Mastercard Foundation Fund for Resilience and Prosperity is a seven-year, US$ 126 million Fund that aims to support Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) across the agriculture, climate impact, digital economy and health sectors in 20 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The main objective of the Fund is to unlock enterprise growth for the purpose of catalyzing, scaling-up and sustaining the creation of dignified and fulfilling work opportunities for young women and men with limited financial means, including young people with disabilities and refugee youth.
The Fund aims to support an SME portfolio with moderate to high growth potential and innovative SMEs (including women-led SMEs) that have high impact potential and business models suited for work creation within the focus sectors of the Fund, especially for young women and men with limited financial means.
The Fund for Resilience and Prosperity aims to address a broad spectrum of SME-specific challenges as well as macro issues using four interventions:
The Fund has a focus on work creation by SMEs that can be working in any sector but creating work for young people with limited financial means in four key areas.
Each of these focus areas will have competitive challenges or calls for proposals that SMEs can apply to for a chance to be selected as Fund participants. Women-led SMEs are encouraged to apply for support.
Agriculture
Climate Impact
Digital Economy
Health
As part of its awareness creation and learning objectives, the Fund participates in a number of SME and youth-related conferences and forums. In addition, the Fund organizes events, workshops, webinars and other convenings aimed at sharing information on Fund interventions and opportunities with stakeholders and applicants.
The Mastercard Foundation is working with partners to implement this seven-year program. The Fund Manager for the Mastercard Foundation Fund for Resilience and Prosperity is KPMG Development Services Limited in partnership with Triple Line Consulting, the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Partner.