- Enabling environment/capacity building for project proponents
- Project scoping, ideation, and concept note development
- Development of pre-feasibility studies
- Development of feasibility studies
- Project financial structuring
- Matchmaking with investors and funders
The objective of the African Water Facility (AWF) is to mobilize and deploy financial and human resources to ensure water security in Africa and thus contribute to the achievement of the targets and objectives set by the African Water Vision for 2025 and the Sustainable Development Goals - 2030.
The Facility's strategic focus is on Project Preparation, Water Knowledge and Water Governance, providing grants and technical assistance to ensure that projects are bankable, viable and future-proofed, with a clear opportunity for effective implementation. The Facility supports the preparation of bankable, investment-ready projects to mobilize and secure investment for the implementation of key water-related infrastructure and services. The core activity will consist of feasibility studies and designs that validate and develop a project concept to an investment-ready stage, along with project structuring and transactional advisory activities as needed to make a project bankable, ready to secure public and/or private financing.
Where needed, support to strengthen the enabling environment for investments will be embedded within preparation projects, and may include:
- The preparation of water resource development plans where this is needed as a precedent to the preparation of specific projects
- Institutional support and capacity building to manage and regulate water resources investments
- Developing the water information and knowledge base where the necessary data to support project design is lacking
African Water Facility (AWF) grants are awarded to recipients and projects that fit the criteria below. Please check that your project fits these criteria before you apply for funding.
Recipient Eligibility
To be eligible to receive AWF grants or technical assistance, recipients must be regional member countries of the African Development Bank (ADB), political subdivisions or agencies working within these countries, or regional agencies or institutions concerned with water resource development in Africa.
Government and Regional Institutions
Typically, governments and regional organisations applying for grants will include:
- Central or local African governments and municipalities
- Regional, sub-regional and sectoral organisations such as Regional Economic Organisations (REOs), River Basin Organisations (RBOs), etc.
NGO and Civil Societies
For NGOs and civil society organisations to meet eligibility criteria, they need to be able to demonstrate credibility and a track record in the water sector and meet the following criteria:
- Be a non-governmental organisation committed to the continent’s or national development priorities, with proposed activities that will be implemented in Africa
- Be Africa-based or provide evidence of partnership with African institutions
- Provide evidence of currently valid legal registration under the laws of the RMC in which it is operating; as well as evidence of a certificate to carry out business in the RMC in which it intends to carry out the relevant activity, if different from the place of legal registration
- Have appropriate organisational and management capacity, including a governing board
Show the existence of sound financial systems including clear accounting and budgeting standards, financial statements, a transparent budgeting process, audited accounts and other indicators that confirm their capacity to assume fiduciary responsibility for African Water Facility resources - Provide evidence of competence, based on past performance, to carry out proposed activities
- Demonstrate credibility, knowledge of local values, networks and structures required to carry out the indicated activities
- Have their proposals supported by the national government as evidenced by a letter signed by the appropriate official of the government, at the Ministerial level, indicating that the country supports the request as being consistent with national priorities. This letter must be sent together with the application for support
Project Eligibility
To be eligible for financing under the AWF, proposed activities and projects must typically meet one of the strategic pillars: Project Preparation, Catalytic Investments, Investment Promotion and Water Governance.
Outcomes consistent with priority issues such as Climate Change, Social and Gender Equity and Environmental Protection may also be given priority.
Project Criteria
All the projects financed by the AWF should have clear performance indicators with good expected outcomes and clear targets. In considering a request for financing, due consideration is given to the following criteria:
- Political commitment of the country as demonstrated by a clear indication of the importance accorded to the water sector
- Consistency with national priorities and regional consensus
- Credibility, ownership, and commitment of the beneficiary
- Effectiveness and sustainability of the institutions and investments
- Opportunity for effective implementation
- Good expected outputs with clear indicators and well defined targets