneurs in Africa. The following are what to expect in order to scale up/increase your chances of success when applying for grants.

-Business owner and young entrepreneurs should have an existing business or an innovative and convincing business idea.

-Entrepreneurs and startups must submit their business plan or ideas

-Entrepreneurs with SMEs must submit the cost of starting the business

-Must have a business that will yield turn over in a short period as well as realistic ideas

-Must provide business name registration and if available company registration with CAC.

-Provide financial records of the business including record of staff salaries if the business has been existing.

Conclusion

As entrepreneurs and startup, you can get business grants and funding to support and scale up your enterprises if your business is registered and located in any Africa country. The above business grants for African entrepreneurs are the top grants available to entrepreneurs in African region.

Take advantage of this wide range of business grants and apply for the latest ongoing and opened business grants.

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References

https://www.startups.com/what-is-a-business-grant

https://www.ecivis.com/types-of-grant-funding

https://www.africanleadershipacademy.org/funding-opportunities

https://businessyield.com/grant-opportunities-for-africans

https://smartentrepreneurblog.com/available-business-grants

afterschoolafrica.com-business-grant

businessyield.com/business-coaching/grants-definition-types-examples-and-eligibility

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15 comments

Pascal Mpiana February 3, 2021 - 4:46 PM

I am an African entrepreneur looking for an investor or any fund for my business project I have in DRCongo, I am Congolese based in South Africa with a dream to build my project which I call the village and I believe it to be very Influent, will create jobs and indeed change a lot in the economy and of course give my investor the merit of taking the risk of trying with me and my project, can u please help me get funded? Kind regards

Reply
Mechtilda March 16, 2021 - 12:10 PM

I feel good by seeing all these opportunities meant for African women. The world economy is rapidly growing and women must be part and parcel by involving in the production activities. Lets part and be part of the growing economy,

Is it allowed to make more than one application?

Reply
Omale Philip March 17, 2021 - 2:41 AM

Thanks for finding this article very resourceful. You can make your applications to any of the business grants for Africans shared here. Multiple application are allowed and its a way you stand a chance to get a fund, when you apply to more than one business grants.

Reply
Suzy Mphela Mogotsi July 23, 2021 - 5:29 PM

Very interesting and informative

Reply
HUMPHREY MONDE April 11, 2021 - 6:48 PM

I run a consultancy firm on Labour which is also a Private Employment Agency and most recently had employed over 692 employees under the Kafulafuta water supply project which is a multimillion dollar dam project for supply of water to Ndola, Luanshya, Masaiti and Mpongwe which is at 92% completion hence the need for support. I equally run a University in Zambia which is providing tertiary education in Zambia more especially the health sector and the major challenge is that of student accommodation, labs etc.

It is from this background that we wish to seek for partnerships to enhance our business to grow to higher heights.

Reply
Olutomi Oladimeji April 24, 2021 - 6:20 PM

The article is timely, insightful, and resourceful. Thank you very much.l

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Brian July 16, 2021 - 9:11 AM

It’s a very useful article for young entrepreneurs in Africa, Thanks for sharing.

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Henry Boah August 30, 2021 - 1:58 PM

This article is very educative. I will to learn more from this platform.

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Jotham Dube August 31, 2021 - 10:56 AM

Premier HR Development is a Training and Development organisation based in Johannesburg, South Africa we are are subsidiary of JCT Training Consultant and have over 10 years experience in providing training services to municipalities and State Owned organisations. South African youth are among the highest affected by unemployment which has soared to astronomical heights due to Covid 19 and the recent unrest in South Africa.

We are appealing for grants that our organisation can assist the youth in acquiring skills that will provide them with opportunities in the already concentrated job market. For more information on our training courses please visit our website http://www.premierhr.co.za. If you need more information please feel free to contact us. We look forward to your response and assistance.

Kind Regards.
Joe Dube

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College Reporters Staff September 25, 2021 - 5:04 AM

HelloJotham
We do believe you’ve chosen a funding opportunity to apply from the available business grants. Do let us know when successful with any of the funding or grant. Wishing you the best in your search for more business fund.

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Massa October 22, 2021 - 7:42 PM

I am an entrepreneur managing a small agro business/ fruit and vegetables processing (value chain) shop in Liberia. Am a single parent working hard for my dreams to be met, by empowering the youths through the means of training in our society at large.
Presently I have five employees on board, that sells per daily commission to enable them take care of their basics needs. Am searching for grant to enhance my business plans. To establish Nutritional shop to improve the health of our larger society.
Thanks

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College Reporters Staff November 12, 2021 - 4:29 AM

Really amazed, please do select the best funding opportunity that suit your business and apply to the organization providing the business funding. Glad you got valued information on our website to help you get the business funding you seek.

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Massa October 22, 2021 - 7:44 PM

Thanks for establishing this platform to empower women in Africa.

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Mohamed Sulaiman Konneh March 28, 2022 - 9:18 PM

I am interested in an agribusiness grants. We are in Cocoa, Rice and Palm oil production and processing farming. We operate as a cooperative registration in Sierra Leone. We work with both woman and men, 60%women/girls and 40%men/youths. Our membership is 200 rural farmers.

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Pauline October 27, 2022 - 3:02 AM

This gives me much ideas on grants

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