SheConnects Digital Accelerator Program

The SheConnects Digital Accelerator: Africa aims to scale proven, high-impact solutions that enable women and girls to participate fully in the digital world, improving their lives and livelihoods. By catalysing innovative partnerships and use cases in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Accelerator will strengthen evidence on what works, foster south-to-south learning, and help shape a more inclusive global digital ecosystem. The Accelerator’s initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa are managed by CARE and the GSMA Foundation with support from the Gates Foundation.

In Round 1, CARE has partnered with four African organizations to advance meaningful digital adoption and use of the internet for women – strengthening lives and livelihoods – while influencing digital ecosystems through evidence and learning.

Eligibility

Eligible entities for this initiative include:

• Nonprofit and Civil Society Organizations, including registered nonprofits and charities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and community-based organizations
• Mission-Driven For-Profit Organizations. For-profit entities that have a clear public-benefit mission aligned with the goals of the RFP are eligible. Funding cannot be used for core commercial product development, customer acquisition, or general business operations.
• Consortia, Partnerships, & Collaborative Proposals. Proposals may be submitted through partnerships and other collaborative arrangements. In such cases, one lead organization must serve as the primary applicant and submit the proposal, with partner organizations included as sub-grantees.
• Academic institutions

For this initiative, the following entities are not eligible:

• Individuals and organizations classified as individuals for U.S. tax purposes
• Government agencies or departments
• Multilateral and Bilateral institutions as prime applicants, although they may participate as sub-grantees

Award Information

• Awards under Accelerator Round 2 are expected to range from USD 500,000 to USD 1,000,000 for an 18-month period of performance.
• Final award amounts will depend on the strength of the proposed approach, the credibility of the pathway to scale, the reasonableness of the proposed budget, and the applicant’s demonstrated capacity to deliver.
• The SheConnects Digital Accelerator: Africa reserves the right to make multiple awards, negotiate budget levels, implementation scope, or workplans, request revisions or clarifications from applicants, or make no awards under this solicitation.

Important: Proposals that solely or primarily ask for devices, equipment, buildings, and support for creating digital literacy curriculum will not be eligible.