The Enterprises for Development, Growth, and Empowerment (EDGE) Fund will unleash business capabilities and influence commercial operations in the service of advancing development objectives.
The USAID Enterprises for Development, Growth, and Empowerment (EDGE) Fund is designed to unleash private sector impact on global development challenges. Rather than focus solely on using government dollars to leverage greater private sector investment—the scope of most traditional development finance—the EDGE fund will be used to launch new partnerships that unleash business capabilities and influence commercial operations in the service of advancing development objectives. Past such partnerships have increased the representation of women in corporate supply chains, helped distribute vital medicines to remote communities, and spurred the provision of crucial agricultural inputs to smallholder farmers. These partnerships all benefitted, not solely from private capital, but from private expertise—from a company’s strategic edge in a given domain. EDGE Fund will launch with $50 million dedicated to providing resources to USAID missions and technical offices worldwide on a competitive basis to support these types of groundbreaking partnerships with the private sector to drive more inclusivity, resilience, and shared prosperity.
Which partnership activities are eligible for support?
- The EDGE Fund will support the execution of private sector engagement activities that otherwise would not occur due to budgetary and operational factors within USAID that constrain collaboration with the private sector.
- The EDGE Fund will support concepts and partnership opportunities that advance and leverage core business interests and capabilities that address development challenges and needs.
How can private sector entities become EDGE Fund partners?
The inaugural window for applications to the EDGE Fund has closed. Expressions of Interest submitted which were incorporated into applications from a USAID Mission, Bureau, or Independent Office are currently under review. Decisions will be announced in the coming weeks. Future opportunities for EDGE funding, subject to availability of funds, will be promoted here. We continue, however, to welcome your expressions of interest in collaborating with USAID through use of this EDGE Fund inquiry form.
Additional partnership opportunities
There are many opportunities for businesses to collaborate with USAID across all sectors and areas where we work. Private sector entities interested in sharing initial ideas for collaboration with USAID are encouraged to connect with appropriate USAID staff to discuss partnership opportunities. You can learn more about USAID priorities across our global Missions and technical Offices and Bureaus, and visit the Partner with Us page to explore collaboration opportunities and find relevant contacts across the Agency.
Which private sector entities are eligible to collaborate on a funding request?
- For-profit, commercial entities and their affiliated foundations;
- Financial institutions, investors, and intermediaries;
- Business associations and cooperatives;
- Micro, small, medium and large enterprises that operate in the formal and informal sectors; and
- American, local, regional, and multinational businesses.
For organizations not listed above that are interested in seeking other types of funding from USAID, please visit the https://www.usaid.gov/partner-with-us.
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