Common Fund for Commodities: Funding Innovation -Support for Commodity Development

FUNDING INNOVATION – SUPPORT FOR COMMODITY DEVELOPMENT

The CFC is inviting applications for support of commodity development activities in its member countries. Interested organizations are requested to submit their applications in the prescribed format.

The CFC provides a range of financial instruments in support of business activities in the field of commodity development, including agriculture, minerals and metals in Developing Countries that, besides giving a sound financial return, also deliver a measurable social and environmental impact.

OBJECTIVES OF CFC’S PROJECT FINANCING

CFC supports activities which promote the contribution of the commodity sector to sustainable development of CFC member countries in the following aspects:

(i)   Social:  Create employment (particularly for youth and women), provide sustained increase in household incomes, reduce poverty, and enhance food security.

(ii)    Economic: Enhance production and productivity, achieve higher local value addition; improve competitiveness of producers, producer organisations and small and medium sized industries, support the financial sector development.

(iii)   Environmental: Enhance production taking into account the environment and its long term  possibilities  for  the  same,  or  increased  use  of  productive  resources  while maintaining or reducing the impact on the environment.

Focus Activities

The CFC supports implementation of activities along the value chain that:

• are innovative, scalable and replicable,
• are financially sustainable,
• have a potential measurable positive socio-economic and environmental impact on the stakeholders in commodity value chains as compared to the prevailing baseline situation,
• develop stronger connections with existing markets or create new markets along the value chain,
• increase financial or other services available for commodity producers and commodity based businesses,
• enhance knowledge generation and information dissemination, and
• build   effective   and   cost   efficient   collaboration   between   producers,   industry, governments, civil society organisations and other stakeholders for commodity based development.

EXPECTED IMPACT

RELEVANCE TO THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

The proponents should identify and specify the SDGs to which the project is expected to contribute. DIRECT DEVELOPMENT IMPACT

The proponent should present transparent and verifiable information concerning the baseline data and projections for:

(i) Economic impact:

–          On the economic situation of the participating producer households;

–          On the commercial /economic position of the applicant organization, (ii) Social impact:

–          On the position of the benefitting producer households;

–          On the employment created and the wages paid by the applicant organization, (iii) Environment impact:

–          Of the processing activities by the applicant organization;

–          Of the cultivation practices of the participating producers.

Please note that projects with adverse net environmental impact are not supported by the CFC and should not be included in the application. Such proposals will not be considered by the CFC.

INDIRECT DEVELOPMENT IMPACT:

To the extent relevant to the project, the proponent should describe the wider impact of the project:

–          On the value chain in which the applicant operates;

–          On the larger market system and commodity sector.

ELIGIBLE ENTITIES AND CO-FINANCING REQUIREMENTS

Eligible to apply under this Call for Proposals are all legal public and private entities that:

–   operate in commodity value chains in CFC member countries or provide financial services to micro, small and medium sized businesses operating in these value chains,

–    have a proven relevant track record of sound commercial operations in the proposed activities over a period of at least 3 years, which can be documented by means of (audited) financial statements, and

–   share CFC’s values, including internationally recognized principles concerning human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption as reflected in the United Nations Global Compact.

The amount of finance requested from CFC should not exceed 50% of the total amount required to execute the project. The balancing amount of co-financing is to be provided by the applicant and/or by other co-financiers. Such co-financing should be relative to the new funding requirement for the (investment) project. Sunk costs are not considered a financial contribution.

A thorough assessment of the co-financing available will form part of CFC’s final due diligence verification.

How to Apply

To apply, please download and complete the Application form (PDF and Word) according to instructions  (PDF). Applications are to be made in English only as the CFC cannot provide for translation of proposals submitted in other languages.

MONITORING AND EVALUATION

A suitable monitoring and evaluation system to assess the impact of CFC supported activity shall be an integral part of CFC financing. The baseline data for each activity is to be available or collected to demonstrate the effectiveness and impact of the activities before the activity or cooperation starts. At the completion of the activity an assessment of the outputs and development impact shall be made. In the interim, results are to be reported as compared to the planned objectives.

For more information, please visit Common Fund for Commodities.