Apply for Matching Grant to Accelerate Agrifinancing (Sierra Leone)

Deadline: 10-Oct-2026

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is inviting eligible financial institutions in Sierra Leone to apply for the Salone Access to Finance Matching Grant Facility. The initiative aims to increase access to finance for agribusinesses by helping financial institutions develop and expand tailored agricultural financing products and provide blended finance solutions. The facility is designed to strengthen the capacity of banks, microfinance institutions, and other eligible financial service providers to increase lending to the agricultural sector while addressing financing gaps faced by agribusinesses in Sierra Leone. The Salone Access to Finance Matching Grant Facility focuses on improving the availability of appropriate financial products for agribusinesses. The initiative recognizes that agricultural businesses can face challenges accessing suitable financing because of factors such as the seasonal nature of agricultural activities, financing requirements, and risks associated with the sector. Through the matching grant facility, UNCDF aims to help financial institutions: Develop appropriate agricultural financing products. Expand their agricultural lending portfolios. Reach more agribusinesses. Provide blended finance solutions. Strengthen their capacity to serve agricultural enterprises. Improve the availability of financing for businesses operating across the agricultural value chain.

Programme: Salone Access to Finance Matching Grant Facility

Organization: United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)

Country: Sierra Leone

Target applicants: Financial institutions

Primary beneficiaries: Agribusinesses and agricultural enterprises

Focus: Agricultural finance and blended finance

Eligible institutions: Banks, microfinance institutions, and other qualifying financial service providers

Key objective: Expand access to suitable financing for agribusinesses

The opportunity is intended for financial institutions registered and operating in Sierra Leone. Potentially eligible institutions include: Commercial banks. Microfinance institutions. Other financial service providers that meet the applicable eligibility requirements. Applicants should have the institutional capacity to develop, manage, and deliver agricultural financing products. They should also be able to demonstrate their ability to: Develop suitable agri-financing products. Expand agricultural lending. Manage loan and grant components. Disburse financing to eligible agribusinesses. Monitor the use of funds. Report on financing activities and results. Applicants should review the official call documentation for the complete eligibility requirements and any specific licensing, registration, financial, operational, or experience criteria. The facility uses a blended financing approach in which participating financial institutions provide loans to agribusinesses while UNCDF provides grant funding as part of the special financing facility. The selected financial institutions are expected to combine: Capital provided through their own lending resources. Grant resources provided by UNCDF. Appropriate agricultural financing products. Monitoring and oversight mechanisms. This structure is intended to help financial institutions expand financing to agribusinesses while creating financing solutions that are better suited to agricultural businesses. Selected institutions will have several responsibilities under the facility. Financial institutions will be expected to design financing products that respond to the specific needs of agribusinesses. Products should take into consideration the characteristics and financing requirements of agricultural businesses and value chains. Participating institutions will be expected to increase their lending to the agricultural sector. This may involve reaching agribusinesses that have traditionally experienced difficulty accessing formal financing. Selected institutions will manage the disbursement of the special facility to eligible agribusinesses. The facility combines institutional lending capital with grant resources from UNCDF. Financial institutions must monitor how beneficiaries use the funds. This is intended to ensure that financing is used for the purposes for which it was provided and that the facility achieves its intended agricultural-finance objectives. Agribusinesses play an important role in Sierra Leone’s agricultural economy, but access to appropriate financing can be a significant constraint to business growth. Improving access to finance can help agribusinesses address needs such as: Business expansion. Agricultural production. Processing. Storage. Supply-chain activities. Working capital. Investment in productive assets. Other eligible business activities. For financial institutions, the facility provides an opportunity to strengthen their agricultural finance portfolios and develop products specifically designed for agribusiness customers. The facility is structured around collaboration between UNCDF, participating financial institutions, and agribusiness beneficiaries.

A simplified process is:

Financial institution applies: An eligible institution submits its application to participate in the facility.

Institutional assessment: The application is reviewed against the applicable eligibility and selection requirements.

Selection: Successful institutions are selected to participate.

Product development: Selected institutions develop or strengthen suitable agri-financing products.

Facility deployment: The institution provides financing to eligible agribusinesses using the applicable loan and grant structure.

Agribusiness financing: Beneficiary businesses receive financing for approved agricultural activities.

Monitoring: The financial institution monitors the use of funds.

Reporting: The institution tracks and reports relevant financing and programme results according to the facility requirements.

Financial institutions preparing an application should