World Bank 2009 Global Development Marketplace

The World Bank's 2009 Global Development Marketplace is now accepting proposals on Climate Adaptation.

Visit their website at www.developmentmarketplace.org, available in English, French and Spanish.

The Development Marketplace is a competitive grant program administered by the World Bank. The 2009 global competition is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and additional DM partners. It aims to identify 20 to 25 innovative, early-stage projects addressing climate adaptation. The DM is a unique opportunity to turn your idea into reality; if selected your project could receive up to US$200,000 in grant funding for implementation over two years.

The competition focuses on three sub-themes:
1) Resilience of Indigenous Peoples' Communities to Climate Risks
2) Climate Risk Management with Multiple Benefits
3) Climate Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management

Who can apply? Non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, foundations, academia and development agencies based in the country of implementation may apply without additional partners. All other groups must partner with at least one organization; the type of partnership varies across types of applicants. Individuals cannot apply. Click here for more details on partnerships and eligibility criteria or check the guidelines, available in English, Spanish and French.

How to apply? All proposals must be submitted online. Proposals must be submitted through the DM online application form available on the DM website. Only proposals received before May 18, 2009 6 p.m. EST (22:00 GMT) will be considered.

How will the proposals be selected? Proposals will be selected through a rigorous selection process. Click here for information on the selection process and assessment criteria.

Questions? Please contact dminfo@worldbank.org

The application deadline is May 18, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. EST (22:00 GMT).

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Zara Solar Emerges Winner of Lighting Africa Competition

Development Marketplace (DM) is a competitive grant program administered by the World Bank and supported by various partners that identifies and funds innovative, early stage projects with high potential for achieving positive development impacts.

Lighting Africa Development Marketplace (LADM) Competition is an integral part of World Bank Group’s broader Lighting Africa Program which seeks to reach 250 million people with modern, affordable lighting by 2030. The LADM theme, Innovation in Off-grid Lighting products and Services for Africa, focuses on households, businesses, and community service providers without access to electricity. Winners will receive up to US$ 200,000 to implement innovative, local projects that fit this theme.

The LADM call for proposals in September/October 2007 generated over 400 applications from 54 different countries. These applications went through evaluation by assessors from both inside and outside the World Bank Group to identify the top 52 finalists, who will compete for funding at the Marketplace on May 6-7, 2008 in Accra, Ghana. These finalists represent 38 different Sub-Saharan countries and address the following sub-themes:

• Service Delivery: Sustainable and large scale delivery of lighting products in Sub-Saharan Africa including through removal of policy and other barriers.
  
• Product Innovation: Responding to consumer and market needs by development and commercialization of high quality, durable, efficient, low cost lighting products and services.
• Environment: Using renewable energy, clean energy technologies, energy efficiency, and/or environmentally sustainable solutions to meet the lighting needs of households, small enterprises, communities etc.
• Health: Protecting health from environmental risks factors, such as indoor air pollution and improper disposal of hazardous material

Zara Solar based in Mwanza – Tanzania emerged as one of the 16 winners of Lighting Africa Competition. At this Marketplace Competition Zara Solar also got highest votes for People’s Choice Award among 52 finalists by the conference participants who numbered more than 400 from different parts of the world. Special award was given for this achievement.

Zara Solar was also winner of the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy, [1st Prize Winner The Ashden Africa Award 2007] for Providing Reliable and Affordable Solar Systems in Northern Tanzania. For more details please visit: www.lightingafrica.org

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