FUNDING WINDOWS
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WINDOW 1
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WINDOW 2
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WINDOW 3
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WINDOW 4
FORMAL SECTOR TRAINING GRANT
Window 1 will focus on skills development in the formal sector and is expected to focus on higher level skills to be provided by public or private training institutions in collaboration either with larger size employers or associations of a group of smaller size employers.
The employers and employer associations are expected to be in the lead position to define the content and duration of the training and provide a minimum of 20% of matching funding to the costs through in-kind support.
This commitment for providing matching grant will be documented in a sub-grant agreement between CTVET and these entities and actual funding so provided reported in project financial reports.
GH¢1,100,000
Upper Ceiling for Each Grant Category
20%
Matching Contribution Required
TARGETED BENEFICIARIES
The primary beneficiary targets for this GSDF include micro and small enterprises that seek to grow their businesses in order to create more jobs and increase productivity.
The current GSDF, unlike its two predecessors will not focus on any specific enterprise sectors. Rather, calls for applications are open to requests from all types of existing micro and small enterprises, enterprises in sectors with high-employment-growth potential and enterprises with strong female profiles (that is, female-headed enterprises or enterprises with large share of female employees) and persons living with disabilities (PWD) will receive higher scores in the assessment. (New enterprises and/or enterprises that are less than three (3) years in existence will not be eligible).
TRAINING ACTIVITIES DOES THE GSDF SUPPORT?
- Short and medium-term, skills- upgrading initiatives aiming to increase the competitiveness of applying enterprises.
- Training activities that are aligned to the National TVET Qualification Framework.
- Training targeting permanent employees of companies but also pre-employment training targeting people who a company intends to employ on permanent basis following the training.
- Skilled and semi-skilled workers are eligible to attend skill upgrading courses.
- Training activities that form part of a formalised training programme.
- Training activities to increase the practical skills of the trainee, also includes funding to relevant theoretical training.
- Training must be provided by an accredited training institution, but also in-company training can be supported provided the instructor (trainer) has adequate professional qualifications.
INFORMAL SECTOR TRAINING GRANT
Window 2 will focus on the SMEs in the informal sector. Due to the fragmented nature of the MSEs and the informal sector, intermediary institutions, such as trade associations of informal sector enterprises, public and private training and business support institutions involved in vocations skills and apprenticeship training, registered co- operatives, and other such groupings, including private training providers and NGOs, will be engaged to identify and coordinate training for the MSEs in the informal sector.
To increase the cost-efficiency of the support, applications benefitting multiple MSEs will be encouraged. Therefore, individual MSEs and associations or groupings of MSEs are expected to be applying under this window. An amount of USD 4M will be granted under this window. Two categories of grantees will be considered:
- Groups of SMEs
- Individual SMEs
The upper ceiling is expected to be GH¢121,000 for groups and GH¢110,000 per individual SMEs, with the expectation that the duration of training is within one year.
GH¢121,000 | GH¢110,000
Upper Ceiling for Each Grant Category
10%
Matching Contribution Required
TARGETED BENEFICIARIES
The current GSDF, unlike its two predecessors will not focus on any specific enterprise sectors. Rather, calls for applications will be open to requests from all types of existing micro and small enterprises, enterprises in sectors with high-employment-growth potential and enterprises with strong female profiles (that is, female-headed enterprises or enterprises with large share of female employees) and persons living with disabilities (PWD) will receive higher scores in the assessment. (New enterprises and/or enterprises that are less than three (3) years in existence will not be eligible).
Matching funding for these proposals will be limited to 10% of costs through in-kind support, internships, and work opportunities to be provided to the trainees during the training period. Grantees can apply up to 20% of the grant to tools and equipment improvement.
TRAINING ACTIVITIES THE GSDF SUPPORT?
- Training which is responsive to the skills needs of existing growth-oriented micro and small enterprises (MSEs).
- Training in the acquisition of skills which lead to increased employment and sustainability in MSEs.
- Training of master craftsmen in medium-to-high level skills upgrading for increased productivity and competitiveness
- Training which strengthens the capacity of associations to cater for the interests of their members.
