Deadline: 30 August 24

The "la Caixa" Foundation opens applications for the Work4Progress Programme to create good quality employment for women and young adults in vulnerable situations in India, Mozambique and Peru.

The W4P programme promotes social innovation platforms for action and learning in which innovative solutions can be scaled. The programme focuses on prototyping high-impact solutions identified in co-creation and collaborative learning spaces.

Objectives

• The main objective is to create employment for vulnerable populations, mainly in rural environments in India, Mozambique and the Caribbean. Peru with a special emphasis on young people and women.
• To do this, the following will be developed business and their impact, sustainability and resilience will be maximised through the establishment and strengthening of W4P ecosystems which, within a network of local actors, include support services for the entrepreneurial ecosystem and financial and non-financial services focused on local needs. and sustainable economic development in the regions where the W4P programme operates.
• Therefore, the focus should remain on promoting multi-agent solutions (involving private and public agents, social entrepreneurs...), civil society etc.) and multivariable (acting on several levels) for real systematic changes that provide greater scale and sustainability of the proposed models, thus increasing the impact on communities.
• To develop the sub-objectives, the call has two funding models:
  • Donation model: 
    • Conception, start-up, acceleration and scaling of business and service prototypes, always seeking their commercial and financial viability and generating long-term employment for the populations of the respective regions.
      • Design of new medium and large-scale prototypes associated with the portfolio of prototypes implemented by Work4Progress, with a special focus on the circular economy, energy transition and adaptation to climate change.
      • Encouraging market access for the portfolio of prototypes implemented by Work4Progress, with particular priority given to involving the business sector.
      • Development of technological innovations to improve business competitiveness, including digitalisation and giving priority to innovations that complement the activities implemented by the Work4Progress programme.
  • Reimbursable financing model: 
    • Design and start-up of a financing scheme that contributes to the acceleration and expansion of business prototypes and services for:
      • Bridging the funding gap during the early stages of the programme innovation e nas fases de crescimento das MPME, devido à falta de produtos adequados ou à elevada perceção de risco por parte dos investidores locais ou financiadores.
      • Support the two MSME target segments:
        • Impact MSMEs: The companies developed through the W4P programme prototypes that address the programme's impact objectives.
        • SMEs that aggregate or drive the ecosystem: Companies in the environment of the W4P ecosystem that can act as aggregators (cooperatives, traders or service providers) or driving forces of the value chains related to the programme's prototypes.
• With a focus on the development of ecosystems and networking, applications to the models in the call can be strategically combined in an attempt to implement complementary objectives:
  • Improving access to finance for the beneficiary population, especially women and young people.
  • Strengthening collaboration between sectors (government, social sector, academia and companies) and networking.
  • Access to co-funding sources (calls, local philanthropy, impact investment, subsidy programmes from state institutions, etc.)
  • Raising awareness of the potential for impact and systematising best practices and lessons learned.
  • Development of a technological and skills-based infrastructure for the objectives of the competition.

Information on financing

• The funding models will be as follows:
  • Donation model: 
    • Proposals up to a maximum of 800,000 euros, including taxes if applicable:
      • For networks of up to 4 main institutions.
      • With a focus on boosting the current portfolio of prototypes in each country, preferably in the geographical areas of operation, connecting to markets and designing larger-scale prototypes as specified in section 2.
    • Proposals up to a maximum of 250,000 euros, including taxes if applicable: 
      • For applicant institutions that have not yet received funding from the Work4Progress programme.
      • For networks of up to 2 institutions (as long as one of them is local). For this model, particularly innovative proposals submitted by only one institution will also be accepted, as long as it is local.
      • For projects focusing on the development of particularly innovative solutions for companies developed on the Work4Progress platforms in the areas of:
        • e-commerce.
        • Connections with markets and/or production chains of large companies.
        • Technology to improve the competitiveness of inclusive businesses.
        • Innovative financing instruments.
        • Circular economy, creation of green jobs and energy transition for business competitiveness.
  • Reimbursable financing model: 
    • Proposals up to a maximum of 500,000 euros, including taxes where appropriate, to pilot or scale a financing scheme that seeks to implement one or more instruments that are suitable and accessible for the maturity and financing needs of the impact MSMEs supported by the Work4Progress networks or SMEs aggregating the Work4Progress ecosystem environment.
    • Reimbursable funding is established under the following parameters, within which the design of the proposed funding scheme must be framed:
      • Time limit for payment of funds by the "la Caixa" Foundation of up to 2 years.
      • Annual payments in accordance with an action plan to implement the funding scheme. Each payment will be approved upon presentation of the financing plan and approval by the "la Caixa" Foundation.
      • The deadline for placing resources with MSMEs will be appropriate to the application of the resources in line with the conditions of the direct financing instrument for the target MSMEs, to be defined by the institution.
      • The agreement will determine the form and frequency of reimbursement to the "la Caixa" Foundation according to the proposed scheme:
        • O prazo de reembolso será entre 3 e 5 anos, a contar do final do período de pagamento. Outros regimes de termos podem ser considerados, desde que sejam justificados na concepção e nas condições de recuperação dos instrumentos de financiamento direto destinados às MPME.
        • Structures that propose payments based on net profit sharing will be viewed favourably.

