SMART RFA 005

The Small and Medium Enterprise Assistance for Recovery and Transition (SMART) Project is a four-year USAID-funded program implemented by DAI. SMART aims to support Palestinian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to rapidly recover and start on a path to revitalization following the unprecedented crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. SMART will help SMEs restart operations, regain productivity, and grow while promoting economic growth and self-reliance in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.

The SMART Project is launching the Climate Change Business Program Pilot (CCB) to help businesses become more climate smart by implementing business-friendly policies and practices that not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions or promote adaptation to climate change impacts but also make good business sense. The CCB will help SMART achieve its overall goals of revitalizing and supporting the recovery of Palestinian firms.

Targeted Beneficiaries: SMART client firms (grantees) from SMART’s Tourism Rapid Recovery Program (TRRP), Private Sector Rapid Recovery Program (PSRRP), Private Sector Revitalization Program (REV), and Women Economic Empowerment Program (SMART-WEE)

Award Ceiling: Up to USD 70,000 per firm.

Program support duration: 3 to 12 months.

Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible for consideration under this program, the firm must be a SMART client firm from one of SMART’s ongoing firm-level assistance programs: TRRP, PSRRP, REV, and SMART-WEE. “Client firms” refers to any SME or start-up that has a grant agreement under any of the SMART programs (TRRP, PSRRP, REV, or SMART-WEE), so long as the grant agreement signature predates the CCB application deadline. Eligible applicants will be further evaluated based on the selection criteria.

Selection Criteria:

• Demonstration of expected enterprise benefits of solutions that achieve SMART-CCB objective to lessen greenhouse emissions and support efficient natural resource use (e.g., increased operational efficiencies, increased profitability, business expansion potential).
• Demonstration of expected environmental and social benefits of adoption of solutions that achieve SMART-CCB primary objectives of lessen greenhouse emissions and support efficient natural resource use.
• Verification that the actions in the proposal can be executed within the expected timeframe of 3-12 months
• Ability to secure necessary cost share
• Commitment to compliance with USAID environmental and social regulations
• Ability of the client firm to accommodate staff and visitors with disabilities
• Additional consideration will be given if:
  • The firm is owned and/or managed by youth or the firm hires more than 60% youth
  • The firm is owned and/or managed by women or the firm hires more than 60% women

Cost-Share:

Financial support will be provided through a grant to cover eligible expenditures with an award ceiling per firm of USD 70,000. The maximum level of available SMART cost-sharing assistance shall be determined by the type of assistance based on the parameters below:

Initial Funding:

• Comprehensive sustainability assessment (including energy/water assessment, waste management assessment, and cost-benefit analysis) - up to 100%

Assistance based on assessments/business plans:

• Technical assistance/training to introduce environmentally friendly business practices - up to 100%
• Upgrading of existing systems and equipment - up to 50%
• Introducing new technologies, systems, and/or equipment - up to 50%

For further inquiries email: [email protected] 

Application Deadline:

The program is closed.

Webinar Session:

Info Session for the Climate Change Business Program (CCB)