- Training activities which primarily focuses on the practical skills of the trainee, but may include relevant theoretical training where necessary.
- Training must be provided by an accredited training institution, but training may also be provided by advisory centres as well as rural technology facilities with the capacity to provide relevant training.
- Specific short intensive technical or theoretical training activities focusing on specific subjects.
- Training activities which are aligned to the National TVET Qualification Framework.
- Training events related to the National Apprenticeship Programme.
Training Innovations and Greening Grants
Window 3 will focus on innovative proposals from training providers that respond to economic demand.
This window will provide financing to training or technology institutes such as public or private training institutes, research institutes, higher education institutes, incubators and grants that support the integration of greening philosophies into TVET.
This window would require a matching grant through in-kind support for public institutions and cash for private applicants.
GH¢1,650,000
Upper Ceiling for Each Grant Category
20%
Matching Contribution Required
TARGETED BENEFICIARIES
- Public and private universities
- Public or private training institutes
- Research bodies
- Incubators and accelerators
- Technology centres and business advisory centre
TRAINING ACTIVITIES THE GSDF SUPPORT
The current GSDF, unlike its two predecessors will not focus on any specific enterprise sectors. Rather, calls for applications will be open to requests from all types of existing micro and small enterprises, enterprises in sectors with high-employment-growth potential and enterprises with strong female profiles (that is, female-headed enterprises or enterprises with large share of female employees) and persons living with disabilities (PWD) will receive higher scores in the assessment. (New enterprises and/or enterprises that are less than three (3) years in existence will not be eligible)
DOES THE GSDF HAVE ANY PRIORITY SECTORS?
- Priority will be given to short and medium-term training programmes that intend to introduce new subjects or modes of training not yet available in Ghana. Priority will be given to training programmes that are intended to be aligned to the National TVET Qualification Framework, but this is not a pre-condition for support. Training activities related to the National Apprenticeship Programme will be given special attention provided the content or target group is innovative, pre-employment training can be supported by the GSDF.
- While the GSDF does not support longer term apprenticeship training under Window 3, specific shorter intensive technical or theoretical training activities focusing on new areas of knowledge and subjects are eligible for support.
- Training activities sponsored through Window 3 will primarily focus on the practical skills, but relevant theoretical training will be sponsored as well. Innovation ways of providing entrepreneurship and basic management training are eligible for support as well.
- Innovative projects with a focus on productivity and competitiveness aligned with national priorities.
- Innovative proposals from training providers that respond to economic demand, especially in the priority sectors of agriculture and renewable energy.
- Short and medium-term training programmes that intend to introduce new subjects or modes of training not yet available in Ghana.
- Specific shorter intensive technical or theoretical training activities focusing on new areas of knowledge and subjects.
- Training activities primarily focus on the practical skills, but also relevant theoretical training as well.
- Training programmes that are intended to be aligned to the National TVET Qualification Framework.
- Training activities related to the National Apprenticeship Programme will be given special attention provided the content or target group is innovative.
Science and Technology
Window 4 will focus on private sector growth and Productivity improvements through support to firms to introduce new technologies into their business practices and the development or establishment of Institutional “technology centre”. The transfer of technology to firms and technological advancement will also be supported under this window. The window will require a matching grant.
GH¢2,750,000
Upper Ceiling for Each Grant Category
20%
Matching Contribution Required
TARGETED BENEFICIARIES
TRAINING ACTIVITIES THE GSDF SUPPORT?
The objective of Window 4 is private sector growth and productivity improvements through support to firms to introduce new technologies and innovations into their business practices. Hence, the window will finance collaboration between science and technology providers and industry targeting productivity improvements, product diversification and growth through technology development or organizational/process innovations.
Window 4 will provide two forms of support:
Matching grants available to firms or firm-provider partnerships to support the introduction of new technologies or innovations at firms, and
Institutional “technology centre” grants available to institutions whose mission it is to transfer technology to firms.
Funds provided from this window can be used by grant recipients for expenditures such as goods, works and services that are documented in sub-grant agreements.