ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The NEPAD-IPPF Special Fund is a demand responsive facility, thus grants would be extended on the basis of expressed and identified needs.

All Requests have to be consistent with IPPF’s mandate to support the preparation of high quality and viable regional infrastructure projects.

A regional infrastructure project is a project involving at least two African countries. To facilitate the optimal allocation of its limited grant resources, the Fund adheres to the following criteria whilst assessing the relevance of grant applications.

ELIGIBILITY

  1. INSTITUTIONAL AND IMPLEMENTING ARRANGEMENTS:
    • Written Agreement/MOU between/among participating countries
    • Formal designation of Lead Institution (s) by participation countries
    • Formal designation of Implementing Agency by participating countries
    • Written record of meetings demonstrating ownership/commitment by Government/Project Sponsors
  2. REGIONAL AND NATIONAL ALIGNMENT:
    • Priority in Regional Programme, Infrastructure Master Plan or Continental Initiative (PIDA, PICI, REC)
    • Priority in Sector Master Plan (Corridor Authority, Power Pool, River Basin, etc.)
    • Priority in pipeline of DFI (e.g. AfDB’s RISP, CSP; or other DFIs)
    • Priority in National Development Plan (NDP), Infrastructure Plan, etc
  3. PROJECT READINESS:
    • Availability of Project Concept Note (PCN)
    • Availability of precedent study report(s) or project assessment study requiring updating
    • Availability of other relevant supporting studies or assessments
  4. FINANCING PROSPECTS:
    • Evidence of project as part of funding pipeline of DFI, bilateral/multilateral donor or financiers/investors
    • Proof that the project appears in the NDP in terms of budget allocation
    • Evidence of DFI/Donors funding, interest, commitment or pledge
    • Evidence of developer/sponsor/concessionaire interest, commitment or pledge
  5. COUNTERPART CONTRIBUTIONS & CO- FINANCING:
    • Proof of ability to make mandatory counterpart contributions
    • Counterpart contributions will range from 5% to 20% depending on the country and in line with AfDB classification (e.g. Fragile States, Low Income, Middle Income)
    • Proof of ability and commitment to making additional co-financing contributions
  6. REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY:
    • Proof that project is situated in area/region with low connectivity and would foster improved integration and connectivity
    • Evidence that project would open up important regional resource area/corridor
    • Evidence project would open up major cross-border opportunities for inclusive growth of local population
  7. SUPPLEMENTARY CONSIDERATIONS:
    • Proof of high level political buy-in /championing
    • Evidence that project is new regional priority with formal approval of relevant regional institutions
    • Re-submission of cancelled /re-designed project and proof that issues around initial cancellation have/will be addressed in re-submitted project