Duration

The planned duration of the proposed project may not exceed 10 months from the official commencement date of the JBF grant support Agreement. Projects must show evidence of having started implementation no later than one month after the signature date of the grant Agreement between the JBF and the beneficiary. Failure to abide by the deadlines could render the project liable to cancellation and the grant withdrawn.

Additionality

The proposed project should clearly demonstrate the creation of ‘additional’ production or services. The result of the project should be larger in scale, at a higher quality, takes place quicker, takes place at a different location, or takes place at all as a result of intervention. It should not be already under way or likely to be implemented in the short term without the grant.

Environmental and Social Management

The project must be consistent with the World Bank’s safeguard rules on the environment (see Environment Risk Management Checklist)

Sectors or themes

Activities eligible for funding under the grant include all elements that will assist with the building of competitiveness of the SME supply chain and would lead to export growth, assist with the emergence or development of new products and/or services, productivity upgrading and increases in jobs and sales. These actions may include (but are not limited to) subject areas such as:

Eligible & Ineligible Costs

Eligible direct costs

To be eligible for payment under the Grant Agreement, costs must:

Production and technology

• Certain experimental/ pilot production with supply chain benefits
• Certain agricultural input packages (seeds, fertilizer) for once-off initiative
• Certain production materials (required for once-off initiative)
• Traceability and database systems for monitoring and reporting production activities
• Improved post-harvest handling, sorting, grading, storage, preservation
• Improved production organization/ scheduling etc
• logistics management
• Production process/ technology identification, selection, installation
• Prototype development
• Supply chain management
• Subcontracting/outsourcing

Design and Quality

• Laboratory/ testing services and equipment
• Product Design/ diversification, product quality control
• Product packaging and branding
• Quality standards/certification
• Laboratory testing and certification
• Acquisition of technology licenses, patents etc
• Technical development trials
• Manuals, drawings, material and supplies required for prototypes, new processes, products or markets

Marketing, distribution and finance

• Media planning/ advertising/promotion
• Packaging, labeling, merchandizing, bar coding
• Distribution efficiency; container loading etc
• Market Research, pricing, marketing
• Market and Technology Exposure visits & trade fairs
• Export marketing assistance
• Advice on Access to finance, financial needs and sources
• Advice on structuring of financial packages

Training

• Training courses for the supply chain organized by the Anchor firm
• Training activities conducted by other institutions / organizations
• Workshops, conferences and similar events

Internal Management (where this has an explicit value chain focus and justification)

• Improved governance (board structure, shareholder rights etc)
• Business management training, including business-related English courses
• Management and organization
• IT systems and software
• Costing and financial management systems
• New business systems (accounting, ICT, production control etc)

 The following types of actions are ineligible:

• Degree and diploma courses, scholarships for studies and extended training courses in excess of 6 months total duration;
• Others as defined as Section 2.1.4 below.