Geographical Areas of Expertise 

• India, Mozambique and Peru, and preferably the regions where the Work4Progress programme is currently being implemented, or other regions where it is possible to make connections and create synergies with the Work4Progress programme's activities.
• In the case of the reimbursable financing model, "la Caixa" Foundation reserves the right to prioritise any proposals submitted for implementation in regions with regulatory frameworks that favour impact investment.

Election criteria

• Donation model 
  • Networks of 2 to 4 institutions led by a non-profit organisation can participate in this call for proposals to strengthen any of the existing Work4Progress platforms in accordance with the general and complementary objectives described in Section 2.
  • Requirements
    • The institutions leading the proposal must fulfil the following requirements:
      • They must be non-profit organisations.
      • They must have an audit report.
      • Must have at least 5 years of combat experience poverty in job creation, international co-operation and/or innovation, especially technological innovation.
      • If they are Spanish or international institutions, they must be accompanied by at least one institution from the country where the proposal will be implemented.
      • If they are Spanish or international institutions, they must prove at least 3 years' experience in the country where the proposal will be implemented.
      • If the institutions are not Spanish, they must prove experience of collaboration with Spanish organisations and/or multilateral bodies (UNDP, etc.).
      • Any specific experience in the geographical areas where the Work4Progress networks operate will be considered particularly positively.
  • Networks must include one or more of the following types of partners (justification must be provided if they are not included):
    • Social enterprise incubators and accelerators with a presence in the target countries.
    • Local social economy enterprises and business associations and other articulators of the social business ecosystem, start-ups, small local enterprises based in the countries of operation, cooperatives and the like, provided that the costs incurred by these associations and organisations as part of their Work4Progress programme proposals are exclusively direct and that the roles and responsibilities of these institutions are clearly defined in the proposal and reflected in the budget. Under no circumstances will the structural costs of such institutions be accepted.
  • Networks incorporating the following types of partners will also be considered very favourably:
    • Institutions in the academic and research of the countries in which they operate.
    • Microfinance or social impact investment institutions in the countries where they operate.
• Reimbursable financing model 
  • Podem participar nesta chamada redes de 2 a 4 instituições lideradas por uma organização sem fins lucrativos ou com fins lucrativos especializada em financiamento e com interesse social que apresentem uma proposta de esquema para a sustentabilidade e escala das MPME nos ecossistemas Work4Progress. Especialmente as propostas inovadoras apresentadas pelas instituições locais serão valorizadas positivamente.
  • Requirements
    • The institutions leading the proposal must fulfil the following requirements:
      • They must be non-profit institutions or, if they are for profit, they must specialise in developing the activity and have a social interest (microfinance institutions or development finance institutions or social impact investment funds).
      • They must have an audit report, with complete financial statements, notes and auditor's opinion, where applicable.
      • They must have proven experience of at least 5 years in managing financing instruments or social impact investments in areas related to combating poverty, generating employment, developing productive sectors, international cooperation and/or innovation, especially technological innovation, in the Work4Progress programme countries. They must have portfolio status, management and quality reports.
      • If they are Spanish or international institutions, they must be accompanied by at least one institution from the country where the proposal will be implemented.
      • If they are Spanish or international institutions, they must prove at least 3 years' experience in the country where the proposal will be implemented.
      • Any specific experience in the geographical areas where the Work4Progress networks operate will be considered particularly positively.
• The following will be evaluated positively for both models:
  • The network of institutions is already linked or generates new links and activities to innovate and maximise impact within existing Work4Progress ecosystems.
  • Networks promote local ownership through a greater presence of local partners and by adapting structural costs wherever possible.
  • Institutions with quality certification.
  • Proven experience in networking and flexibility to be part of a platform social innovation .
  • Participation in coordination and collaboration bodies, networks and platforms.
  • Proven experience in working with local authorities in the countries and regions where Work4Progress networks operate.
  • Experienced staff available based on the geographical areas of the Work4Progress networks.
  • Inclusion in the proposal of partners, confirmed or potential, with the capacity or willingness to become potential co-funders; the provision of letters of commitment is therefore recommended.

Ineligible

• Public authorities and international or multilateral organisations and bodies are excluded (proposals from private institutions with public participation and a social impact mandate will be considered).
• Applicant institutions may submit a proposal for each model (donation and reimbursable funding), provided that the strategic complementarity of both proposals is justified and, in all cases, the activities, structure or budgets are not duplicated. The network actors may or may not be the same in both proposals, although a strategy with a systemic and network-strengthening approach is valued.
• The applicant institution may present a proposal as the lead institution and be part of a network presented in another proposal of which it is not the lead. In this case, the strategic complementarity of both proposals will be viewed favourably and, in all cases, the fact that the activities, structure or budget are not duplicated.
• Institutions with ongoing projects under the Work4Progress programme applying for a subsequent phase must submit the final reports or, failing that, a technical and economic pre-finalisation report, including a justification and audit of at least 80% of the funds allocated by the "la Caixa" Foundation. In cases where it has not yet been possible to implement 80 % of the funds allocated, detailed planning of the funds committed and/or pending implementation must be attached to the documentation required above and, in all cases, these must be implemented at the start of the subsequent phase.
• The structural costs of companies or profit-making organisations will not be financed.

For more information, visit La Caixa Foundation .